# Phrag. kov. problems



## Lycaste53 (Nov 3, 2011)

Two years ago, I got this (division of an adult ?) plant:






First year was fine, the two new growth expanded





Springtime this year, I was quite hopeful that there was a bud in the elder growth, but it changed color from green to brown, like dried out. After a while, the tips of the leaves turned into brown too





I have cut them back and treated the plant against every evil you can fight against, but the disease was going on






The roots seamed to be healthy





In october, a little new growth showed off. Today, I remarked that the inner leave of the little one is brown again. I took the plant out of the pot, removed old potting-material and old roots:










There are some new roots. At the moment, the roots are soaked in a antibacterial solution.

What to do? Is there any chance for healing or is it an inherent disease ?

Best regards, Gina


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## valenzino (Nov 3, 2011)

Keep the plant in running water and not in a tray with stagnating water.Put more limestone and charcoal in the media.Be shure that temperatures dont exceed 26-28 C°.


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## NYEric (Nov 3, 2011)

The root growth looks good. Looks like there is a little erwinia in the lower leaves, take a sniff. If you detect the smell, put some Dragon's blood/hydrogen peroxide and lime powder.


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## paphioboy (Nov 3, 2011)

IMHO you should remove the remnants of the leaves that you have cut (the bottom most ones) completely. If you leave them there, the disease will spread. Hold the plant with one hand and with a sharp downward tug, pull those leaves until it comes clean off the base of the plant (where the plant meets the roots).


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## Stone (Nov 3, 2011)

I Would not rule out a calcium deficiency. Also Fluoride in your water can
cause these symptoms on strap leaved plants. Unbalanced nutrition can lead to attack by pathogens. Check everything you can starting with environment.
Don't lose that precious plant:sob:


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## Eric Muehlbauer (Nov 3, 2011)

Welcome to the wonderful world of phrags. I don't think I have a single large phrag that doesn't have some leaves like that. It won't die from it. On the whole, while phrags are much more prone to leaf tip browning and general "ugly leaf" conditions, they are also way hardier than paphs, and don't die all that easily.


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## Rick (Nov 3, 2011)

valenzino said:


> Keep the plant in running water and not in a tray with stagnating water.Put more limestone and charcoal in the media.Be sure that temperatures don't exceed 26-28 C°.




I would also curtail fertilizing with any standard balanced fertilizer. Maybe just a little calcium nitrate and Epsom salts. Maybe use your regular fertilizer at 1/8 strength.


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## SlipperFan (Nov 4, 2011)

Alfredo Manrique has suggestions for growing kovachii on this website:
http://www.phragmipediumkovachii.com/PKculture/PK-culture.htm


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## gonewild (Nov 5, 2011)

Maybe some pathogen from forest where it was collected?


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## Berthold (Nov 5, 2011)

gonewild said:


> Maybe some pathogen from forest where it was collected?



I prefer to believe the pathogens are from the German forest.


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## Ozpaph (Nov 8, 2011)

Doesn't look like infection to me.
Climate. Water quality or nutrition, probably.
I'd go with Ricks suggestion and ensure the climate is right.


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## Lycaste53 (Nov 8, 2011)

Thanks to all of you for the support. 
I changed potting media and added some Ca (+Mg) powder. Keep the plant at a cooler place than before. If it survives, it will spend the next summer outside in the garden.
Best regards, Gina


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## Berthold (Nov 8, 2011)

Lycaste53 said:


> Thanks to all of you for the support.
> I changed potting media and added some Ca (+Mg) powder. Keep the plant at a cooler place than before. If it survives, it will spend the next summer outside in the garden.
> Best regards, Gina



Hi Gina,
warm, slowly flowing water through the root system and a lot of standard fertilizer is the way. And cut off the brown leaves immediatly.

Don't kill the plant by to much Ca-powder, adjust a pH-value of about 6 in the root system.

And if in flower have a look at the yellow rim please.

Greetings Berthold


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## SlipperKing (Nov 8, 2011)

Ozpaph said:


> Doesn't look like infection to me.
> Climate. Water quality or nutrition, probably.
> I'd go with Ricks suggestion and ensure the climate is right.



