There is no other plant on Earth that nature has worked so carefully on. Orchids are famous not only for their beauty, but also for the variety of unusual shapes. Exotic plants have long adapted in Russian latitudes and are considered unpretentious. Anyway, there are reasons why the orchid leaves wither.
The main factors of wilting
The drooping foliage of an orchid is evidence of a lack of nutrients.
Flaccid orchid
Other factors affecting the root system and the aerial part of the plant can also wilt.
Hypothermia
Low temperatures are typical for the winter period. If the leaves began to fade at Phalaenopsis, it is recommended to check the temperature near the window. It should not fall below + 15 ° C, otherwise the plate will lose its turgor, and the tropical plant will cease to bloom and even disappear.
Overheat
Extreme heat is also harmful to orchids. Under the influence of high temperatures, water actively evaporates from the soil, and the root system suffers from a moisture deficit. The plant is forced to use its own "reserves", sucking water from the leaves.
Insufficient watering
Indoor flowers experience a lack of moisture with improper irrigation. Some owners water the plants after a certain period of time, not paying attention to the state of the soil.
Frostbite Phalaenopsis
The soil may dry earlier due to heat, a certain friability of the substrate, the size of the pot.
Waterlogging
Orchids love to “drink”, but excess moisture is harmful to the roots - it prevents air from circulating in the soil. If the substrate is dense, then the underground part becomes vulnerable to disease, can rot. As a result, the leaves of the orchid wilt.
Excess power
Top dressing is good in moderation. Phalaenopsis is sensitive to increased concentrations of active substances in the soil. Due to an excess of salts, the roots may dry out, the process will switch to the upper part of the plants.
Why frown leaves
The second problem that flower growers on orchids sometimes observe is shriveled leaves. Loss of elasticity is often associated with failures in biochemical processes. The reasons described below lead to this.
Root system problem
The main organ that gives strength to the whole plant is the root. If he feels discomfort, the ground part suffers. Among the reasons that provoke turgor of leaves, we can distinguish:
- lack of nutrients (in other words, depleted substrate);
- dry soil that does not provide root moisture;
- cramped pot, preventing the system from developing.
Sick roots
If these factors are not eliminated in time, the roots will dry out, the green foliage will begin to turn yellow, fall off, and the orchid will quickly die.
Pests
The exotic plant is poorly resistant to sucking insects (thrips, ticks, scutes, flour worms, aphids). Parasites suck out juice from the leaf, and the plate immediately begins to frown. In addition to the loss of turgor, there is a risk of contracting viral diseases.
Diseases
An orchid can infect not only from pests. There are other factors that trigger tropical plant diseases.
The main diseases of orchids
| Kinds | Causes | Signs |
|---|---|---|
| Rot | ||
| Black | Hypothermia, weakened by pests immunity | It affects all parts of the plant. The leaves do not just wrinkle, but acquire a black tint |
| Brown | Excessive watering and low temperatures | The disease often affects young leaves, manifesting light brown watery spots. |
| Fusarious | High humidity, poor air circulation | The leaf plate frowns, becomes flabby, becomes covered with pinkish fungal spores |
| Gray | Violation of modes, improper feeding | Dark islets, pubescent with a gray coating, affect not only the foliage, but also the buds and already opened flowers |
| Other diseases | ||
| Spotting | A lot of direct light at the beginning of the growing season, excessive feeding, improper watering | Dark moist spots are clearly visible on the leaves that have lost turgor. |
| Anthracnose | High humidity | Black spots grow on wrinkled leaves and pseudobulbs, after which dents appear. |
| Powdery mildew | Greenhouse effect (high humidity at high temperature) | A white coating is visible on the leaves and buds. Damaged orchid patches begin to dry and the flower dies |
Viral diseases introduced in Phalaenopsis by pests appear on shriveled leaves with round spots.
Virus infected orchid leaf
You can see other "art" of mosaic spotting: arrows and stripes.
Transplantation
When moving orchids from one container to another the first days the plant will be sluggish. If after 5 days the wrinkling on the leaves did not pass, and the turgor continues to fall, the transplant was performed without observing the requirements of agricultural technology:
- the substrate is incorrectly selected;
- disturbed acid-base balance;
- there is no drainage hole in the container (for example, a glass drinking bowl is used instead of a pot).
Note! If the plant is not transplanted in time, the roots will weaken, and they will not have enough strength to gain a foothold in a new container.
Why leaves are soft and wrinkled
If the orchid leaves are soft and lethargic reasons should be sought in violation of the regimes, and in diseases. The correct definition of harmful factors will help save an indoor plant.
Overheat
Tropical cultures have learned how to tolerate heat. Long-term exposure to high temperatures leads to overheating of the plant, and it actively evaporates moisture. The substrate is also subjected to such a process.
The plant has overheated
The roots suffer from thirst, becoming lethargic. They are not able to support the ground, and the foliage quickly sags.
Root diseases
A common reason why the soft leaves of the orchid wrinkle can be called problems with the root system. To make sure of this, you need to move the weakened plant. If the roots are sick, the flower will easily give in to movement.
When extracting the plant from the pot and examining its underground part, you can see brown spots indicating rotting of the roots (in a healthy orchid they are light green). The lower leaves are also affected, which first soften, then die off.
