Sick Phalaenopsis

[Matt]

I have six of them. Five are doing very well. Four are in bloom, and the other is about to start blooming very soon. The sixth one...It got overwatered last summer, and most of its roots died. It lost two leaves and another one lost some of its colors. The growth of the leaf it was growing was stunted. After repotting, there has been some new root growth, probably not enough, but how could I judge that. It produced a new leaf, which only got to a very small size, like the smallest baby leaf on some of my other phalaenopsis's, and then went on to growing another leaf. Experience tells me that once a new leaf starts growing, the other leaves will no longer grow at all.

This is a sick plant.

It is planted in bark and getting watered every five days.

The woman I know who runs an orchid shop says to water it less friquently. It sounds to her like it needs to grow roots and it won't grow new roots unless we torture it a bit. Is this good advice. Should I switch to the 10 day cycle that I use for my Oncidium and my Cattleya?

Matt

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

I am not an expert with Phals, tho I have 45 years experience with other types. In general, I would throw some kind of baggy/plastic sheet loosely over the plant to raise the local humidity for awhile until more roots are produced. If you do this tho, be prepared to water less often. You really need to know exactly what the moisture level is before you water. Why not put a clean, unhandled bamboo skewer into the pot, push all the way to the bottom. When you think it may be time to water, pull the skewer and look at the color. If it looks wet, don't water. If it looks like it is nearly, but not quite dry, water. If you start to use the bamboo skewer method with more of your orchids, dedicate a skewer to each plant. You don't want to transfer virus from plant to plant by sharing skewers. Cynthia, Prescott, AZ

[Ak_Orchid]

I wouldn't be worried about the smaller leaf on your phal. I've had that happen to a few plants after repotting or after ordering plants from the lower 48 and having them shipped to Alaska. All of the times I've had leaves not grow to their normal size, it was because the plant was recently stressed. After a couple months the next leaf should come out at a normal size.

[Matt]

Thanks both of you. I think I will wait to see how big this next leaf is. If this one is also small, then I will try things like putting a bag around it. My house is humidified, though I don't know to what percentage. These are all usefull tips. For now, I will wait and see what happens, and if further changes are required.

[jerrymeola]

I think that the new growing leaves were also damaged when you overwatered. The new small leaf is a almost like a new plant. Even that it is growing out of the top of the plant it may be new growth similar to when a phal losses all its leaves to crown rot.

I think you are past the bad period. Root rot usually kills in weeks. I have a couple that lost the newest growing leaf without killing the plant and the new leaves are like you describe. They are very slow to grow back to blooming size from this point. Only thing to give it is patience.