It can happen for a variety of reasons and can be quite concerning at first. However, this is usually pretty easy to fix, and you shouldn’t worry about it too much.

Sometimes you don’t need to do anything at all!

This guide covers the nine most common causes of yellow leaves. Here’s how to identify and fix each one:

Too Much Direct Light (Sunburn)

The number one most common cause of yellow leaves is sunburn due to too much direct sunlight.

Orchids generally need to be in a bright location, but not bathed in sunshine. However, some are more tolerant of light than others. The correct amount will depend on the genus (and sometimes exact species) of your orchid.

How to Fix: First, check what type of orchid you have. Its light requirements will depend on its natural habitat. Some orchids naturally grow under thick tree cover and are used to having a lot of shade. Others thrive in the open and can tolerate more direct sunlight.

Move your orchid to a spot that’s a bit more shaded if you suspect this to be the problem. It’s generally best to avoid north-facing windows, as these let in the most light.

Hard Water

When watering your orchid, the type of water you’re using might not be the first thing on your mind. However, this can actually make a big difference.

Many people live in areas with hard tap water, which has high levels of dissolved minerals such as magnesium and calcium. These can cause problems with your plant’s absorption of nutrients.

As a result, your orchid can develop yellow leaves.

How to Fix: There are a few ways to fix this problem:

• Use distilled water to water your orchid, as this is very pure.
• Use bottled water, which is generally quite soft compared to tap water.
• Invest in a water softener, which can remove some of the minerals from your tap water.

Water softeners can be quite expensive, but they’re very effective and are a great investment. They also help with chores like washing dishes and doing laundry, as you’ll need less detergent.

Over-watering (Root Rot)

Over-watering or poor drainage can cause your orchid’s roots to rot. As a result, your orchid will be unable to absorb nutrients effectively, and its leaves will turn yellow.

How to Fix: Only water your orchid when the top inch of the potting medium is dry and the roots are white.

You should also check the pot you’re using. Orchids need to be grown in pots with plenty of drainage holes to ensure proper water drainage.

If you suspect the yellow leaves are due to over-watering, your orchid may be suffering from root rot. Inspect the roots to see if the plant still has some healthy green roots.

If so, trim off the rotted roots and repot your plant in fresh potting mix. Don’t water the soil for the first week after repotting, just lightly mist the leaves so the roots will have a chance to recover.

Be sure to check out our watering guide if you’d like to learn how to avoid common watering issues like this.

Under-watering (Dehydration)

If your orchid isn’t getting enough water, it will become dehydrated. This can cause yellow leaves, which will also appear dry or shriveled.

This issue is more common with some types of orchid than others.

Orchids with large aerial root systems absorb moisture from the air and can often go for ages without being watered. Others will need more frequent watering to avoid dehydration.

How to Fix: Check your orchid’s roots to confirm the problem:

• If they’re a healthy white color, but the leaves are yellow and wrinkled, this could be an under-watering problem.
• If the roots are going a bit brown and dry, this is a sure sign that they need more water.
• When they’re black or rotten, this is due to over-watering instead. Refer to the section above to fix this.

If you’ve determined that your orchid needs more water, check out our watering guide for the correct techniques. A good rule of thumb is to wait until the top inch of your potting mix is dry before watering.

You should also check what type of orchid you have, along with its specific watering requirements.

Low Temperatures

If your room temperature is too cold, it can cause your orchid’s metabolism to slow down. This can cause problems with its biological processes and result in yellowing leaves.

How to Fix: Adjust your thermostat, or move your orchid to a more suitable spot.

In general, the ideal temperatures for growing orchids are between 65 and 80 F during the day and slightly cooler at night. So if you feel comfortable, your orchid probably will too.

As always, this depends on which type of orchid you have. Your plant will expect to be in an environment similar to its natural habitat.

Diseases (Yellow Leaves With Spots)

If your orchid’s leaves are turning yellow with black spots, this can indicate a bacterial or fungal disease.

The most common cause is wet leaves or high humidity. This excess moisture provides the perfect environment for diseases to thrive.

You’ll need to act fast to prevent it from spreading.

How to Fix: The infected foliage must be cut away. It’s difficult to distinguish between bacterial and fungal infections, so pruning is usually the best course of action.

Use a clean, sharp blade to cut off the infected tissue and about an inch of clean, green area.

If you suspect it’s a fungal infection, apply a fungicide to the cut surface. This will prevent the disease from reoccurring.

