Swine Flu. It seemed to appear out of nowhere, affecting thousands of people, while leaving others untouched. It affected the older and weaker subsets of the population, along with the very young.
Now, years later, the Pig Sickness seem to be a non-issue. We're back to the "standard" flu shot, designed to fight off the whatever strain of influenza happens to appear this year.
Orchids have similar problems to deal with. Bugs, fungus, mold, bacteria, and other minute living organisms that can affect the growth of the plants. Every year a different insect or fungus will appear. Sometimes, hot and dry weather will prevail, inviting a spider mite invasion. Then, a cold, wet fall may set in and mealy bugs will appear - along with a bit of snow mold in the potting mix.
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One may grow for years without seeing an aphid on a bud or flower, then suddenly, they seem to be crawling on every spike. Seasons change, climates change, and bugs also have cycles - appearing and disappearing at will....
As with the human population, it seems as if the weaker plants attract bugs much more readily. Younger seedlings, and those with soft, new growth, seem to attract bugs, black rot and fungus much more quickly than sturdy, older plant tissue.
The bugs are also spread from plant to plant just like human colds and flu are spread among people. Isolation usually helps.
If a specific plant is found to have a bad infestation, it is best to treat it immediately and set it off by itself, away from other plants.
We've all hear the expression, "Stuff Happens," or something to that effect. I don't think there is a person on this green earth that has never had a cold or some illness. In the plant world, the expression should be "Bugs Happen!"
No matter how careful you may be, sometime during your growing career some of your plants will acquire something...a bug, virus, rot, mold, mildew, fungus - whatever... The best thing to do is to watch your plants carefully and treat the problem early.
Sprays and dips can be used for bugs. Repotting into fresh mix
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and treating with Physan 20 or Phyton 27 will work for mold and algae. Fungicides can be used for black rot, fungus and bacterial spotting. The most important thing is to deal with the problem quickly, so that your plant can remain healthy. The longer the problem is ignored, the worse it can become. Otherwise the rot can spread; bugs will crawl onto neighboring plants, and fungus spotting can eventually destroy entire leaves.
When dealing with living things (i.e. plants) one must "Roll with the punches." Deal with problems quickly and efficiently so that you can get back to enjoying the beautiful flowers your collection can provide!
Happy Growing/New Year!
Liese
