Phal problem

[rredhead69]

My relatively healthy Phal who has finished blooming is suddenly not doing so well. After blooming I cut the spike back to see if I can get it to bloom again.
Below are pics, the root don't look bad, but the center of the plant is starting to get purple and the leaves are drooping.

What can I do!!! I am going to repot, the mix it was in was staying really moist. Should I cut the spike totally back so it is not trying to bloom again, i'm
thinking I should let it relax a bit. Thanks for any help..

[zuri]

Uh oh. Looks like crown rot. Do you know if water has been left to sit atop your phal's leaves, right there in the middle (the crown)?

[rredhead69]

No, there has been no water left there I always dry it out with a paper towel. It seemed like the medium was staying to moist too long. But I don't know, any suggestions?

[mayres]

If that purple looking tissue is soft I'd cut the entire top leaf off immediately! As zuri noted - crown rot. You might be able to save the 2nd leaf down if this is what is going on? Then you will have a LONG wait probably - to see if you will get a basal keiki to carry on the life of the roots - or you can apply keiki paste to the node(s) of the spike and see if you can coerce one out as well - this may or may not work. Unless this plant has sentimental value I'd recommend purchasing a replacement to enjoy. If you are SUPER patient and just want to see what might be possible - be prepared for it to take several YEARS to bring this plant back to robust health - it is NOT for the weak of heart. Good luck!

[tizzycat]

I'm really sorry, but I agree that it looks like crown rot. Do what Mike says, and be very patient. There really isn't alot more you can do. Good luck.

[CulpableCaptive]

Originally Posted by rredhead69

My relatively healthy Phal who has finished blooming is suddenly not doing so well. After blooming I cut the spike back to see if I can get it to bloom again.
Below are pics, the root don't look bad, but the center of the plant is starting to get purple and the leaves are drooping.

What can I do!!! I am going to repot, the mix it was in was staying really moist. Should I cut the spike totally back so it is not trying to bloom again, i'm
thinking I should let it relax a bit. Thanks for any help..

At this point I would remove the flower spike entirely.
For now, instead of removing any leaves, use the softest tooth brush you can find and brush off any necrotic tissue, dust with powdered cinnamon and let the un-potted Phal sit to dry and callous overnight (it may be that just the new center leaf is affected).
The next day I would repot it and make sure the point at which the roots meet the terminal growth is above the potting medium by about a half inch. Pot it a bit lower into the pot than you normally would – as you see new roots growing you will have room to add a bit more potting medium.
I would also keep it a bit on the dry side for a fortnight and then continue watering as usual (water around the inside edge of the pot of give a daily foliar feed with 1/8th fertilizer dilution while holding the Phal sideways over a sink so that runoff goes into the sink and not the crown of the plant).
If the growing point is not dead you will eventually see a new leaf growing out of the center.
Another scenario is the Phal may send out basal shoots (which has happened with Phals I own).
As long as you keep the roots and the connection to the terminal growth healthy, the Phal should survive.
You would be surprised – I have had rescues in similar condition which sent out a spike on the next flowering cycle or grew more than one clone.
I don’t think it’s a done deal you will lose the Phal – but some extra attention to details should give it the extra push it needs.

You know what you are doing in terms of recognizing too much moisture and keeping the crown dry so I think you should do well with it's future care.

____________________________________

“It is pleasant at times to play the madman.” – Seneca (5 BC – 65 AD)

[11Orchid126]

I suggest you do everything Captive says, but first, before you do anything, pour hydrogen peroxide straight from the bottle into the crown of the plant and let it sit there for fifteen minutes or so, then pour it out. Then follow Captive's suggestions.

[mayres]

Here is your reason for NOT removing the flower spike entirely - if you leave at least one node you MAY be able to coerce a keiki from this to start another plant. If it were not for this I would agree for removing entirely for the good of the mother plant. However, if you don't get a basal keiki then you may need this "out". I've actually had a plant with crown rot regenerate a new middle, but this is an exception that I would NEVER count on as normal. Yes - good luck for sure.........this plant NEEDS it.

[CulpableCaptive]

Originally Posted by 11Orchid126

I suggest you do everything Captive says, but first, before you do anything, pour hydrogen peroxide straight from the bottle into the crown of the plant and let it sit there for fifteen minutes or so, then pour it out. Then follow Captive's suggestions.

Ooopps!!!
Forgot about the miracle liquid - Hydrogen Peroxide.
That IS what I would have done FIRST to disinfect and clean up the area.
Thanks 11-O-126...
Sometimes I can miss a step when I am not actually doing it.

___________________________________

“It is pleasant at times to play the madman.” – Seneca (5 BC – 65 AD)

[FLBob]

What I notice is a section of the top leaf that looks as if something took a bite out of the leaf just above the crown. It appears that the wound may have become a bit infected.
Just to throw my 2 cents in, I'd trim around the wound with sterile shears or razor knife.
I mix 1 part bleach to 9 parts tap water. Put the entire plant in the bleach mix for about 2-3 minutes. Put some cinnamon on the cut, and repot.

Don't be afraid of putting the plant in the chlorine solution. I do it all the time, one of the growers in my area places all his orchid divisions in a chlorine bath. It won't hurt the plant and it will kill all the possible badness.

Your roots look ok so I wouldn't think the mix/moisture was the cause of the problem.

[Tarad]

Yes I would not be too hasty on cutting off the spike entirely as I recognize this crown rot prob. Try teh peroxide and listen to Mike on the spike Tara

[rredhead69]

Thank You all for the info. Too late on the spike though, already cut it. Crap!!!
Well I will try the rest of the treatments and hope for the best. Again Thanks