Help, My Orchid Is Rotting: Tips On Treating Crown Rot In Orchids

Use fans to keep air moving around the plants 24/7.
Irrigate with room temperature water. Don’t water with cold tap water. Make sure the crown and crotch areas of the leaves are dry before night fall when temperatures are normally declining. I do NOT recommend misting a plant. Mist the air around the plant to increase humidity, don’t regularly spray water on the leaves.
Extended periods of cool temperature increase the chances of infection.
These tips work to remove the conditions that spores need to have in place before they can inoculate healthy plant tissue; 1) still air 2) water 3) cool and/or declining temperatures.

Key Takeaways:

Orchid crown rot is caused when water is left to pool at the base of the orchid leaves.
To treat rot, pour a small amount of full strength hydrogen peroxide onto the orchid crown for 2-3 days.
To avoid orchid rot dry any water that is pooling at the crown, and make sure they have plenty of space for air to circulate.

“the best method of orchid crown rot treatment is prevention. Always water in the morning to give the excess water a chance to evaporate during the day.”