# Leaf tip question



## Alex (May 23, 2016)

A quick question if I may - with the classic Paph leaf tip burn due to salt accumulation, is it the newest leaf that's preferentially affected, or the oldest ones, or all equally?

I have a couple of plants where the tip of, in one, just the newest leaf shows this symptom and in the other, only the tip of the second newest leaf, while the newest is healthy so far.

Cheers for any help.

Alex


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## Ozpaph (May 23, 2016)

not sure - send a picture


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## Alex (May 23, 2016)

Thanks, will do later when I get home - thoughts for now still appreciated, though.

Alex


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## JAB (May 23, 2016)

Additional question... is this the same across all species of orchids or just Paph's? I have a Dracula that has had burnt leaf tips forever. No matter what I change with her they remain. Spiking and blooming etc. but still burnt tips. 

Thanks
JAB


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## Alex (May 23, 2016)

Here are the leaves in question. You cans ee that one has a newer leaf that is pretty clean, except for some mechanical damage further down it. Older leaves on both are fine.

Salt burn?

Thanks,

Alex


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## Ozpaph (May 23, 2016)

I think its rot - cleanly cut off half the leaf and use cinnamon. You could watch it VERY carefully for a day or two. If it spreads at all its rot.
I think live moss is against this being salt build up.


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## gonewild (May 23, 2016)

Ozpaph said:


> I think live moss is against this being salt build up.



Isn't that dead moss in the first pot?


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## Stone (May 23, 2016)

Is that canhii in growstone? 

I suspect to wet for too long at the wrong time of year. Just my guess without knowing more details.
Also, I find there's no point fertilizing if the plant is not growing. It just makes things worse.


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## SlipperKing (May 23, 2016)

In the second PIC I can see another leaf peeking in from the top with the same issue. You need to flush/water with clean (low salt/no fertilizer) for next few months or you're going to loose those canhii


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## Bjorn (May 24, 2016)

Those plants grow with roots very exposed so regular potting might not suit them very well. Try with some limestone chunks instead of the current , tiny pots, water frequently with very low TDS water 50-100ppm. temperature is another issue, cool night in winter might be beneficial (10-15°C). If moss dies from fertiliser, it is definitely too much.


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## Alex (May 24, 2016)

Thanks for this - a diversity of opinion! If it helps, the other leaf peeking in to the second pic with a brown tip is just senescent - that plant arrived a bit knackered but is putting up healthy new leaves in the centre. Also, one brown tip I just noticed but the other (the one in the first pic) I noticed some months ago and it has evolved very slightly if at all (grown about 1-2mm at the most) in about 4 months. I don't know if that goes against the rot suggestion?

Alex


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## Alex (May 24, 2016)

I also scratched at the brown tip in the top pick when investigating it on first noticing, so worsened it a bit through my own efforts!

A few of my pots (they're in Seramis) have this issue of moss dying back. Is it true that moss only thrives when tds is low? I've heard it said before and above, don't know if there's evidence or rationale behind it?


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## Ozpaph (May 24, 2016)

Alex said:


> . I don't know if that goes against the rot suggestion?
> 
> Alex



too slow for rot


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## Stone (May 24, 2016)

I've said it before and I'll say it again. Get rid of the moss.
Some have luck with it but the vast majority of plants I've seen with moss growing on the surface (like a carpet...and I've seen thousands in nurseries and in collections) suffer from root problems. It does not allow for quick drying and good aeration of the mix which is important. Our plants grow in plastic pots not on rocks. In a basket there is no problem with the moss but in pots, lot's of water and fast drying is best IMO.
The liverwort in the pot is a clue..
Black tips is a classic sign of too much water. (also not enough but that is rare) It's atually not too much water but too wet for to long, which leads to insufficient air for the roots.

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=...&ved=0ahUKEwiknZKYsvLMAhXF3KYKHYKUAA0QBQgSKAA


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## Alex (May 24, 2016)

Thanks again all - I must say that other than the recent issue, they've grown well for a year and a bit. I guess that could hint at gradual salt build up. However, the issue with moss dying seems to happen a lot over winter - I keep things drier then, so could that be dehydration?


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## myxodex (Jun 1, 2016)

I agree with Ozpaph in that it doesn't look like typical leaf tip burn.

What kind of fertiliser are you using ? 

There is a micronutrient deficiency that can cause a problem like this, and although it is extremely unlikely, it's easily treated and so eliminated.

I'm talking about nickel (Ni). The reason I say that it is unlikely is that the amount of Ni that is needed by plants is vanishingly small, but it can occur due to other factors such as too much Fe or Co, too high a pH and/or a substrate that sequesters it (Ni like Cu is sticky). In the case of high Fe in fertilisers this often comes with high EDTA which makes things worse because Ni has a high affinity for EDTA. Nickel is not added as a micronutrient in many fertilisers so it's starting concentration could be low, however Co often is added, and this can interfere with Ni useage in some plants. Nickel is required for balanced nitrogen metabolism as it is required for urease. Although, urea fertilisers will exacerbate the effect of a Ni deficiency, it can also happen in the absence of urea feeding as urea is produced endogenously in the plants leaves as part of the urea cycle and without Ni it is not broken down and accumulates. Urea accumulation in leaves causes a symptom like the one you are seeing. A foliar spray with some seaweed extract would help if this is the problem as this contains a lot of Ni. I know that Dynagrow fertiliser contains Ni, so alternatively you could try this ... I would spray the leaves just in case the substrate is binding Ni. 

Having said all that, it is unlikely that the problem is Ni, ... but at least you can easily eliminate this possibility.


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