Too Much Fertilizer

Applying too much fertilizer is a common mistake, especially for beginners. It’s meant to help your orchid grow faster, so it can be tempting to use it every time you water your plant.

However, you can have too much of a good thing. Orchids generally don’t need a lot of fertilizer, and the excess nutrients can cause problems with absorption. This is similar to the hard water cause.

How to Fix: Make sure you’re following the instructions for your chosen fertilizer. If in doubt, a good rule of thumb is “weekly, weakly.” This will ensure you’re not applying too much.

You should also avoid giving your orchid fertilizer while it’s flowering. Wait until it becomes dormant again before feeding it.

Lack of Nutrients

If your orchid’s leaves are turning yellow at the tips, this can indicate a nutrient deficiency. You’ll see yellow spots or patches around the tip and edges of the leaf.

The most common missing nutrient is potassium, which supports your plant’s metabolism and helps it to grow roots. It’s especially important during spring and summer when your orchid is growing fastest.

How to Fix: Make sure you’re applying a balanced fertilizer. Choose one that’s formulated for your specific type of orchid.

Follow the instructions, and you can be sure that your orchid is getting the right amount of nutrients. Don’t use too much, as this can harm your orchid.

Leaves Yellowing & Falling Off Naturally

Many popular orchids such as Phalaenopsis develop yellow leaves naturally as they age. So if you have an older plant, there’s nothing to worry about.

These leaves will eventually fall off and decompose. Your orchid does this to make space for new leaves, and so it can recycle nutrients from the old ones.

How to Fix: The best thing to do is simply wait for the plant to shed these old leaves.

If you prefer, you can trim them off with a sharp blade once they look like they’re about to die. However, this isn’t necessary and could harm your plant if you do it wrong.

So we recommend waiting for them to drop naturally. Let your orchid do its thing!

Summary & Cheat Sheet

It can take a bit of practice to tell the difference between these problems, but once you can, they’ll become super simple to fix.

Here’s a summary of the top nine causes of yellow leaves:

We hope you found this care guide useful. Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments below!

The post Orchid Leaves Turning Yellow: Is This Normal? appeared first on Brilliant Orchids.

Learn to watch your orchid’s leaves closely for signs the plant isn’t getting the care it needs. If caught in time, it’s generally possible to fix wrinkled orchid leaves.

What Do Healthy Orchid Leaves Look Like?

Before you can identify problematic leaves, you first must learn what healthy leaves look like on an orchid plant.

While other plants may display quite dark or light green leaves, a healthy orchid leaf is always going to be a bright olive green color.

Healthy orchid leaves should also be plump and buoyant, extending out from the stalk without aid.

Fixing Wrinkled Orchid Leaves

This is all about matching the symptom to the solution. Each of these symptoms can typically be remedied by taking certain specific care steps.

Limp Leaves

When an orchid’s leaves grow limp, the typical solution leads back to improper watering.

If you want to diagnose whether the issue is over-watering or under-watering, it is helpful to examine your orchid’s roots.

Dry, wrinkled, brittle, or shriveled roots may indicate under-watering. Brown, mushy, soggy, or rotted roots can mean you’re over-watering. In the latter case, there could also be a secondary issue developing with root rot, a common orchid fungus.

However, in either case, the end result is that no water is getting from the roots to the leaves.

The first thing to do is to avoid removing the wrinkled orchid leaves even though they may look unsightly. They may still be helping the plant in other ways to gain nutrients and protection.

Instead, do your best to gently remove dead or rotted roots, using sterile scissors to do so. Apply sterilizing solution over the wounds and repot in fresh, sterile potting media.

Adjust your watering according to your healing plant’s needs and supplement with extra humidity, which your orchid can take in through the leaves until the roots heal.

Make sure to read our watering guide and you’ll have no problems!

Leathery Orchid Leaves

If the leaves are leathery, this is commonly another sign of a watering problem.

This can happen when the orchid isn’t getting enough water or the roots are compromised so that they cannot take up sufficient water to send to the leaves. A leathery, dehydrated appearance is often the result.

Another common cause of leathery orchid leaves is disintegrating potting media.

In either case, it is essential to use sterile tools to remove any dead or rotted roots and then repot your orchid in fresh, sterile media. Increase the ambient humidity and adjust watering as needed based on the underlying cause.

Curly Leaves

One of the most frequent culprits in the case of curly orchid leaves is using the wrong potting media or leaving your orchid potted in disintegrating potting media.

