Their beauty is a priori the main reason why everyone liked these plants. But that’s not the only reason. In addition, orchids are plants that can be affected by many diseases. It is therefore essential to know what orchid diseases are for their proper development .
Diseases of orchids, like the vast majority of plants, have very specific manifestations in the plant . After all, they are delicate plants that can take a while to recover from any illness or disease. So let’s see what is the most common orchid disease that we should know about. And most importantly, how to care for it so that it continues to have a strong and healthy plant.
An orchid affected by root rot: if you do this, it will come back strong and healthy
One of the most important aspects when it comes to orchid diseases is that they can be caused by the way we grow them. Orchid care includes the moist environment necessary for these beautiful plants to thrive. However, it is the humidity that causes quite a number of diseases that plague them. The key is balance, that is, the ability to give our plant what it needs, but always carefully so as not to cause collateral damage.
Although they are tropical plants, orchids do not require high temperatures . There’s more: their exposure to moisture creates ideal conditions for disease to develop. Poor root aeration or even poor watering can also cause plant disease. In this article we will look at what to do if our orchid shows signs of root rot.
Root rot, one of the most common orchid diseases – here’s what you should do!
Let’s start with what is possibly the main cause of the death of these plants . Root rot is one of the most common orchid diseases and in most cases is caused by poor watering. And we don’t just mean the amount of water, but also the dishes with which we pour them or even a plate with water under the vase.
Rotten roots are roots attacked by a fungus. They manifest in a way that is visually easily identifiable. Their main characteristic is that they take on a brown tone and lose consistency . In this case, it is important to act as soon as possible. This disease is very serious and it is not always possible to save the plant. The fungus produces spores that travel from one plant to another, so it is essential to isolate the diseased plant if you have another at home. This usually happens because the plant receives too much water or because the substrate does not have good drainage. To prevent its spread, we will need:
- Remove rotten roots with pre-disinfected and fully sterilized scissors.
- If the fungus progresses, it is important to apply a fungicide to the roots.
- Transplant into a new substrate and pot with sufficient aeration
- Stop watering for a while until the roots lose moisture.
