floppy Phal. leaves

[boxerfan]

I have a friend who also grows Orchids and many other plants as well. She has the bulk of her plants in a sun room where they get plenty of sun, but not so light that will sunburn the plants and she mists all of them every day. Anyway her Phals are mostly suffering from 'droopy leaf syndrome' . She waters them once a week and fertilizes once a month. When she waters them, she puts them in the sink and pours water over them to get the growing material wet. I suggested that she actually let them each soak 1-2 hours in a bathtub. None of the troubled plants were in clear containers, so I couldn't check the roots. But it seems strange that this would be happening to the whole batch. No evidence of bugs or fungus. She uses Safer Soap. Any ideas about what's happening, why and how to treat it. TIA, Lisa

[cable]

It's hard to know without photos, but most likely they need more water. Maybe suggest that she start watering twice a week?

[psyc1210]

There is no specific way to say how often one should be watering a Phal . I suggest she get some bamboo skewer and use the skewer method of watering. They should be watering as they are approaching dryness.

[koshki]

Well, she's either overwatering them or underwatering them. Unfortunately when either happens, the results look the same.

Underwatering is easy to fix. But if she's overwatering...and as a result the roots have rotted...the plants will need to be decanted, cleaned up and repotted.

Why not take one out and check out the roots?

[Puddy1]

I agree with Koshki...best way to know (or 1st place to start) is to check the roots.