My Phal Needs Your Help....

[Lan]

Hey everyone,


Seeking your collective wisdom on what I should do to save my Phal.
Please see photos attached. What do you think is wrong and how should I remedy it?

This was a lovely, large and healthy 3 spiked Phal which finished flowering in October. I cut it back and all is was well until the last 3-4 weeks or so. As you can see it's leaves are turning yellow, and now one spike is going yellow too.

Roots look green and healthy, still moisture on inside of pot. Watering fortnightly now in UK winter, maybe less. I think the cold maybe has got it?

I've just got a new min/max in/out digital thermometer and nights I realize are dropping to 10 degrees C. Also they've been placed on wooden floor which is 5 degrees cooler than on my shelf.

The top of the spikes where I cut them have turned dark and ooze white.

Help please???

[Lan]

I forgot to add that a couple of other Phals have also started to drop leaves.They didn't go as yellow like this. It was mushy where leaf broke away from plant? Cold again?

[Hummer344]

10c is at the low end of tolerance for the Phals. 5 is definetly to low. They may be reacting to the temps. Also there might be a bit of leaf rot going on. (ie: the mushy leaf). Got to American Orchid Society - Orchids and down load a culture sheet for phals. Make sure that there isn't water left in the crown of the leaves over night. If it has nice light and temps during the day the water should dry up. Since the cut off spikes are black and oozing I would cut them off as low as I could. As for watering, during the winter I water mine every 7-10 days. I think a fortnight is a little long.
Good Luck

[patlee]

Welcome to the forum ,Lan I can't give you a definite answer about the mushy part (maybe one of our other growers will jump in),but I'd say that cold damage was a good guess. My advice for almost anything is H2O2 and I would pour that straight from the bottle on the "mushy" areaThe oozing spike is probably from the cold,too...

What I do know is that it's normal for the bottom leaves of phals to turn yellow/brown dry up and fall off. It's just the normal growth cycle, but combined with the mushiness, I think you might have a watering problem--How does the crown look? Some spikes dry out--turn yellow before they go brown. Some people leave them on, some people cut them off --depends on whether or not you want to try for more flowers or direct the plant's energy to new growth. The choice is up to you...Good growing!!

[fred]

try this one from the AOS
http://www.aos.org/aos/orchids/docum...lturephals.pdf

also welcome to the forum
I hope that you enjoy your stay here with us

that is clod for Phals also with the watering I think that you are getting to much water on the leaves and the water is going toward the crown hence rotting the leaves

[kmarch]

I'm more conservative on phal temps than hummer. I wouldn't let them get below about 15C. While it is normal for an old leaf to yellow and fall from time to time (phals often never have more than 4-5 leaves at a time), and it is normal for an old spike to die off, I suspect the low temps aren't helping your phal.

On the good side, if your roots are healthy and of you have figured out a watering regimine that works in your conditions, you're primed for success and have reason to be optimistic.

Maybe just consider keeping your phals warmer.

Happy Growing!

[digitalgate]

10C , burrr ... to cold

[evagentry]

Hello Lan, welcome to the forum, put your phal in a warmer place, baby it a little!

[BunnytheOrchid]

I agree with the above: it's probably just too cold. And if too much water gets into the crown, that will make the plant unhappy too. Since the crown of the plant looks a little yellow too, I don't think it's just dropping leaves as usual. Keeping the water on the mix and not on the crown and giving it some heat should help it perk up, especially since it still has some green leaves and healthy roots. Good luck! and Welcome!

[PhalPal]

If you have not re-potted your phal in a couple years you might want to take it out of the existing bark and replace with new. From the photo your roots look fine, but it looks cold stressed and over watered to me. Bark breaks down and needs replacing about every two years. As it breaks down it stays wet longer and gets mushy near the roots. The watering regime that worked well for you a year ago may not be what is right for your orchid currently.

Here is a link that will help you determine when your plant needs watering:
http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/orc...f-orchids.html

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

The cold can promote rot, because your plants are stressed from the cold and become susceptible to many pathogens when stressed. Get them warmed up as soon as possible.

[11Orchid126]

How is your water? Has the quality changed? It might be saline damage.

[Lan]

What a great and wise crowd you all are

In response to your suggestions, I've warmed things up and the room temperature is maintained and 16 degrees or more. I've cut back the dark and oozing spike tips a node or two. And I've re-potted to a) give new mix and b) to check out the roots closer. I found a couple of roots with a little white-ish spot appearing, so took them out. 2 of the four leaves are certainly yellowed and 2 of the 3 spikes are turning also. I just hope it doesn't go any further and the baby survives...

I'll let you know.

My take-away from this: Phals won't tolerate any water on leaves or crowns esp. in winter and esp. when cold. I can't get away with letting night time temps. to fall below 16 degrees, esp. when placing them on the floor where they are 5 degrees cooler and susceptible to drafts.

Take care,