Disease?

[justagirlart]

I was growing Phrags like mad. I had three specimen size plus 6 other with 1-4 growths. One bloomed for a year.

I bought one from the most respected grower here in Florida. It was growing great until I noticed a slimy black substance on the roots. Needless to say they were all dead. I tossed it but apparently it had already infected all my phrags. I tried spraying them with fungus ide, bacteriacide but all of them died slowly.

I decided to grow them again but one by one they got that same disease and are dead or dying. I tried rainwater exclusively in case my water went bad.

I didn't change anything I had been doing. Could that one orchid spread a disease to all my orchids? If so where dies it live? Please help, I love Phrags.

Susan

 

[mrhappyrotter]

What are the water parameters, what are you feeding with, what's your potting mix? I'm not saying it isn't possible, but I've never had or heard of any sort of contagious root disease. Truthfully, if there were such a thing, I'd imagine rainwater would be a prime suspect for it's root source (pun intended). As nice as rain is to use, it's very possible to introduce disease from it.

 

[justagirlart]

I have used different medium. Right now I am using no organic. Lava rock mostly because it is inexpensive and if I have to throw it away it doesn't waste much. I fed them once a week with 20-20-20 fertilizer and once a month epsom salts.

 

[Ozpaph]

photos are always helpful

 

[Ray]

I agree with "MrHR". I'll bet that something in your culture killed the roots, and then they rotted, rather than a disease killing them.

"Once a week with 20-20-20 fertilizer" at what concentration?

 

[justagirlart]

I use 1/4 tsp fertilizer. The package says 1 but I always err on the low side. During summer I go to twice a month. I don't know how to upload photos. It is not an option on upload a file. My water was checked professionally and it was good except for ecoli from the flood. I added a chlorine injector to kill it. I have a chlorine filter that takes it out before it reaches the plants. All the ones lately never got bacteria water. That is why I bought more. But they are dying the same way. What else?

 

[NYEric]

It is hard to transfer disease across water, and if you do you can treat with Dragon's blood to suspend the issue. Forget Lava rock and try Leca/semi-hydro. Or grow organic but use something to maintain the air spaces in the media. You will have to change the media as it rots naturally.

 

[justagirlart]

How do I find out about Semi-hydroponics?

 

[Ray]

https://firstrays.com/free-information/basic-orchid-culture/semi-hydroponics/

 

[justagirlart]

That dragons blood stuff killed my small klots. Orchid in 8 hours. I don't know if it killed the others too. It dries up the spot but it continues to dry up plant. I threw it away. Not taking anymore chances. Killed myc$85 orchid that is really hard to come by.

 

[NYEric]

That's unusual. There may have been some other problem. Can you post some photos?

 

[Hien]

That dragons blood stuff killed my small klots. Orchid in 8 hours. I don't know if it killed the others too. It dries up the spot but it continues to dry up plant. I threw it away. Not taking anymore chances. Killed myc$85 orchid that is really hard to come by.

-if you have to use Dragon Blood, that means you have a problem already, how do you know whether the dragon blood kills the plants , or just that the problem is too far gone for the dragon blood to save them? the only way to tell is using dragon blood on an absolutely healthy but very cheap plant to see if it will die.
-Were your dragon blood from Eric or Lance? I don't have problem with this dragon blood.
However , other dragon blood on the market have alcohol base (they just don't list the ingredient)
-Dragon blood can not save plants with problems at root zone
-I wonder if tab water might be better in your case because it was disinfected with chlorine , while rain water could carry spore/bacteria etc.. and has nothing to stop the slime.

 

[justagirlart]

Disreguard my post. I don't know how to grow orchids.