Novice orchid growers, in particular, may not yet realize orchids don’t grow in traditional potting soil, which crowds and suffocates the roots. Switching to an orchid-appropriate sterile potting media may cure this issue.

Another common cause of curling leaves is pests. Microscopic pests like aphids or fungi like Fusarium wilt can cause leaf dehydration, which in turn causes wilting.

You can remove aphids and other small pests by hand or using a forceful water spray. Fungi typically require sterile removal of the infected areas and repotting in a sterile potting media.

Leaves with Brown Tips

When your orchid’s leaves start to turn brown at the tips, the most likely cause is either over-fertilization or fungus.

Here, repotting in a sterile potting media will be necessary no matter which it is. If the root cause is a fungal infection, you may need to use tools to excise the infected areas before repotting.

Other Similar Orchid Problems

While most orchid species are not as difficult to care for as their reputation might suggest, they can still put you through a learning curve.

These are similar issues that many growers face in the course of learning to care for their plants.

Wrinkled, Dry or Shriveled Roots

When an orchid’s root system has gone without adequate hydration for some time, the roots will start to shrink, wither, and dry out.

If the area is humid, the leaves can take in some moisture. As a result, it can take longer for you to notice that your orchid isn’t receiving enough hydration at the roots.

Orchids can be salvaged even if the roots have died, but it takes patience.

Wilting Blooms

Wilting blooms are a common sight at the end of a blooming cycle. Most orchid species will only produce blooms once per year (twice at most).

After anywhere from a week to six months, those blooms will naturally start to wilt and will eventually detach from the plant and fall off.

However, if they start to wilt and wither before even opening, a common issue called bud blast is the likely culprit. Stressed-out orchids may drop un-opened buds to conserve resources.

Leaves Turning Dark or Yellow

Orchid leaves that are dark green are not getting enough light. Very light-colored green leaves can indicate sun damage.

Adjusting the light source and proximity (orchids prefer indirect light) can address this issue, although it will take some time to see the results.

The post How To Fix Wrinkled Orchid Leaves appeared first on Brilliant Orchids.

Many cats are understandably fascinated with orchids. In fact, single-stem orchid species in bloom can look a lot like another feline favorite, the cat wand toy. So it may be safest for all concerned to keep your cats and your orchids separate.

Why Do Cats Consume Flowers and Leaves?

Cats are by nature obligate carnivores.

“Obligate carnivore” means that the feline digestive system has evolved over the centuries to consume and digest only pure animal protein. This applies to big and small cats equally.

According to feline experts, cats do eat plant matter, including flowers or leaves. But it is not for the reasons you might expect.

Herbivore prey

Most prey animals are herbivores (plant-eating animals). So when a cat hunts, the prey will often have partially digested plant matter still in their digestive tract.

Cats can and often do safely consume small amounts of plant matter in this way without undue digestive disturbance.

Beneficial properties

Plants can also confer some enjoyable qualities. The most well-known such plant is, of course, catnip.

But not all cats readily gravitate towards catnip. In fact, current estimates indicate that anywhere from 25 to 50 percent of cats may not be affected by catnip or cat grass at all.

Sometimes, eating plants that have naturally high insoluble fiber content can help a sick cat vomit and feel better. Certain plants can also offer micronutrients if the cat’s regular diet is deficient in these areas.

And sometimes cats eat plants simply because they are bored. Chewing is a natural activity.

Are Orchids Poisonous to Cats?

Current research suggests that the majority of orchids are not poisonous to cats.

However, the University of California at Davis has another list that indicates the lady slipper orchid (Cypripedium) may be slightly toxic to animals.

The ASPCA reports good news about the popular Phalaenopsis orchid (moth orchid).

This orchid is not toxic to cats or other pets. The “phal” is the most popular orchid sold commercially and is the orchid most likely to be kept by new growers.

Are Orchids Poisonous to Other Pets or Animals?

Orchids are not on the Pet Poison Helpline’s list of plants that are poisonous to cats and other pet animals.

For most purposes, if a plant is toxic to pet cats, it will likely be toxic to other small pet animals as well.

Most orchid species are supposedly not toxic to cats, animals, or people. However, this does not extend to many everyday orchid care and treatment products.

For example, you might use a fungicide, herbicide, pesticide, or commercial fertilizer on your orchid collection. These substances can all be toxic or poisonous to your cat, as well as to other pets and people.

