# Phragmipedium kovachii nutrient deficiency?



## Anca86 (May 14, 2021)

Hello,

This is my Phrag kovachii. Could this be a nutrient deficiency?
I water 2 a week with a solution of fertilizer around 250 ppm (has Ca and Mg), once per month kelp and once every 2 weeks myccorrhizal inoculant.

Thanks for your thoughts!
Anca


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## KateL (May 14, 2021)

Hi Anca, 

Kovachii are tough to grow and I anxiously await the advice of experts here.

I associate that loss of chlorophyll in an otherwise healthy-looking plant with some sort of chemical application, either fertilizer or pesticide, perhaps in an inadvertent concentration in that one spot that sat awhile. I suggest you keep feeding them, but rinse the leaves a bit when done. Or, I could be completely wrong . . . 

Best, Kate 

P.S. No one is going to approve of my new theory, which is to buy as many as possible, grow them like my PK hybrids and they either live or die. In my pre-defense, it is not as outrageous as it sounds. I treated my first two PKs (expensive little guys) from Orchids Ltd. like new-born babies, all special. The first one faded away in less than a year. I still have the second one (I think), but it is a stubborn laggard. Probably the cat’s meow, but if they don’t grow, a waste of $$. Soooo, I have been buying various flasks, and a few others, from a variety of places. Probably have dozens. I have peppered them around my growing areas, just in case they might like one spot better than another. Some look great (but still tend to be slow), some look weak (and slower), but the ones that eventually adapt to my culture are the ones I want to grow. I have high hopes for some from CA and he has been trying to select for vigor/ease of culture.


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## Anca86 (May 14, 2021)

KateL said:


> Hi Anca,
> 
> Kovachii are tough to grow and I anxiously await the advice of experts here.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your ideas, Kate!
No chemical application other than the fertilizer. But I shall pay more attention when I water.


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## dodidoki (May 14, 2021)

Iron deficiency can causes similar problems and Ca defect, too.Later can appear despite of enough Ca if Mg is too high.


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## tomkalina (May 14, 2021)

Most likely chlorosis due to fert solution sitting in the crown of the plant.


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## abax (May 14, 2021)

I have a sedenii var Candidulum that looks the same way and I don't think I've gotten
fertilizer in the crown...possible I guess. Any reasonable solution for the problem? Could
a drop in temps cause this, for instance a power outage?


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## Anca86 (May 15, 2021)

dodidoki said:


> Iron deficiency can causes similar problems and Ca defect, too.Later can appear despite of enough Ca if Mg is too high.


How can I solve this? 
Thank you!


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## cnycharles (May 15, 2021)

My first thought was that 250ppm feed twice a week was a bit much. It’s more like vigorous petunia feed. And maybe kelp too often. But your question is about something that happened at one time, or showed up quickly. So something else is problem unless the visible tipping point happened in reaction


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## Anca86 (May 15, 2021)

cnycharles said:


> My first thought was that 250ppm feed twice a week was a bit much. It’s more like vigorous petunia feed. And maybe kelp too often. But your question is about something that happened at one time, or showed up quickly. So something else is problem unless the visible tipping point happened in reaction


I added a 0 by mistake  It's 25 ppm.
Shouldn't I see problems in my other paphs and phrags? I use the same regimen.


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## cnycharles (May 15, 2021)

Ah well 25 ppm is a different story. At a very low feed, some plants may react to running out of nitrogen at different times. Some plants likely need more or less depending on their species and growth rate. So again this could be a one time reaction like others have said


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## Anca86 (May 15, 2021)

cnycharles said:


> Ah well 25 ppm is a different story. At a very low feed, some plants may react to running out of nitrogen at different times. Some plants likely need more or less depending on their species and growth rate. So again this could be a one time reaction like others have said


Thank you for your thoughts


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## richgarrison (May 16, 2021)

Anca86 said:


> Thank you for your thoughts


(Sorry in advance if this appears annoying) 

Is the 25 ppm number as N. Or the entire solution. And is that calculated based the fertilizer label, or measured in some way?


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## Justin (May 16, 2021)

I barely feed my kovachii at all. 1/2 tsp of 30-10-10 in a gallon of water once a month or so. I keep one plant in a tray of water, and water the other one 2-3 times a week. I grow them in Orchiata.

I am hopeful I will get a spike soon. I have not bloomed mine yet, but I have seen a couple and they are magnificent.


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## PeteM (May 16, 2021)

Anca86 said:


> Hello,
> 
> This is my Phrag kovachii. Could this be a nutrient deficiency?
> I water 2 a week with a solution of fertilizer around 250 ppm (has Ca and Mg), once per month kelp and once every 2 weeks myccorrhizal inoculant.
> ...



What are your temps? Some of my phrags including kovachii start to do this fading this time of year when the temps increase. I also am on the same regiment nutrient wise, 25-50ppm.

my solution was to move my kovachii farther away from the light to the cooler part of the grow table that is exposed to the coldest night temps in the room. Additionally I have found that phrags, including kovachii that I add supplemental slow release fert too, have an improved color from washed out green to darker green. I use those small net baskets at the top of my plants with slow release fert inside.


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## Anca86 (May 17, 2021)

PeteM said:


> What are your temps? Some of my phrags including kovachii start to do this fading this time of year when the temps increase. I also am on the same regiment nutrient wise, 25-50ppm.
> 
> my solution was to move my kovachii farther away from the light to the cooler part of the grow table that is exposed to the coldest night temps in the room. Additionally I have found that phrags, including kovachii that I add supplemental slow release fert too, have an improved color from washed out green to darker green. I use those small net baskets at the top of my plants with slow release fert inside.


I have are 16 17 degrees. I would say that it is not too hot. I shall try to move it a little further from the lights. 
Thanks for the advice.


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## Anca86 (May 17, 2021)

richgarrison said:


> (Sorry in advance if this appears annoying)
> 
> Is the 25 ppm number as N. Or the entire solution. And is that calculated based the fertilizer label, or measured in some way?


The solution is based on calculations and measured afterwards when the solution is done.


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## TrueNorth (May 23, 2021)

I have had this quite a few times with different Phrags, including kovachii seedlings. I've never had any fatalities from it.

J. P. Faust told me this:

"At first I thought it was a lack of Nitrogen and put a little bit more fertilizer, it was wrong and worst…

Than I look at the pH and it was too high for Phragmipedium… I start using citric to lower the pH to 6 and solve the entire problem."

I solve it by repotting or flushing out the medium and reducing the amount of fertilizer I'm applying. I've had it on quite a few plants this spring after watering with kelp every 2 weeks over the winter instead of once a month. Many of them are also overdue for repotting.


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## Anca86 (May 24, 2021)

TrueNorth said:


> I have had this quite a few times with different Phrags, including kovachii seedlings. I've never had any fatalities from it.
> 
> J. P. Faust told me this:
> 
> ...


Thank you for the advice. I shall measure the pH and if necessary, start using citric acid to lower the pH.


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