Post by pdox on May 1, 2009 15:03:13 GMT 7
The same type of fungus that claimed my big and healthy Calanthe is back with a vengeance. This time, it has claimed a beautiful, healthy Phal bellina.
This beautiful and healthy phal bellina plant has been reduced to a pile of rotting leaves in a flash. Didn't even have time to blink!
What's left of it... just found out today, it was still fine a couple days ago.
The fungus started at the base of the plant, spreading quickly causing the leaf base to rot. It then quickly spread to the rest of the stem and swiftly turned the infected parts to mush.
It's been raining almost everyday recently and I think the media was just too wet as I also have a Lycopodium fern in the same pot with natural moss. That may have prevented the media from drying out faster than the other pots. It's a mistake that won't be repeated that's for sure!
Besides fungal problems and bacterial infections, there's a neverending problem with slugs which cause a lot of damage to the young leaves. Caterpillars also wreak havoc whenever there is an outbreak. Because I try to use as little chemicals as possible, I do not spray the plants with fungicide or pesticides. Furthermore, I have a small guppy pond under the phals which is why I only use neem oil and other organic based sprays. Unfortunately, they are not really effective.
Usually, bellinas are quite hardy and it does take quite a bit to kill one. Now I just hang them around like the pic below. They are so much easier to maintain this way. The roots will wander and attach to adjacent pots but I let them be.
It may not look nice, but a very practical way to avoid fungal and root/stem rot problems is to simply tie a few pieces of coconut husk around the roots and hang it upside down. The husk retains enough moisture for the phal yet dries out fast enough to avoid root problems even in wet weather (my species phals are kept outside year round). It is also easier to just tag the phal to a piece of fern without any padding (but frequent daily watering needed during dry season).
This beautiful and healthy phal bellina plant has been reduced to a pile of rotting leaves in a flash. Didn't even have time to blink!
What's left of it... just found out today, it was still fine a couple days ago.
The fungus started at the base of the plant, spreading quickly causing the leaf base to rot. It then quickly spread to the rest of the stem and swiftly turned the infected parts to mush.
It's been raining almost everyday recently and I think the media was just too wet as I also have a Lycopodium fern in the same pot with natural moss. That may have prevented the media from drying out faster than the other pots. It's a mistake that won't be repeated that's for sure!
Besides fungal problems and bacterial infections, there's a neverending problem with slugs which cause a lot of damage to the young leaves. Caterpillars also wreak havoc whenever there is an outbreak. Because I try to use as little chemicals as possible, I do not spray the plants with fungicide or pesticides. Furthermore, I have a small guppy pond under the phals which is why I only use neem oil and other organic based sprays. Unfortunately, they are not really effective.
Usually, bellinas are quite hardy and it does take quite a bit to kill one. Now I just hang them around like the pic below. They are so much easier to maintain this way. The roots will wander and attach to adjacent pots but I let them be.
It may not look nice, but a very practical way to avoid fungal and root/stem rot problems is to simply tie a few pieces of coconut husk around the roots and hang it upside down. The husk retains enough moisture for the phal yet dries out fast enough to avoid root problems even in wet weather (my species phals are kept outside year round). It is also easier to just tag the phal to a piece of fern without any padding (but frequent daily watering needed during dry season).