Lack of moisture
Orchids are epiphytic plants and tolerate the absence of watering, content with their own reserves. Sometimes foliar irrigation is enough for them. If the substrate is not moistened for a long time, it becomes denser, and the roots are trapped in a "stone dungeon". Exhausted, the system will not be able to feed other parts of the plant. This immediately leads to lethargy of the leaves.
Bad water
In orchid care, not only the frequency of watering is important, but also the quality of the fluid used for this. Tap water is not suitable here - it is too salted with impurities. They gradually accumulate in the substrate, clogging it with toxins.
Note! Boiling the situation does not fix it - you need soft moisture. Therefore, it is better to take distilled water or collect rainwater. In winter, you can melt the snow, remove ice from the walls of the freezer at any time of the year.
Orchid Treatments
If sluggish leaves are found in the orchid, you need to immediately identify the cause of the problem in order to take the right measures. In mild cases, folk remedies are suitable for treatment. In an advanced situation, it is worth turning to more serious drugs.
Alternative methods of treatment
Not all problems leading to wilting of orchids can be eliminated with improvised means. At the initial stage, some recipes will cope with some diseases.
Alternative therapy for diseases
| Means | How to cook | How to apply |
|---|---|---|
| Soda ash solution | · Water (5 l) is brought to a boil; · Dissolve soda (25 g); · Add liquid soap (5 g); · Allow to cool to room temperature | With a break of a week, the plant and topsoil are treated 2-3 times per season |
| Potassium permanganate | Permanganate (2.5 g) is diluted in water (10 l) | Spray the orchid a couple of times with an interval of 5 days |
| Baking soda | Soda (1 tablespoon) is mixed with liquid soap (0.5 tsp); · Diluted with water (4 l) | The plant is sprayed 3 times at weekly intervals. |
| Ash | · Water (10 l) is heated to 35 °; · Pour ash (1 kg); · Insist 5-7 days; · Filter; · Add a little soap (liquid) | The solution is processed orchid 3 days in a row |
| Sugar syrup | 4 tsp are dissolved in a glass of water Sahara | In the evening, the bottom plate of the flaccid sheet is treated with a solution using a wide watercolor brush. In the morning, the sweet coating must be washed off so that the plant can breathe |
Additional Information. Affected areas of the flower bush must be removed, the cut points treated with crushed activated carbon or a copper-containing agent. Do the same with the root system.
To effectively control pests, you will have to consider the type of insect. In each case, the orchid is washed under running water, manually removing parasites from it. In this case, soap solutions can be used.
Folk remedies for pests
| Insect | Control measures |
|---|---|
| Shields | It is recommended to wipe the damaged areas with ethyl alcohol, olive oil, garlic juice |
| Aphid | An infusion of onion husks or citrus peels helps a lot. |
| Hearts | You can add denatured alcohol or olive oil to soap formulations |
| Spider mite | Well-infused decoction of cyclamen tubers helps, which need to process the orchid several times, maintaining an interval of 5 days |
| Thrips | Suitable garlic or onion solution (1 tsp gruel per glass of liquid), as well as olive oil diluted with water (2 tbsp per 1 liter) |
Pest Control
Important! During the treatment of orchids, it is worthwhile to exclude all kinds of dressings. This can accelerate the propagation of pests.
Chemicals
If the flower is affected by rot, fungicides (HOM, Kuprazol, Fundazol, copper sulfate) are used, spraying the diseased plant 3 times with an interval of 10 days. In bacterial diseases, Gentamicin, Furacilin, Streptocid are used.
Note! In the event of a complete defeat, the orchid is easier to destroy. Do not respond to treatment and viral diseases.
As for insects, here are selected systemic pesticides that affect the food and nervous systems.
Insecticides
| Insect | Preparations |
| Shields | After manual removal of parasites, the plant is treated with Fitoverm or Actellik, repeating the procedure after a week |
| Aphid | After a shower, the flower is treated with Chlorophos or Fitoverm |
| Hearts | Twice at weekly intervals spray the bottom of the plant and the substrate |
| Thrips | After removal of the damaged areas, the flower is irrigated with Actellic or Fitoverm. After 10 days, the procedure is repeated. |
Effective therapy
In order not to harm the plant, the use of pesticides is necessary strictly according to the instructions attached to the drug.
Further orchid care
Trying to reanimate a sluggish flower, you should not expect a quick result. To recover, the orchid will need at least 3 days. Proper plant care is important here:
- in the first place, all modes are established: thermal, light, irrigation;
- maintain optimum air humidity in the range of 60-70%;
- 10 days after treatment, feeding, which should be moderate, resume;
- Once a month, an orchid is bathed under running water;
- every 30 days the sheets are sprayed with copper sulfate;
- moisture trapped in the core of the pseudobulbs and sinuses is immediately removed with a dry, clean cloth;
- regularly ventilate the room, ensuring sufficient air circulation at the leaves of Phalaenopsis.
If the problem affects the root system, it is better to transplant the plant into another pot, which is subjected to thermal sterilization. Disinfect and a new substrate. Transplanting will slow down flowering, but will not allow the plant to completely wither.
