All this recent talk about rot is beginning to scare me and I'm worried for my plant collection. I hope my plants dont get any rot so what is the best most efficient way to avoid it or prevent from it happening? I know about giving plants fresh air movement daily but what about watering it less than usual and only water on the medium and don't let the plants get wet? Thanks!

Keep plants that have rot away from your healthy plants. For prevention air circulation is number one most important thing growing orchids. With air movement you can water your plants from top to bottom they will dry quickly but don't let water sit in the crown which can lead to rot.

To avoid rot:
1. Water in the morning only
2. Fan circulation
3. keep crown dry before night (cool night with water encourages rot)

Paphman910

also have cinnamon powder on hand in case rot shows up on one of your plants.

Best way is to maintain plants in their best conditions if possible...temperature is very important and media also.If the plants get ill means first that their immune system have problems.So if plants get ill means that there is something wrong in cultural technique(nearly always).Treatments are only a short term solution(not in mass growing nurseries but in medium small private collections).
When I started growing brachys 4 ex,I had rotting problems...I changed media,without using treatments and now I have 0 rotting...and I dont care about watering etc....

Thanks for all the great advice! I'm still learning so please share more info and tips.

All very useful advice posted here. Great topic glad that you asked!

air movement is good, but only helps if the moist air can get away..

air movement is good, but only helps if the moist air can get away..


In the daytime when temperature rises the humidity increase and at night the humidity deceases so air circulation should dry out the leaves. If you have a greenhouse with a humidifier then you should set it to automatically turn off during the evenings and vent the moist air out through the window!


Paphman910

The easiest way to avoid it is to keep the air circulating. Also, it is key to make sure that the crowns are dry before nightfall when you water them.

Using compot materials that help keeping the pH high enough seems to help as well but air circulation is probably the most important.

Thanks members! Keep the tips coming.

Also repot regularly especially before the medium starts to rot.

All great helpful tips. Thanks.

As others have already stated, constant air circulation is very essential.

[QUOTE=Paul B;532867]also have cinnamon powder on hand in case rot shows up on one of your plants.[/QUOTE

I tried Cinnamin. It didn't seem to help much. I tried Physan 20. It seemed to do a bit better. But the plants were still slowly shrinking because the rot kept moving down the leaf.

Then our Orchid Society brought in Alan Koch of Gold Coutry Orchids. Alan has been growing orchids for 30 years and has a 300,000 plant private collection. He has been on the Executive Board of Orchid Digest and is involved with AOS judges training. His presentation of Orchids 101 had even the seasoned orchid growers saying WOW.

Back to the point. I asked about air circulation. I grow on Metro Shelving. I had a fan on the middle shelf, but the paphs were on the top and bottom shelf. Alan told me I needed a fan on EVERY shelf.

Alan said that Cinnamon is only effective in about 40 to 60 percent of the cases. He said that the Phasan was damaging the leaf surface which provided new areas fr the fungus to get to the plant.

His recommendation. Hydrogen Peroxide 3% solution, Get a quart bottle right off the shelf.

I will let you know how it does. Just started using it myself 2 days ago.