How long for phal recovery?

[discgo]

Hello - I am new to the orchid world and this is my first post to this forum, although I have been lurking and learning for a few months.

I have 7 phals, most of which I purchased out of bloom for $5 each from a greenhouse. I repotted each one in a commercial bark mix/clay pots as they were all in various media and appeared to be in need of a repotting. The plants looked decent when purchased, not great, but not awful either. This was done about 2 months ago. I keep them outside as I do not have central AC and it gets VERY HOT inside during the day. I live in Frederick, MD. They are hanging under a roof which covers a patio on the northwest corner of my house.

I have been using the skewer method and watering when the skewer is dry (3-5 days depending on rain/temp). I’ve been using fish emulsion once a week-10 days at 2 teaspoons per gallon.

All have new roots and leaves and the new leaves are very firm. However, the existing leaves, which were in various states of limpness when I repotted are still limp. Will they stay like this?

Any tips on how to perk the existing leaves up?

I also have 2 paphs which are doing great and have no signs of stress or limp leaves. They are kept in the same conditions of the phals.

Anyone know of any place near Frederick, MD to purchase orchids? I don’t think I am going to go the $5 out of bloom route again.

Thanks for any and all help and I am really enjoying my new hobby.

Cheers!
Tad

[desertgal]

I purchased a beautiful white phal about 6 months ago. Although the blooms stayed for several weeks all of the buds turned brown and fell off. The leaves became very limp and all of the air roots were completely shriveled when I purchased it. It was wrapped all pretty with foil around the pot and as a Newby I didn't know to inspect it or I would have found lots of dried roots sticking out of the holes in the pot. I decided to repot it and found that it only had one live root. All of the others had dried up before I got it. I watered and fertilized it regularly and now all of the leaves are firm and standing up like they should and it is making a nice new leaf. And, there are new roots growing. Some up, some down. So be patient, those leaves will firm up but it took mine about 5 months to do so.

[atcrosby]

I have read on Phals that the leaves indicate the 'wellness' of the plant. Somtimes the older leaves never fully recover after severe neglect but the new leaves should be firm. Of course, like all Orchids, look at the roots if in doubt and see how they are progressing. I had one which I though I was killing only to find a pot full of healthy green roots curled around inside the pot. The older leaves just never recovered for me.

The other thing to note is that for arial roots (ones coming out of the pot), you can mist them a couple times a day to keep them healthy. I have my phals sitting on a humidity tray and then spritz them in the morning and evening. I especially make a point to target the arial roots. It seems to help them and they are also green when wet.

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Misting is fine, BUT, don't mist the leaves late in the day. This can cause permanent leaf spotting, and terminal crown rot in Phalaenopsis. The leaves must be dry by the time the temperature starts to fall. Cynthia

[discgo]

Many thanks for the help!

For Phals and watering using the skewer method, should I water when the skewer is totally dry or when just the bottom of the skewer is moist?

I also have a intergeneric Oncidium, yesterday I noticed some spiky bumps/warts on the base of the leaves near the pseudobulb. They are on the outside fold/crease of the leaves. They look similar to the bumps/warts on a cucumber. The tissue that surrounds these bumps is brown/black. I've searched for what this could be and have found nothing.

Any ideas? Insect?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers!

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

If you can dislodge these with a gentle nudge of a finger nail, they are scale. If they are a permanent part of the plant, we made need a picture, which may or may not help.

I would let the skewer get dry enough that you are sure the skewer is dry, at which point the mix may not be completely dry, but probably close enough. I kind of like to start out with multiple methids of testing the wetness of the mix. Sniff the pot for the smell of humidity. If a finger can be poked to the bottom of the pot, do so with a disposable glove first, then retrace the hole with a bare finger to feel the wetness, being careful not to stab a root with your finger nail. Check the weight of the pot. Just some ideas. Cynthia

[discgo]

I'm sure it's not scale, the bumps/spikes can not be dislodged. They are very small gritty pits. It's almost like sandpaper, but where the grit is spaced out far apart.

I don't have a digital camera, I need to get one.

I'll keep searching the 'net to see if I can find anything about what this might be.

Cheers!