Staghorn Fern Platycerium

hi susiwinters,

I got it posted for you!

thank
mitch

Hi Susiwinters,

Thanks for the photo of your staghorn. The problem seems to be a bacterial one. Bacterial spotting can develop holes in the interior region of the spot. This would be caused by too much water and it could also have been initiated by the fertilizing. You mentioned watering more and also the fertilizing. What type of fertilizer did you use? Was it a granular or liquid? Liquids are preferred for staghorns no more than every two to three months, as they aren't heavy feeders. If you did use a granular, I am wondering if it is lingering there and causing burn as well as stressing the plant. Keep in mind, when a plant is stressed is not the time to fertilize it--doing so stresses it even more. I would also recommend organic fertilizers, as they are less likely to burn plants--something with a low NPK ratio.

Let me know about the fertilizer you used and we will then see if you need to leach it out of the plant.

Before watering, also make sure that the plant does indeed need to be watered. Stressed plants tend to take up less water, so it may not need as frequent watering.

Also keep in mind that pests on any plant indicate that the plant is somehow stressed--which all goes back to improper watering and issues like fertilizer burn. You mentioned mealybugs, which would appear because of stress. Spider mites can also be a problem with staghorns, but they cause stipling on the leaves, not black spotting, and they occur when conditions are dry, which is not the case for you.

Please let me know about the fertilizer you used/how much/if it was granular, and we'll go from there.

I'm not sure what fertilizer I used. I think it was Bloom Boost, Miracle Gro Liquid, or I used the granular, Bloom Burst. I only used it once, and unfortunately I can't remember which one I used.

What should I do if it's a bacterial infection, is there a cure???

thanks mitch

I don't think it liked my file. Are there instructions for posting photos. I did get it posted on my profile, however, that's not where I wanted it. I chose file to attach, but nothing showed up.

Thanks for being there.

would it help if I took it down from the tree to see what's going on behind it. Can I separate it, before it becomes totally lost.

Bacterial infections generally result when a plant is weakened. It's like when we get worn down and then develop bacterial pneumonia. Something occurred to weaken the plant, and it may have been fertilizer burn. Overwatering can also do the same. The fertilizers you mentioned are chemical ones and can be quite strong. The reason I usually recommend that people use organic fertilizer is to avoid burn and stressing plants.

Regarding taking the plant down, I would definitely do so to find out what is going on behind it. You may find overly wet or dry conditions behind it or even pests.

If there is a clear division between healthy growth and non-healthy growth, you can definitely divide the plant at this time and it would be a good idea. Cut away the diseased areas with a clean knife. This article gives you good information on dividing staghorns.
www.chron.com/life/gardening/article/How...orn-fern-1729128.php

Hope this helps.