Always keep your orchid care supplies locked away safely so that cats, other pets and children cannot gain access.

Are Orchids Poisonous to People?

Orchids have a long history of use in traditional Chinese medicine and ayurvedic medicine.

Some species contain several important beneficial compounds ranging from morphine to caffeine. Other species may contain compounds toxic to people, including nicotine and trace amounts of the poison strychnine.

Most people don’t know that the popular flavoring agent vanilla comes from the vanilla orchid. Vanilla bean in its pure form (without added alcohol or other flavorings) is not known to be toxic or poisonous to cats, other pets or people.

Are Other Flowers or Plants Poisonous to Cats?

There are many flowers and plants known to be poisonous to cats.

The Humane Society of the United States maintains a database of plants with toxic properties ranging from mild to severe.

This list includes lilies, azaleas, buttercup, carnations, daffodils, foxglove, holly, hyacinth, iris, oleander, philodendron, poinsettias, roses, sago palm, and tulips, among others.

When your household includes cats or other pets, it is crucial to determine if existing landscaping or houseplants may pose a health threat to your animals. Always consult with pet poison control or your veterinarian when selecting new houseplants.

What to Do If Your Cat Eats an Orchid

Whether or not orchids are thought to be toxic or poisonous to cats, it is always smart to keep cats and orchids safely separated for the health of both.

The most commonly reported side effect after a cat eats an orchid is a mild stomachache. However, if your cat consumes an orchid and starts behaving strangely afterward, it may or may not be the orchid causing the symptoms.

Regardless, you should always take your cat to your feline veterinarian without delay to find out what has made your cat sick. Bring the remains of the orchid with you in case it is helpful to the diagnostic process.

If the incident happens after hours, take your cat to the nearest veterinary emergency clinic for treatment.            

The post Are Orchids Poisonous To Cats? appeared first on Brilliant Orchids.

This article will focus primarily on sowbugs and how to control them.

What are Sowbugs?

We can describe the sowbug’s appearance in terms of size, body, and characteristics.

• Size: they are flat, oval-like pests almost 1cm long.
• Body: sowbugs contain several segments with a pair of antennae and seven pairs of legs.
• Characteristics: also known as woodlice, they are scientifically not real bugs. Instead, they are classified as crustaceans living on land.

Female sowbugs can produce eggs that take 3-9 weeks to hatch into about 2 dozen larvae offspring. They then spend a few days in the female’s plated pouch on the underside. The females also have two or three broods annually.

After exiting the pouch, juvenile sowbugs can molt four or five times until they attain full maturity. They live for about 2 years. 

Are Sowbugs the Same as Pillbugs?

Pillbugs are their closest relatives with a similar appearance, but they can roll up when disturbed.

Sowbugs have a couple of appendages that resemble tails, unlike pillbugs that lack these. Some people commonly refer to them as roly-poly or potato bugs. 

Why are Sowbugs a Problem for Orchids? 

Organic debris like orchid leaves, mulch, or other plants in your yards can attract sowbugs. You can spot them around foundations that have mulch, bushes, as well as in gardens where they set up their habitat.

By feeding on the decomposing matter and fungi in the ground, sowbugs cause damage to the roots of orchids and other plants. They chew up significant quantities of root tissue, causing root infection and diseases.

Though they thrive in mulch around house plants, sowbugs cause relatively minor harm to human beings indoors. Generally, they are a mere nuisance as they don’t bite nor sting, and when you come across them indoors, their population outside will be enormous. 

How to Control Sowbug and Pillbug Infestations

When you have to control sowbugs – just like any other pests – it’s crucial to get rid of their habitat. Eliminating damp environments kills and repels them. As a homeowner, you can do the following to control this pest menace.

Clean Up

Collect all firewood lying in your yard, and stack it up off the ground, away from your house. Sowbugs love hiding in damp logs, stones, and boards. Clean up all the dead foliage on the ground and sweep up any grass clippings. 

Additionally, ensure that your downspouts drain away from your foundations.

Set Barriers

Ensure that you’ve removed all the mulch from your flowerbeds. The zone around your house should be 15-30cm wide, and free from dead leaves and mulch. Doing this discourages sowbugs and other pests from nesting.

You should also trim your trees, flowers, and shrubs if you suspect that they are creating a damp shady environment closer to your foundations.

Seal off all holes and cracks

Make sure all your exterior doors are locked tightly with no spaces left. Install a properly sealed door in your crawlspace to lock these bugs out. Don’t forget to check the crawlspace vents to determine whether they are allowing adequate ventilation.