I see no pathogen. It is as others have said already. nutrition issue.


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## Berthold (Nov 8, 2011)

SlipperKing said:


> I see no pathogen. It is as others have said already. nutrition issue.



the brown leaves and leave tips are fungus infections due to weakened cell structure caused by some what else.


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## SlipperKing (Nov 8, 2011)

Berthold said:


> the brown leaves and leave tips are fungus infections due to weakened cell structure caused by some what else.



prove it


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## Erythrone (Nov 8, 2011)

No pathogen evidence for me too....


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## gonewild (Nov 8, 2011)

How healthy are the roots actually?

How many of the roots in the mass are actually good roots?

I don't see very many active root tips and do see a lot of what looks like decayed spots on the roots.


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## valenzino (Nov 8, 2011)

Berthold said:


> Hi Gina,....a lot of standard fertilizer is the way.....



WHAT?,a lot of standard fertilizer is the best way to KILL the plant!!!!
And warm water...what kovachii have to do with warm water?

Please dont push peoples to kill their plants!!!


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## Paul (Nov 8, 2011)

Hi,
I'm thinking of some lack or excess of some nutrients... I don't really know which but that's possible.
maybe you could try to change your watering. 
Roots are ok so I don't think of over-fertilizing. No nitrogen deficiency too because leaves are nice green.
You could also treat it with dithane or other in case of fungus.
Good luck


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## Paul (Nov 8, 2011)

One question I forgot: what temperature do you grow it? it absolutely needs to be grown cool, and wet, vented environnement, not too bright


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## Lycaste53 (Nov 9, 2011)

When I repotted the plant, I removed the brown leaves and treated the remaining parts with a fungizide. The fertilizer I used was ´Wuxal´, but the dilution had only 150 µS . That fertilizer has no Ca and Mg. Now I applied ´Azet Vital Kalk´ to provide these minerals too.
Maybe summer in the greenhouse was a bit too warm, at sunny days over 30°C. Humidity 70% -80% and ventilation were provided. Now I keep the plant in the coolest corner of the greenhouse, at about 14°C in the night.
Best regards, Gina


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## Berthold (Nov 9, 2011)

valenzino said:


> WHAT?,a lot of standard fertilizer is the best way to KILL the plant!!!!
> And warm water...what kovachii have to do with warm water?
> 
> Please dont push peoples to kill their plants!!!



No, I would never push Gina in any direction.

You have best growing conditions at temperature between 20° and 30° degrees (night/day) with a high concentration of fertilizer in the growing season of the species.
But You also have increased risc of infection under these conditiones.
Infection risc You can reduce by slowly moving water through the root system like nature does in the habitat.

The actual plant has no active root tips like gonewild mentened. So nutrient absorption doesn't works well, which weakens the leaves and they get brown tips by fungus infection.
So absolutly no fertilizer helps this plant in this situation. It only attracts and feeds bacteria now.


Healthy and well operating roots must have these fine hairs, which I am missing at Ginas plant


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## Erythrone (Nov 9, 2011)

Berthold said:


> No, I would never push Gina in any direction.
> 
> You have best growing conditions at temperature between 20° and 30° degrees (night/day) with a high concentration of fertilizer in the growing season of the species.
> But You also have increased risc of infection under these conditiones.
> ...



Are you sure that these fine hairs are missing?? I don't see any close-up of the roots of the Gina's plant.  I saw pictures of the roots system where I can see some light colored tips of roots (new growth). I am unable to say if there are fine hairs or not.

Maybe my eyes are too old!


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## Berthold (Nov 9, 2011)

Erythrone said:


> Are you sure that these fine hairs are missing??



No, I am not sure but I wanted to stimulate Gina to have a look by herself.


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## Lycaste53 (Nov 9, 2011)

There are new roots, I mentioned that, they are more bright in color than the old ones. I have no better pics and will not repot the plant again to search for fine hairs...




Thanks again for all your help, let´s wait some time ...I will update this thread in some weeks. 
Best regards, Gina


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