Contents
Sticky orchid: why and what to do
The orchid has a rather capricious character, and it needs special careful care. Therefore, it is not surprising that any changes in the tropical beauty cause panic among flower growers. It is especially troubling if the orchid is sticky. Such a condition does not necessarily indicate problems with the flower.
Why an orchid can get sticky
There are several reasons why sticky droplets can form. And not all of them say that something threatens the health of the plant. But in any case, you should take a closer look at the flower. Perhaps, in this way, he signals a mistake in leaving.
An orchid can become sticky due to a kind of nectar that attracts pollinating insects.
The main reasons why sticky spots can form on a flower are:
- Attraction of insects by the plant. Sticky spots can be a kind of nectar that attracts pollinators.
- Self-defense. Nectar is a trap in which pests perish.
- Irregular watering. A similar phenomenon can be the result of improper moisture. For example, the plant suffered from drought for a long time, and then it was heavily watered.
- Excess fertilizer. If you overfeed the flower, then in this way it gets rid of the excess sugar in the leaves.
- Powdery mildew. The disease can be recognized by large sticky drops, which then turn into a white coating. Subsequently, black and brown spots form on the leaves.
- Infection with ticks, aphids, scale insects, scale insects. Pests can be seen with the naked eye.
If the stickiness is caused by disease or pests, immediately isolate the flower from other crops and begin treatment.
What to do with a sticky orchid
Orchid treatment for sweet drops depends on the reasons for their appearance. If they are just the nectar of the plant, then no action is needed. The flowering period will end – and they will pass by themselves. If the stickiness is caused by improper care, then you can get rid of it with normalized watering and moderate feeding.
There are different ways to treat a plant for powdery mildew or pests:
- Soak the flower in water every 14 days, with the addition of 2 Alirin-B tablets.
- Wipe the leaves and stems of the crop with cotton wool soaked in soapy water. Then treat the flower with an insecticide. For the treatment of orchids, you can use “Actellik”, “Aktara”, “Zircon”. Remember to rub all surfaces around the pot with rubbing alcohol.
- If the pest colony is not too numerous, then first rinse the leaves, stems and roots of the culture, and then treat with “Fozalon”, “Phosphamide”.
- Use a colloidal sulfur solution to treat powdery mildew. In addition, Skor and Topsin-M help well against this disease.
The stickiness on orchid leaves is not necessarily a crop hazard. But in any case, you should take a closer look at the flower in order to exclude diseases and pests.