# A problem Phrag. and need advice



## abax (Jun 3, 2016)

I have an old Hanne Papow 'Powder Puff' x sedenii 'Candidium' HCC/AOS that's giving me fits. It's a big
two growth plant with three new leads, but it continually
has brown tips on the plant and two of the new leads.
I've used DB and a Cleary's drench and can't seem to
clear up the problem. It's sitting in a tray of water and
isn't fertilized very much...maybe once or twice a month
with K-Lite at 1/4 tsp. The water is renewed every other
day with either rain water or very good tap water. The roots are good and it's in Orchiata. All my other Phrags.
are doing beautifully in the same mix and routine. I'm
just about ready to compost the damn plant, but I really
hate to do it. Any advice, questions anyone can offer
will be appreciated.


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## mrhappyrotter (Jun 3, 2016)

Got pics?

Sometimes this can be a sign of vascular stress, either from too much fertilizer, being allowed to go too dry, root damage, too high of temps/light, or too low of humidity. Basically anything that would stress the plant and potentially make it unable to get enough water to the leaf tips. I suppose it could be a symptom of disease as well.

Maybe try getting it into a shadier spot with slightly cooler temps. It may take time to resolve, so don't expect immediate results. If that doesn't do it, and you know for a fact that the plant isn't diseased and that the roots are in excellent health, then maybe try giving it away or trashing it.


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## NYEric (Jun 3, 2016)

Photo?


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## gonewild (Jun 3, 2016)

Calcium deficient.


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## Silvan (Jun 3, 2016)

Are you seriously thinking about getting rid of your plant just because it has leaftip dieback? It seems like a very interesting cross. You should bloom it first before doing anything too drastic 
I find crosses made with schlimii are more sensible to this. When I grew Sedenii
I was able to stop the leaftip dieback by watering my plant everyday... it can be challenging.
In the meantime, a pair of scissors can be your best friend.


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## abax (Jun 3, 2016)

Hmmm...it shouldn't a calcium problem because of K-Lite and Orchiata. It's sitting in water and watered from the top every other day. Humidity is always at or above 90% and temps. are in the mid to high 70s and in the mid 60s at night. I'd call the light medium shady with aluminet covering the greenhouse. Lots of air movement
with several fans and two 52" ceiling fans going 24/7 in
addition to louvers and exhaust fan.

Silvan I use pruners to cut off the leaf tips, but even the
new leads have the same problem although they continue
grow well. The plant is quite large, but has never bloomed. The cross is called Phrag. Randy McDonald.

I've simply run out of ideas and get so discouraged when
all my Phrags. look wonderful and this one is soooo ugly.
It's been in power 5 Orchiata that looks good. Do you
suppose repotting might help or make the situation worse? Might this cross prefer to not sit in a saucer of water?

Eric, I can't take pics because a certain person traded
my Galaxy phone for a dud LG that won't talk to my
computer and takes lousy photos. Neither Verizon or
AT&T seem to be able to fix the problem.


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## Silvan (Jun 4, 2016)

I grow all the species that composes that cross plus the Hanne Popow and they all love to be sitting in water. Also, Phrags that don't like too much water grow poorly and get yellowing leaves and weird spotting due to the roots that are rotting.
Have you tried growing in a sphagnum moss/coarse perlite mix? Since you water with tap water maybe it's a PH issue?


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## NYEric (Jun 4, 2016)

Leaf tip burn is no big deal. Do you boost the calcium uptake by putting Epsom salt in your feed? If you don't want it...


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## gonewild (Jun 4, 2016)

abax said:


> Hmmm...it shouldn't a calcium problem because of K-Lite and Orchiata. It's sitting in water and watered from the top every other day.



Based on this statement


> and isn't fertilized very much...maybe once or twice a month
> with K-Lite at 1/4 tsp. The water is renewed every other
> day with either rain water or very good tap water.


I doubt it is getting enough calcium. In reality it is probably not getting enough of any nutrient, especially the micro nutrients. 

Usually when someone says "very good tap water" they mean low in calcium.
K-Lite at 1/4 tsp maybe once or twice a month is not enough nutrients unless the root environment microbes are producing additional nutrients.
Unless the orchiata is in a state of decay there likely is not any calcium coming from it either.

You are applying nutrients at a strength of 1/60 tsp per gallon not 1/4 tsp per gallon because you don't apply nutrients every time you water.

Likely the reason this one plant has the problem and the others don't is because genetically it does not tolerate the low nutrient environment. It's probably an individual that needs more than a starvation diet. 

