What's happening to my Phalaenopsis?

[Ash]

I have owned a Phal for three months, during which time it has had two gorgeous stalks of flowers. The bottom leaves are now turning yellow and look like they are going to drop. I have been keeping it on the drier side and have only fertilized it minimally a month or so back. I lost another earlier this year and it started the same way. What am I doing wrong and how can I save my orchid? Thanks in advance!

Addendum: I took the plant out of the pot the roots were mostly rotted. They were packed with moist moss and very little bark. Do you think it is a drainage problem? Thanks again..

[Aniko]

Phalaenopsis has to be kept moist all the time.
I suggest to use the skewer method to control moisture and prevent over watering:
http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/newbie-questions/1099-skewer-use-for-watering-of-orchids.html
Good luck!

[Ash]

Thanks. That was helpful. On further investigation the roots look on the dead side

[fred]

Hi Ash

Welcome to the forum.

I hope that you enjoy your stay with all of us orchid geeks.

happy chatting

[Fabolusus]

It sounds like a watering issue, could be too much or not enough. If it is planted in moss, then you should let it dry to the point that it feels only slightly moist, usually 5-7 days depending on your conditions. When in doubt, wait a day. Using a sterilized tool, cut away the dead, rotten roots. Most beginners grow phals in bark, but I wouldn't switch mediums with a stressed plant. Also, I would remove the flower spike and find a way to give it more humidity. If it gets really bad, you may have to sphag and bag.

[Aniko]

Here is a link to see what about the "Sphag & bag" method, mentioned by Fabolusus - useful in saving a plant without roots.
http://www.firstrays.com/sphagnbag.htm

If the roots are gone you may think about cutting off the spikes, saving the last energy which would be spent to keep the bloom - the first priority for a plant - than die.
Cutting off the spikes the last energy would be turn to develop a new root system and recover.

YES I THINK THAT IT'S A drainage problem

[Fabolusus]

Exactly. It takes a lot of effort for an orchid to feed those beautiful blooms

[tom499]

i sometimes get orchids in similiar sounding medium. it is some what mushy and smells bad. I repot my orchids in bark with fresh moss from my garden.

from my experience i find its good to to have fairly loose medium, not too compacted, as this causes water build up in middle, why the rest dries quickly.

[Maddy]

I always check how tightly the moss is packed in a pot when I get it - more often then not, I have to pull about half of it out. I have no idea how they get so much moss packed into those pots.

[Ash]

Thank you for all of your help. I took most of the gross tightly packed moss out to ensure better drainaige and have cut off the rotted roots and blooms, which leaves me with a few piddly viable short roots. Today, two more leaves are yellow so likely my plant will have just one left in a couple days. How long should I wait before deciding to bag it? Thank you, All!

[tom499]

give it some time yet, my largest phal only has 3 stub like things for roots, and its potted in a 2inch pot, with 30cm long leaves. but its still pretty healthy and new roots are coming through. This was after i cut off loads of rotted rooting a few weeks ago.

i guess my main point is, dont panic, my main problem at the start was trying to do too much, over potting, over watering etc. sometimes its best to give them the best conditions and let them sit.

[Ash]

Thanks, Tom. That's exactly what I needed to hear!

[Aniko]

I agree that at this point the best thing is to wait and let the plant recover.Some Superthrive treatment would help a to start rooting.
Good luck!

P.s.Are you sure that no sucking pests are involved ?

[kmarch]

You mentioned you looked at the roots and they were mostly rotted, this is a sign of being too wet. Maybe you're eatering too much or maybe the mix is staying too wet. If the plant has no roots at all, do the sphag and bag mentioned above if it does have some good roots, repot in a mix that will maintain a gentle and evenly moist environment for the roots. I use a mix of med. bark, med. coir chunks, med. perilite, med. charcoal, chopped sphagnum, and a little bit of peat. This mix drains well but retains moisture. I have a Phal putting out new roots now and they're starting above the mix but growing right down into it.

A seemingly strange thing about orchids is that for many of them (like Phals) under-watering and over-watering exhibit the same symptoms, soft, yellowing leaves. There is a logic to it though. In both cases, the leaves are not getting enough water. In the one instance it is because the plant is being underwatered. In the other instance it is because the roots have rotted from over-watering and because there are no roots the leaves do not get water.

So the key to discerning the problem is the condition of the roots. If you have wilting leaves but healthy roots, you're probably underwatering. If you have wilting leaves and rotten roots you're probably overwatering.

[tyger_lilli]

Do the wilting leaves ever bounce back? I've lost three out of five already (one naturally, one due to fungus, and one due to root rot) and one of the two left is wilted with about two inches of yellow. I have a fair number of roots left, but is one leaf, a dozen short root and a few questionable longer ones going to be enough to sustain my phal?

[tizzycat]

tom499

I notice that you are in the Uk, please may I ask what you prefer as a potting medium. The plants in the garden centres seem to be in bark and also seem to be nameless but they're all gorgeous.

[mayres]

tyger lilli - soft wilted leaves of phals never go back to normal firm rigid leaves in my experience. It is possible to "rebuild" a phal in the condition you describe, but it will not be for the faint of heart - with everything being ideal you are probably talking about two years to get it back to healthy blooming condition. Unless you have emotional attachments, as inexpensive as phals are, sometimes its best to take what you have learned and put that knowledge to test on a NEW healthy plant. mike

[Hummer344]

Boy, do I ever agree with Mayres. If its a no name orchid and there is no attatchment to it then "shovel prune it". (dump it out). Learn from your expierence, find another orchid you like and enjoy it. I just picked up a phrag today for $10. It has one flower open, two to open and another spike coming up. Cheap for the amount of pleasure you get out of them

[justloveorchids]

Tyger Lili

Actually with the right kind of TLC its pervectly possible to revive Phals that are looking very sorry for themselves

I have been given quite a lot in recent months and by cutting off dead roots and repotting in fresh orchid compost plus misting the plants first thing in the morning with worm tea they have all made a miraculous recovery and are throwing flower spikes or even a Keiki

Much depends on just how far gone yours is .......personally i instantly remove spagnum moss from any i receive as i found it to be causes of many problems although i know others on this forum do use it