# Drops Of Water Appearing On Phrag Leaves.



## Susie11 (Sep 10, 2011)

So yesterday I spent about an hour polishing the leaves of my growing collection of plants - they now look good enough to do your make up in by the way. Last night before I went to bed I just had to have one more look at the mirror shine brightness of my phrags when to my horror I noticed that there was water or some other type of fluid seeping from the edges of my Mont Fallu leaves. I wiped it of and after an hour went to check on them again and to my horror the water had returned. It just looks like very small drops of rain on the edge of the leaf. All of the leaves on my Mont Fallu were weeeping. It is not a deluge but more so looks as if it has misted itself in a few places along the blades. 

The droplets are small and they don't move or run down into the crown so I am not too concerned I just wonder why this is.






It is only on my Mont Fallu. None of my other orchids have been affected. I wonder if it is due to Monty being in spike and actively growing. It is starting a new growth and I can see a new root coming and as I said already there are two spikes forming.


----------



## FlowerFaerie (Sep 10, 2011)

Hi Susie, Nice to see you here.
I believe I was in here asking exactly the same question last year.....
It seems to be something they "do".
I now wipe mine clean occasionally, & otherwise try to ignore the droplets.
M.Remon (alias: 'Goliath') sends a "hello" to his cousin M. Fallu & wants to know if you will come & polish his leaves please. He's feeling neglected now!


----------



## Susie11 (Sep 10, 2011)

FlowerFaerie said:


> Hi Susie, Nice to see you here.
> I believe I was in here asking exactly the same question last year.....
> It seems to be something they "do".
> I now wipe mine clean occasionally, & otherwise try to ignore the droplets.
> M.Remon (alias: 'Goliath') sends a "hello" to his cousin M. Fallu & wants to know if you will come & polish his leaves please. He's feeling neglected now!



Oh good I'm glad someone else had the same problem. I did check the boards for anything like it but nothing came up. I feel a little silly now because this morning the droplets were still there so I posted this thread and now just half an hour ago I had another look and they have gone!  But at least the leaves are still shiny.


----------



## FlowerFaerie (Sep 10, 2011)

My plants are threatening to riot! They want shiny leaves, too. What do you use for the purpose?


----------



## Susie11 (Sep 10, 2011)

FlowerFaerie said:


> My plants are threatening to riot! They want shiny leaves, too. What do you use for the purpose?



I am so glad that you asked because it is so good - you'll thank me for it. 

I tablespoon olive oil
Two drops washing up liquid
300 ml of warm water
- and Bob's your uncle - shiny leaves. Just apply with a washing up scorer to remove any stubborn stains the leaf will go quite oily but then you buff with a soft cloth like a duster or something and before your very eyes you will see shine like you couldn't believe. I have used leaf wipes before from the shops and they have nothing on this. 

I can't stop looking at them, they all look like brand new plants. See for yourself


----------



## SlipperFan (Sep 10, 2011)

Pretty, Susie.

The drops your leaves are exuding is likely excess sugar. It often appears on flowers as well as leaves. If the drops aren't accompanied by bugs (scale, mealy bugs, aphids), you can taste it and see for yourself.


----------



## Ozpaph (Sep 10, 2011)

Does the oily residue clog the stomata or cause any ill effects?


----------



## Susie11 (Sep 11, 2011)

SlipperFan said:


> Pretty, Susie.
> 
> The drops your leaves are exuding is likely excess sugar. It often appears on flowers as well as leaves. If the drops aren't accompanied by bugs (scale, mealy bugs, aphids), you can taste it and see for yourself.



Hi Dot. I already did taste it . It wasn't sweet. I wished I hadn't tasted it after I had done so because I have put slug pellets down and I forgot! But I feel o.k and it was a miniscule droplet anyway. 




Ozpaph said:


> Does the oily residue clog the stomata or cause any ill effects?



Hi Ozpaph. There has been no change in the appearance or performance of my Phrag. It just looks shinier. So so far so good. I don't think that it should be done more than once or twice a year though as I'm not sure that oil is good for orchids.


----------



## goldenrose (Sep 12, 2011)

Ozpaph said:


> Does the oily residue clog the stomata or cause any ill effects?


at that ratio I wouldn't think so. I've been told Glen Decker uses 4T. peppermint soap to 1 qt water, using this as a preventative for insects as he does not like to use chemicals.


----------

