Hurricane Preparation, Part 3

 

As we celebrate this year’s silent hurricane   season, we are reprinting the last of the three segments of the article by Motes Orchids. It would be wise to keep the last three issues of the “Scurf” at hand for the coming years when we may not be so lucky.

“Post storm activity is important also. First, be prepared to quickly replace shade either on the structure itself or by jury-rigging shade cloth until the structure can be rebuilt.

The plants themselves will have been severely stunned, bruised or nicked by buffeting winds. Often the plants would have been dark and wet for many, many hours. These conditions are the most highly conducive to fungal and bacterial development. While the plants are still wet they can be sprayed with a tertiary ammonia product Physan, Consan or Greenshield ( pool algicide contains the same chemical). This has the advantage of blending with the water on the plants to provide some immediate protection. Once the plants are dry again, they can be sprayed with a broad spectrum fungicide/bactericide. Cupric hydroxide (Kocide, Champion) mixed with Mancozeb, Manzate, Dithane M45) at 1 Tbs per gallon of each should do a good job. Again, a spreader sticker is highly desirable here.

The strategy for all the next few weeks post storm is to keep the plants as dry as possible (most will be moving toward more dormant states in September and October in any case). Close monitoring for disease development and excising damage tissue as disease develops are essential. This should be done with

a clean instrument that is disinfected between cuts, preferably with a supersaturated solution of tri-sodium phosphate or by flaming the cutting edge. Much wet weather can still be forthcoming after a hurricane and disease control and prevention will be a long term task post storm. We hope none of us ever again need to know these things we all Florida hands have learned across the years but hurricanes are a price of living in paradise. 

 

Con’t