It would be wise to insert small plastic screens in your weep hole ventilation to prevent the entry of sowbugs. 

Minimize excess moisture

Damp basement walls can be waterproofed to prevent excessive dampness. Make sure to consult a professional to determine the appropriate products to use. A good example would be the use of dehumidifiers to minimize moisture in your basement.

You can also use natural home remedies: 2tbsp household detergent, 1tbsp cayenne pepper, 1qt rubbing alcohol, and a gallon of water. Mix them up and spray the mixture on infested orchid plants and other areas. 

You can also use Neem Oil or diatomaceous earth, which you can sprinkle at the base of your plants. Alternatively, soak the affected plants in a bucket of water and leave them there overnight.

Use these tried and tested methods, and you should be able to eliminate sowbugs from your orchids and your entire property.

The post Sowbugs – Orchid Pest Control Guide appeared first on Brilliant Orchids.

It’s quite common to think you’ve managed to kill your orchid. These troubleshooting tips should help you identify whether your plant is perfectly fine, or whether it’s really time to throw in the towel.

Dormant or Dead?

The most common orchid you’ll see is the Phalaenopsis. If you’re like many people, you may have been gifted one. It was in full bloom when you received this beautiful plant, and it looked incredibly healthy. At some point, though, the flowers faded and eventually fell off.

Someone who doesn’t know much about orchids may panic at that point. They might wonder what they did to kill it. Chances are, you did absolutely nothing wrong. The orchid is merely going through its normal growth cycle.

When orchid flowers fade and fall off, the plant is usually still healthy. It doesn’t mean it’s dead; its bloom season is simply dormant. For some orchids, such as Phals, when their blooming period is over, it’s time for the roots and leaves to grow.

With proper care, your orchid will rebloom when it’s time to do so. Once the flowers fall off and the flowering spike turns yellow, cut the spike about a half-inch from the base. The orchid can then use its energy for root and leaf growth.

Orchid Death

So, how do you know if your orchid is actually dead?

If it has leaves but no roots, there’s a chance you can revive it. It will take time, however, as orchids can be slow to bounce back. Rooting hormones may help, but in many cases, you’ll just have to be patient and practice a wait-and-see approach.

An orchid with no leaves, however, is usually doomed. It’s unable to make the necessary food to keep it alive.

Common Reasons Why Orchids Die

One of the most common reasons for premature orchid death is overwatering. This usually leads to root rot, where the roots become soft and mushy. It could lead to losing all roots, which makes it hard for an orchid to remain hydrated.

It’s essential to plant orchids in appropriate media. This isn’t typical garden soil. Orchids do best in airy, light media, such as bark, sphagnum moss, coconut husk, or perlite. Mixtures containing a combination of these work well.

Another reason for orchid death is crown rot. Water should never be allowed to sit in the crown, the space where the leaves join the plant. This often kills leaves first before killing off the entire plant.

How to Make an Orchid Bloom Again

In many cases, your orchids will rebloom when it’s their time to do so. If you want to encourage healthy and beautiful flowers, it’s important to take care of your plant during the dormant season.

Regular fertilizing with an orchid-appropriate fertilizer is the best way to make sure your plant remains strong and healthy. Make sure you’re fertilizing on a regular schedule with a product designed for orchids. Typically, these are 20-20-20 formulations: they contain balanced ratios of potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorous, providing the vital nutrients to produce well-formed flowers.

Orchids tend to bloom seasonally. Phals often require cooler temperatures to trigger flower spikes. If you place your orchid near a window in the fall and winter, this is often the boost they need to start growing a flower spike.

How to Save an Unhealthy Orchid

Orchids can suffer numerous health issues, with some much more severe than others. Some of the most common problems you’ll see on your orchids include the following:

• Falling and/or yellowing leaves: First, orchids lose older leaves occasionally. As long as it’s the bottom-most leaf, that’s a natural occurrence. Sometimes, you might lose leaves at the crown or other leaves that aren’t the bottom ones. They usually turn yellow first. In this case, your orchid may not be receiving proper nutrients, or it may be getting too much sunlight.
• Leaf spots: Spots on orchid leaves may be due to extreme light or fungal infections. If it’s a light issue, you can move your plant to an area that doesn’t receive as much direct sunlight. Otherwise, a fungicide application may be necessary.
• Root rot: This is often one of the biggest problems new orchid owners have, often because they’ve overwatered their plant. It’s best to remove dead roots whenever you repot your orchid. To prevent root rot in the future, water your orchid only when the medium is dry.
• Wrinkled leaves: If your orchid isn’t getting enough water, the leaves may appear wrinkly. It may be due to insufficient watering or due to a lack of roots, leading to dehydration.
• Mites and other pests: Spider mites, mealybugs, and snails can attack your orchids. To get rid of pests like mites and mealybugs, dab the affected areas with a cotton swab soaked in rubbing alcohol. Follow up with a horticultural or neem oil to prevent a reoccurrence.

