Diana,

It sounds like the plant underwent some very drastic change, either in the
hands of the previous owner not long before you got it, en route between the
two of you, or once you got it.

I also suspect it's environmental, not a pest - to me it sounds like cold
exposure. Stop martinizing it with chemicals - a fungicide maybe, but
enough already.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!

.. . . . . . . . . . .
"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Okay, mice eating orchids is nasty, no doubt. I have a different problem.

Two weeks ago I purchased a mature Ascocentrum (Judy Fister) from another
member of my society. She is scaling down, moving to smaller place, and I
have bought a few other plants from her.

This plant is specimen size. It was loaded with spikes - too many to
count.
It went from her environment directly to mine, and the two are identical.
By the pool, growing under screening, same light exposure.

The day after I brought it home the spikes started to blast. I sprayed
for
thrips, just in case. Two days later, the leaves started to blacken. I
treated for fungus with Physan. Today, I cut off 28 shriveled spikes, and
there are a good many more that need to go. I do see some new ones
starting.
I hit the whole plant with a bucket of alcohol/soap. Yesterday I hit it
with alcohol/cinnamon. I plucked dead leaf after dead leaf from this
plant.

In all, I have taken four plants from the same person. One, a Catt, is
doing fabulously well, and is growing very near the Vanda in question.
Another, Den. anosmum (superbum) is about to bloom and is healthy as a
horse. The fourth is another Vanda that I got from her some months back,
and it went downhill immediately after I brought it home. I have seen her
grow area, and the plants are in great shape.

Am I missing something about the life span of Vandas? Is it possible that
they, unlike so many other orchids, are limited as to how long they will
thrive?

I am *p*d off here. What am I doing wrong, if anything? Right now, I
just
want to save this plant, if I can......

Diana