Just my opinion without seeing the plant.


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## abax (Jun 5, 2016)

Would you mind recommending a good product for the
calcium and how much to use per gallon? I've never had
the problem and don't quite know what to use at what
dosage.

Just in passing, I keep reading that "less is more" concerning fertilizing and have tried not to over-fertilize.
Perhaps I'm over doing the less is more thing.

Very good tap water refers to ph and low salts


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## PaphMadMan (Jun 5, 2016)

I'm with Lance on this. I'd up the fertilizer to every week and see how it goes.


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## gonewild (Jun 5, 2016)

abax said:


> Would you mind recommending a good product for the
> calcium and how much to use per gallon? I've never had
> the problem and don't quite know what to use at what
> dosage.



Calcium nitrate in addition to the K-Lite in equal amounts.
That will start giving more calcium and nitrogen as well.
Or just mix the calcium nitrate 1 tsp per gallon and apply often.



> Just in passing, I keep reading that "less is more" concerning fertilizing and have tried not to over-fertilize.
> Perhaps I'm over doing the less is more thing.



The "less is more" statement is way misleading. What is the starting point that you want to be less than? Unknown. 
Somebody says use a fertilizer "weakly weakly" and the someone else says "less is more", both statements had meaning when the phrases were coined but now they lead to underfed plants, especially when both are used together. 
When you are advised to use K-lite fertilizer at 1/4tsp per gallon that is formulated to be used every time you water not every 15th time.
Forget "less is more" and feed the chickens so they lay eggs.



> Very good tap water refers to ph and low salts



And perhaps no calcium? I dont know if your leaf tip problem is in fact calcium but it sounds like the plant is not being supplied with excess of any nutrient and in fact it basically is not receiving much fertilizer at all. So rather than thinking something is in excess like "salts" think about what is deficient. It's an easy solution, apply more of everything since you basically are not applying anything now.


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## orcoholic (Jun 5, 2016)

If all your other Phrags are doing great, my guess is heat stress.

Can't think of a reason why this, and only this Phrag, could be nutrient deficient - unless it's just one of a kind with weird needs?

It does sound like it is being underfed, however, and this may be why it never blooms. An underfed plant may still survive. It just may not thrive and grow as well as it can.


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## gonewild (Jun 5, 2016)

orcoholic said:


> Can't think of a reason why this, and only this Phrag, could be nutrient deficient - unless it's just one of a kind with weird needs?



Genetics. Every individual sexually produced plant has a different genetic makeup. Some individuals need more food than others. The problem may not be nutrient related but that is the easiest potential problem to explore and rectify.


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## Happypaphy7 (Jun 5, 2016)

I'm with orcoholic. 

It's gotta be just this plant being subseptable to leaf attacking disease.
I had schlimii that did this and tossed it. Headache free. 

Eric- leaf tip burn maybe just be attacking one affected plant, but if what you thought was leaf tip burn was actually disease of some sort, then it is not nothing. Especially in a big collection at home with less than ideal conditions as the affected area will continue to release and spread spores. 
Just a thought to consider. 

"Clean" culture and practice is very important at all level. 
Sick plants with recurring problems, unless highly valuable, are usually best discarded. 
You can always start new and clean. 

Sick plants don't bring me any pleasur, only stress. and I don't need that.


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## abax (Jun 6, 2016)

Will do Lance. Thank you.

I agree Happy. This plant is stressing me and I don't
need the additional stress at the moment. Also I think it's a crappy Phrag. that was not particularly healthy to
begin with.


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## NYEric (Jun 6, 2016)

NYEric said:


> Photo?


Do you have my address?


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## Carkin (Jun 6, 2016)

I had the same problem with just one of my Phrags, frustrating black leaf tips, all the others were fine. Finally figured it out. Not enough water or fertilizer. I now water it everyday, and fertilize around every third day. The new leaves are much bigger, no leaf tip burn and it's finally spiking!!
Maybe you don't have to give up on yours yet?!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## NYEric (Jun 6, 2016)

Shhhhhhh! 
I'm working here!


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## Carkin (Jun 6, 2016)

Bahahaha...I meant don't throw it out, send it to Eric!!


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## NYEric (Jun 6, 2016)

We agree! Thanks


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## abax (Jun 6, 2016)

Sorry Eric, I had a pitch fit today and composted the damn
plant. It wasn't worth postage. I think it was diseased
actually.


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## NYEric (Jun 7, 2016)

Ok.


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## SlipperFan (Jun 7, 2016)

I guess I should throw out half of my Phrag collection!


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