neglected phals

[justloveorchids]

Just been given 4 very neglected phals

2 of them are very dry and droopy

have given them a good drink of rainwater

looks like i need to repot them and remove the truly dead roots as cant work out what the previous owner had tried to do with them

have plenty of worm tea to mist them with

all advice welcome plus any instructions on best potting medium for phals please

[kmarch]

If the roots are healthy I'd think there was a good chance to save them. My approach to Phals is evenly and gently moist, never soggy, never completely dry. The mix I use to accomplish this is: medium bark, medium coir chunks, medium charcoal, small perelite, chopped sphagnum, and a little peat. I sue plastic pots too.

-Kevin

[mayres]

There are so many types of media available and as many people as you ask will probably end up with that many suggestions. You might update your profile so we can see where you live - to some degree the option you select will be best depending upon if you are in a warm climate or cool and indoors, greenhouse or outdoors. It might be a single media or a combination of medias as Kevin has noted. Currently my media of choice is a mix of three - 75% coir, 20% perlite and 5% charcoal (eyeball guess). The more closed mixes like this will require more deligence to be careful not to overwater and rot roots, but studies have shown the plants will do better if properly looked after. If you tend to "baby" your plants and potentially water them too much you might want to use a more open mix - medium to coarse bark. If you use bark be sure to soak 24-48 hours in advance. Good luck and keep us informed as to how they are doing and what you choose - we all learn from each other! mike

[justloveorchids]

i live in the UK and phals are currently indoors

plan on having them in my South facing Conservatory for the summer which should resemble Malaysia/.thailand heat at times but cool in the evenings

guess a gravel bed would be helpful on the humidity stakes

i know not to over water and to keep things sterile

its how to carefully repot what appears to have been put into too large a pots by well meaning amateur

Theres green healthy roots along with shrivelled brown ones

Can i cut off the dead roots or even part of the base below the air roots and first set of roots

Will try and post a photo of what i am dealing with

[mayres]

Sounds like you are on the right track - remove all old dried and mushy roots and only keep the plump fleshy tan/white/green ones. Yep - cut off the old dried base of the plant below the roots. Put the plants in as small of pot as the roots will fit - as you have also suggested. If you have them facing south be sure you have a shear curtain between the rays of the sun and your plants and have them back a few feet from the window - phals can burn very easily in direct sunlight - air movement would help keep them cool too. Good luck! mike