# Phyton 27



## bwester (Jul 26, 2006)

Well, my erwinea outbreak resulted in me breaking out the big guns. I ordered some phyton 27 and sprayed all my paphs and phrags down with it. This stuff is strange... tar-like and hard to mix. Seems to be helping though. Anyone else use it?


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## Rick (Jul 26, 2006)

I've been thinking about getting this stuff too. Keep us posted. How many days has it been applied to your plants?


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## bwester (Jul 26, 2006)

I first applied it four days ago and then again after three days as per the instructions for erwinea. All of the brown spots have stopped where they are so far.


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## Heather (Jul 26, 2006)

I have it (on the recommendation of Chuck Acker) but haven't had to use it yet. 

Fingers crossed.


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## silence882 (Jul 26, 2006)

I use it religiously. It's systemic and seems to stop most infections almost immediately.

--Stephen


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## TADD (Jul 27, 2006)

I don't know if you should use it that often on paphs and phrags. It is a pretty strong chemical. We use it once a month really dilluted.


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## Rick (Jul 27, 2006)

TADD said:


> I don't know if you should use it that often on paphs and phrags. It is a pretty strong chemical. We use it once a month really dilluted.



I'm a bit nervous about it myself without more endorsement. The active ingrediant is copper based, which is a very toxic metal to chlorophyl containing organisms. pH may be another concern as the toxicity of copper goes up as the pH goes down. So it may be safer to use after repotting since old broken down mixes are much more acidic than fresh mixes.


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## DavidH (Jul 27, 2006)

Well, I'm relieved I'm not the only one with the erwinia problem...I was gone on a fishing trip for 10 days and when I returned, I found the outbreak throughout the greenhouse. It's pretty severe right now...I've been chopping off leaves, liberally using cinnamon, spraying with H202, and tonight will use the big guns recommended from a friend (2 ingredients, 1 gm per liter each). I've got Phyton 27, but was holding off on it as the last resort. I've used it in the past, once, without a problem.

In the last two days, the outbreak became more severe because the plants got stressed when the power went out for 3 1/2 hours. I was gone for a greenhouse open house and came home to find everything reset from the power outage and my temperature gauge showed the greenhouse climbed to 108 F when the power went out - which was what the outside temperature was at the time. I was surprised I didn't lose flowers or buds, but I was really surprised when sunken brown spots started appearing on leaves two days later. Some of the worst leaves were my multifloral species with two of them actually having leaking brownish-black liquid on the undersides.

I've got 5 days before I leave on a 5 month trip, so I kinda feel bad leaving the greenhouse in a friend's care while I'm gone because he's doing me a favor and now he's going to have to spend a lot more time watching things than planned. My wife does not have a green thumb though she tries.

On the bright side, however, I am quickly gaining more free space on the shelves in the greenhouse for more plants.

So, has anyone actually had any lreal uck stopping the infection on an infected plant?


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## littlefrog (Jul 27, 2006)

Anybody tried good old fashioned bordeaux mix? That is copper based too, I think. I have some for my fruit trees, haven't tried it on orchids though...

Somebody who should know better than I used a paste of something blue (I thought bordeaux) to stop rot in phrags...


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## gore42 (Jul 27, 2006)

I can only claim one victory in stopping a bad infection. I have a small Paph dianthum that was infected near the crown, and I figured that it was a goner, so I just picked it up and took it outside to my patio to let it die away from my other orchids. I also chopped off the portion of the leaves that I could get to, but it was pretty clear that it was spreading to the leaves that were behind the infected ones at the crown. And I sprayed it heavily with Physan for a couple of days, and then ignored the thing for a few days.

I have no idea how it survived. The temperatures were in the 90s, and there isn't any humidity here... I didn't water it for 3 or 4 days, and it was bone dry. However, the infection didn't spread. There was one spot that was infected when I took it outside, and it started to turn a darker brown, which I cut off, and sprayed again with Physan. I left it out on the patio for several more days (I actually started to water it again, though), and when I was satisfied that I had won the battle, I put it back in its place on my benches. It hasn't grown since then, but it's still alive. I'm hoping it will adjust someday 

If I have a lower leaf infected, somewhere further than halfway out, I just cut off the leaf and usually the plant is fine. Anything near the crown though, I just play Taps.

- Matthew


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## Rick (Jul 27, 2006)

I've had lots of short term success, but relapses (usually ending in death) months later.

I guess right now I've had about 50% success overall. (it seems worse recently). 

I've used combos of Physan, Teatree oil, cinamen, and lately goldenseal.

Surgery first.

Big plants with lots of growths are the ones that hold up the best, and can afford to loose a few growths. Single growth plants are tough.


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## Heather (Jul 27, 2006)

Despite cinnamon, I think I am going to remove yet another growth from my 'Pam' x 'Grace'.

Apparently we are having a Cat. 5 summer when it comes to this grex around here....
At least mine is a slow moving storm.....


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## bwester (Jul 28, 2006)

use the force Heather, I mean, the phyton


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## Heather (Jul 28, 2006)

I may be "forcing" it today. Just had to pull off another leaf. Time to pull out the big guns, I'm afraid.


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## Heather (Jul 28, 2006)

What dosage are people using this stuff at? Says .75-2.5 tsp. per gallon. I tend to err on the lower side of dosages, in general. Any comments?


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## Carol (Jul 28, 2006)

Martin Motes gave talk at our society banquet in June and recommended Hydrogen Peroxide. His advice was to pour it directly over the infected area and would take care of the fungus, rot, etc. The infected area has to be cut away. I was having a problem with one of my paphs, and it seemed to halt the problem. I have also used Phyton in the past and it saved a Paph Darling 'Christiane'.


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## Heather (Jul 28, 2006)

Hmm, I forgot about peroxide. That might be my preferred next step. I have to go to the drugstore this morning anyway and will pick some up, I've been meaning to replenish my supply for a while. Thanks for the reminder, Carol.


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## bwester (Jul 28, 2006)

Heather
8ml/gal
that'll do it.


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## bwester (Jul 28, 2006)

I sprayed all my slippers at that dose


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## Kyle (Jul 29, 2006)

Here as website that should answer a lot of question:

http://www.phyton27.com/guidelines/App-guidelines04/Orchid.pdf

Kyle


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## johnndc (Jul 30, 2006)

Can you guys post photos of the Erwinia you had on your plants? I've been struggling with something that some folks have though was Erwinia, but in my case, it's as if the plants have bleached spots on them. Love to see other examples.


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## Heather (Jul 30, 2006)

John, 
I removed the really infected leaves so unfortunately no photos. I treated with peroxide last night. Hopefully I'll have a chance to treat it again with Phyton if things take a turn for the worse.


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## Rick (Jul 30, 2006)

Kyle said:


> Here as website that should answer a lot of question:
> 
> http://www.phyton27.com/guidelines/App-guidelines04/Orchid.pdf
> 
> Kyle



This was helpful

I did note that repotting was recommended as well as adjusting the pH of the solution so it wasn't too acidic.


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