Orchid, especially its Phalaenopsis species, is a rather capricious plant that requires care and a lot of attention. Beginning flower growers often face such a problem as falling and wilting leaves of this tropical plant. In most cases, the problem can be quickly resolved by changing the conditions in which the flower is contained. To do this, you may need "drugs" of industrial production or drugs prepared at home.
Leaves are the most vulnerable spot of an orchid, especially in the Phalaenopsis species. The most common problems are:
- Partial or complete subsidence;
- Sudden yellowing or wilting;
Phalaenopsis requires special attention and care
- Drying, twisting and other types of deformations;
- Cracking.
Each of these cases requires an individual approach.
Orchids often have leaf problems
Falling
Sometimes orchid leaves suddenly begin to fall, they can at any time spontaneously separate from the stem. If orchids have fallen off all the leaves, what to do depends on the state of the root. If the root is affected by a fungal or viral infection (this usually happens with excessive soil moisture), it is unlikely that the flower will be resuscitated. Falling can be caused by poor top dressing. In this case, the situation can be easily corrected by regular application of complex mineral fertilizers.
Wither and turn yellow
If the orchid leaves turn yellow and wither what to do, not everyone knows. Most often, this problem is caused by the fact that the room (on the balcony) is too hot. The plant ceases to bloom, flower stalks are deformed, sometimes the stem blackens. At a temperature of 27-28 degrees, Phalaenopsis spends all its energy to adapt to the heat and absorb water droplets from the air, this adversely affects the condition of the leaves: they turn red, turn brown or turn yellow. The plant experiences starvation and nutritional deficiencies. When it gets colder indoors or outdoors, the leaves will again take on a healthy look.
Yellow shade of leaf blades can be caused by lack of nutrients and soil poverty
Drying out
The answer to why orchids dry leaves is easy to answer. The plant does not have enough moisture. In this case, increased irrigation will save the situation. After watering, do not forget to loosen so that the water does not stagnate in the soil. When the leaf blades become healthy again, the plant's moisture supply can be reduced.
Regular watering will help prevent drying.
Other
Not all gardeners know why orchids crack leaves or become soft in the middle. However, this problem is quite common. Most often, cracks on the sheet plates, as well as drying, are caused by dehydration. However, there may be other reasons: bacterial or viral infections. Also, mechanical damage can be left by pests: aphids, scutes, spider mites. Because of this, the turgor of leaf plates changes, they soften and darken. The leaves may even rot, become moldy or sticky like moss, and the flower stops growing. In severe cases, the sheet plates are completely covered with white coating so that even venation is not visible, the sheet resembles a pattern of white opaque paper.
Attention! The insidiousness of many viral and bacterial infections lies in the fact that in the early stages they are almost invisible. Orchid is still actively growing and developing, but the disease is already undermining the strength of the plant. Only in the later stages, when the root is already deeply affected, do the leaves begin to wither (dry at the edges, deform). In this case, there is no point in resuscitating the flower.
Identifying the most likely cause of Phalaenopsis disease is quite difficult. Most often, the problem is caused by a whole range of various reasons. The most common ones are:
- Insufficient humidity in the room;
- Lack of effective drainage and stagnation of water in the soil;
- Lack of nutrition or improper (irregular) introduction;
- Intervention of insect pests and parasites.
Infection with dangerous fungal, viral, bacterial infections can be caused by transplanting the plant into a pot filled with soil brought from the street. Therefore, in order to prevent wilting or yellowing of the tips of the leaves, it is recommended to use only special soil for indoor plants, purchased in a specialized store.
Drying and wilting of leaves is very often caused with sunburn.
Attention! Phalaenopsis does not like direct sunlight, so experts recommend keeping the orchid in partial shade in the summer, otherwise the plant can be lost: the leaves will begin to curl, then dry.
When choosing top dressing, preference should be given to preparations with a high concentration of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. It is these substances that orchids need to gain green mass, the proper development of leaves, active growth and prolonged flowering.
The causes of diseases are sometimes pests and parasites: scale insects, spider mites, nematodes. In this case, to resuscitate the plant, it should be processed from insects. When the pests disappear, the leaf plates become healthy again. The invasion of a voracious aphid especially weakens the vitality of an orchid, you can fight it at home with the help of spraying.
