Fungus are everywhere and depending on where they are they turn into a pest or a blessing.We ourselves rely on fungi to live. Without fungi there was no life on Earth.
Fungi produce antibiotics that saved million of lives since The Second World War and also make the unresistable foetid French cheese that cost a fortune here.
On plants they may cause death and they can kill us too.
This plant here is a Dyckia from Eastern Minas Gerais and if you enlarge the picture you will see the errors comitted here.
There are fungi and algae growth on the plant and this indicates bad culture.
The worst sin here was the intense umidity. We observe this in many ways or spots: on the leaves we see agae besides fungi, on the substrate there is a complete rain forest composed by ferns and mosses and this also means humidity. (Also some stray cacti seedlings)
What do do?
1 - Repot: just remove the pot and leave the roots untouchable. Fungi dies in a drier situation.
So there is no need to disturb the root system unless it is already damaged or the substrate is not adequated to a dry cultivation. I use a pottery pot ( not painted in nor out) the material must breath. Use a thick layer of drain. Do not use stones for drain. Stirophane is fine if you do not have cracked pottery pieces.
2 - Remove the ferns and other creatures as you are cultivating Dyckia and not a Bush Garden.
3 - Cut of the death or any death leaves. Cut! Do not tear them!If you remove death leaves by tearing then you will introduce the fungi inside the plant. This is sure death!
4 - Plant the
patient in rich organic aerated substrate. Cover the substrate with pebbles in order to protect it from the light. Light may kill beneficial bacteria anf fungi that live in the substrate and produce many of the nutrients the
patient will need to recover.
5 - Vaporize with a very fine spray all and parts of the
patient with an anti-fungi solution you will make by yourself:
5.1 - Those super ultra effective systemic anti-fungi
kill fungi and you with the very same efficiency. You may also need a complete Astronaut outfit to deal with that. Also rain will wash that thing and introduce it in your next creek. The fishmeal will poison you and me too. You will pollute half the world and most probably the plant will perish sooner than if left untreated.
Try a very effective domestic fungicide and bactericide made with phenol and pine oil.
The commercial name may vary but it is something as SunPine.
5.2 - Use a solution of 25ml per liter of water.
Add 5 drop s of a liquid domestic detergent to favor contact of the solution with the plant tissues.
Do not drink nor wash the eyes and this will be fine.
Spray the plant everywhere even on that hidden secret and secretive parts. Do this in a shadowed place.
The day after bring the plant to a well ventilated sunny spot.
You may repeat this and the fungi will not disappear as magic but it will have a hard time to survive. The plant will be fine and will thank you and the most import: you will survive!.
Test the product before using on a rare hard to get plant.
The best medicine ever is prevention.
Dyckias native to the Central area of Brazil usually do not know how to cope with humidity as do the Southern native ones. Central Brazil Dyckias when cultivated here in South where the air humidity is always high (more than 90%) they are attacked by fungi.
Those Dyckias do not know how to cope with humidity, a more shadowed and cold weather. Not long ago it was said to be impossible to cultivate those plants in Joinville.
The trick is drainage, elevated position ( lift up the plant.) and an aerated substrate.
The secret here is:
A happy plant will hardly get ill!
There is no magic but the magic wand is knowledge.
Nothing compares to Light!
Happy creatures are peaceful, healthy and beautiful...
Be happy!
