Question

leaves  

buds   my orchids were healthy till last year, now they have got brown leaves that are sticky, and white fluff on them. i have enclosed some pictures for you. please can you tell me if i can get these plants back to good health, or have i lost them

Answer
Karen, thanks for the picture.  Your plant has a mealy bug infestation.  First step is to soak a cloth in rubbing  (isopropyl)  alcohol.  Then remove as many of the bugs as possible by rubbing the leaves and other tissues with the soaked cloth. When you can see no more bugs, unpot the plant and soak it in an insecticide solution (such as malathion).  Then repot the plant in a fresh pot and orchid potting mix. Wait for a week before repotting.  When the bugs recur you may spray it with an insecticide.  Be sure to discard the old potting mix and pot. One or more leaves and/or buds may fall off as a result of the infestation.