The American Orchid Society is another excellent place to start learning how to care for orchids.

The post Is My Orchid Dead? Can I Revive It? appeared first on Brilliant Orchids.

These young and undeveloped butterflies can cause extensive damage to your orchids. It’s essential to take the proper steps to remove them as soon as possible.

Here’s what you need to know about protecting your orchids from these pests.

Why Do Caterpillars Love Orchids?

Caterpillars are the larval stage of moths and butterflies. Like all young critters, they need to get all the nutrients they need throughout this vital growth phase. The juice from orchid stems and leaves contains everything these insects need to get themselves ready for the next stage in their lives.

But allowing them to chow down on your orchid can result in devastating consequences.

The best thing you can do when you notice signs of a caterpillar is to remove it from your home altogether.

Keep the Area Clean 

One of the first things you can do to help control pests is to make sure the area around your orchid is kept completely clean at all times.

This means you’ll want to pick up and dispose of dead leaves, fallen flower buds, and all other debris from around your potting medium.

These bits of debris are the perfect place for insects to lay their eggs. Preventing the arrival of caterpillars means making sure that an egg isn’t laid directly on the orchid in the first place.

Unfortunately, even when you keep your orchid’s space immaculate, sometimes eggs can still show up on your plants. Remember to continually check the underside of your orchid’s leaves, especially in the spring and summer months. Simply put on a pair of gloves, pick the eggs off one by one, and dispose of them.

Getting Rid of Hatched Caterpillars

Once a caterpillar has hatched, the amount of damage it can do overnight will leave you stunned. If you see a caterpillar on your plant, it will need to be dealt with immediately.

There are many ways to get rid of these unwanted guests, but we recommend escorting it from your premises with a pair of gloves or a piece of paper. This is the most humane method. Just make sure that there’s no way they’ll be able to return to your planting area.

Bring in the Bugs

Believe it or not, introducing other bugs can be one of the most effective ways to keep your plant safe. Predator wasps, like the Braconid and the Ichneumon, are the natural enemy of these caterpillars. They will target them while leaving your orchids untouched.

Make Your Plant Taste Terrible

Another option that could help save your plant is to spray your leaves down with a repellent solution.

Caterpillars hate intense flavors such as onion, jalapeno, garlic, and chives. This can quickly confuse and repel caterpillars, as they’ll be looking for the sweet juices of your orchid instead. Simply make your mix in a blender, add it to your spray container and spray down your orchid once a week.

Other Harmful Insects

While caterpillars are one of the main enemies of orchids, they aren’t the only insects you should be concerned about. All chewing insects can be a threat to your plant.

Here are some other pests you’ll want to watch out for.

Beetles

Beetles can be a big problem for orchid growers because they can quickly overrun the poor plant. Not only do they use the plant as a primary food source, but they also use it as a place to rest and lay their eggs.

Luckily, removing them is rather simple.

Beetles actually sleep during the day, so it’s easy enough to take the plant, turn it on its side, and shake it out over a piece of newspaper or a cloth. Once you’ve collected all the beetles, simply return them outside to your garden.

To guarantee that no other beetle eggs remain, spray your orchid down with a mixture of pyrethrum and isopropyl alcohol. Continue to do this once a week until there are no more signs of beetles on your plant.

Rats and Mice

Insects aren’t the only pests you need to worry about when it comes to protecting your orchid. Rats and mice actually love to dine on the flowers and pseudo-bulbs of the plant. This can end up killing your orchid should it continue for long enough.

Standard rat traps and mice repellent will be more than enough to keep these pests from chowing down on your plant. Just make sure that you keep your repellent solution at the recommended dosage and number of applications, or it could end up affecting the health of your plant. Luckily, in these cases, if the damage was kept to a minimum, your orchid should definitely be able to recover. 

The post Caterpillars & Other Orchid Pests appeared first on Brilliant Orchids.