Most often, diseases are caused by improper care.
The most popular methods of combating orchid diseases are folk remedies. Their main advantage is that you do not need to spend a lot of money on the purchase of expensive drugs and poison the diseased plant with "chemistry". However, the "grandmother" methods will not give an immediate effect. They act much more slowly, in comparison with drugs of industrial production. With regular processing, folk remedies can be very effective. It is recommended to use them exclusively in the early stages of the disease.
Folk remedies
You can try folk remedies for resuscitation of orchids without a growth point and leaves. The easiest way is a transplant with partial pruning of the roots. To do this, you must:
- Gently dig a flower from an old pot;
- To clear the roots of the old soil, cutting off all the treated places with a sharpened knife;
- Relocate the flower to a new vessel with pre-prepared soil and a nutrient mixture with the addition of a natural absorbent - charcoal and a drainage layer;
- Put a support, as the flower may lose stability for the first time after transplantation.
After this procedure, the main task of the grower is to provide the flower with a large amount of daylight, to protect Phalaenopsis from sudden changes in temperature and drafts.
Attention! Good results are given in another folk way. The roots of a dug orchid are placed in a vessel with water at room temperature. After 12 hours, the liquid is completely poured out. After the lapse of the same time period, a new portion of the liquid is poured into the vessel.
The procedure will be effective only if the room temperature is above 25 degrees. After 2-3 months, new roots should appear. However, this can happen in six months.
Folk remedies, time-tested, give a good result
Chemical
Florists often think about how to resuscitate orchids without leaves but with roots. If leaf fall is caused by fungal diseases. Only chemicals will help - fungicides of industrial production. They quickly kill the fungus and prevent its reappearance. Good results are given by the preparations "Haupsin" and "Vitavax". During the preparation of the solution, you must strictly follow the instructions. For all products, it is approximately the same - the powder is diluted in half with a liquid:
- Lightly warm the water so that the medicine dissolves faster;
- Pour liquid into a plastic bottle from under mineral water or lemonade, filling the vessel halfway;
- Pour the same powder from the bag, shake and mix until completely dissolved;
- Add the required amount of water.
After that, the ready-made solution can be used to treat the plant at home. As a rule, two to three times is enough. However, if the fungus is launched and the roots are badly damaged, it will take a long time to process. Then gradually new roots will appear instead of the affected ones.
Attention! Do not immediately resort to "heavy artillery." It must be remembered that any treatment with industrial chemicals is a great stress for a houseplant. Even if the problem with the leaves is resolved, the defenses of the flower may weaken. Then the orchid will become vulnerable to infections, pests and parasites.
Biological methods
If all leaves have fallen off from orchids how to save a flower, experienced house-lovers know. Phalaenopsis responds well to biological resuscitation methods. In order to revive the flower, you can use biologically active additives - growth stimulants. The most popular of them is Fitosporin. It restores the vitality of the plant, promotes active regeneration of the root system of the orchid, helps the flower adapt to adverse environmental influences. Prepare the drug strictly according to the instructions on the package. The main plus of phytosporin is that it does not contain aggressive chemicals. After processing, the flower leaves will no longer fall off.
If the plant managed to be reanimated, it is necessary to organize further care correctly, otherwise the weakened flower will fall ill again. To do this, it is necessary to prevent waterlogging of the soil and regularly feed Phalaenopsis. Of great importance is good lighting. To prevent new diseases, it is necessary to conduct a visual inspection of orchid leaves as often as possible. Such an examination will help in time to identify any symptoms of ill-being: yellowing, wilting, or the appearance of cracks. Do not forget about the timely transplant. If the foliage at the base of the stem begins to fall, wrinkle or burst, urgent measures must be taken, otherwise the orchid may dry.
The main thing is not to repeat the mistakes that led to plant disease
Experts say that most of the problems in caring for Phalaenopsis are caused by inappropriate microclimate in the room. Therefore, if it is not possible to create suitable conditions for an orchid, it is better to choose a less capricious and demanding plant care. Phalaenopsis and other species of tropical "guests" need a careful and delicate attitude.
