Help for Phal Bellina

[sherene]

The leaf is turning yellow and sick! I have spray pesticide but still dying.........what can i do to help it?

[kiwiorchids]

A pesticide wont do much if its not a pest. Try some Copper Oxychloride, it is a broad spectrum fungicide and anti-bacterial, so it will sort out anything within those two categories. I use it on my sick plants and i swear by it.

My recommended Regime: Mix in 4-5gms of a strong copper oxychloride or 5-6gms of a regular copper oxychloride in 5ltrs of water (this is half strength).
Apply to foliage and media once a week for 6 weeks, then after this, apply a foliar fertilizer specifically formulated for orchids (i have found others dont work as well during this regime) at half strength.
Continue for another 6 weeks on this, then after just grow on as normal.
NEVER USE THE FERTILIZER DURING APPLICATION PERIOD OF COPPER. Again, i have found it messes with the plant and it can kill them.

[gavstang]

Poh Hong, a picture showing not only the infected area but the whole plant as well might help the seniors to diagnose and help you. Im a newbie myself and I also tend to freak out when my orchids have a problem. I have a number of bellinas and quite a number of phals (i was going through a phal stage at one point!) and they are fairly finicky plants who are quick to indicate their displeasure at your ill treatment or over treatment! Where is your bellina's grow area? Yellowing may also indicate too much sun, although from your picture I cant quite tell. For me, normally if the leaf starts yellowing and its a bottom leaf Im not too bothered as its usually just the leaf having run its natural course and dying but if its a new leaf or top leaf..ahhhh thats a different story..thats when I start to freak out! ARGGGHHHHH!!!! I whip out all my fungicides..systemic, contact..I whack them on..spraying, applying, smearing...I daub alcohol solutions...etc etc..and then......TA DA!!! they still die...

Ok jokes aside..i normally spray the fungicides..if that doesnt seem to work, then I'll just cut the leaf all the way to healthy tissue..cauterise the wound with either fungicide, alcohol rub or cinnamon powder (depending which one is at hand) and wait and see..it usually works. Usually.....

DOnt worry..bellinas are one thing which are pretty common in Malaysia so even if your plant dies..rest assured you can still buy another one! NOt sure how much this helped, but hopefully it made u laugh a bit...

[sherene]

Thanks Gavin & Jordan, I never have luck on Phal. I started with a few pots of Phalaenopsis and u know what? All gone!! This Bellina is the second batch. Cattleya and Dendrobium are ok with me.ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!

[kiwiorchids]

well its just a case of trial and error i find. Phals aren't my strong point, but dendrobs, cymbids and odonts are. I first got a cymbid and wanted more, eventually getting almost 50, and then i found the odonts and dendrobs, as well as mini catts. Mini catts, yea not so great, any other catts, fine. dont know what it is. I have one phal that is going as perfect as anyone could want, another that has recently suffered from root rot, and one that has next to nothing in the way of roots.
Thats what i do anyway. Trial and error.

[catttan]

From the little that I can see, it might be a case of red spider mites that usually attack the underside of phal leaves. Check the leaves and if you see the tell-tale signs - silvery or reddish patches, treat with miticide. Red spider mites love phal leaves as they are succulent and the underside seldom get wet during watering or rain. Because of this I like to mount my phals so the underside is exposed to watering.

[kiwiorchids]

Yew has a good point there....

[sherene]

Hi Yew
You are right, I saw silvery and reddish patches on the underside of the leaves. I always have this problem with my Phal. So many were gone and at first I thought I over water them. I started my orchids with Phal and I almost gave up until I joint this forum. I can never get it right and now I am going to kill those monster! Guess I have to be patient. Thanks!

[gavstang]

Bow to the sifu!