air roots drying up

[sbolles4]

I'm a total newbie. My daughter bought 2 Phals for me recently. I've had them for about a month and both are blooming beautifully. I water about twice a week, although frankly find it hard to tell when they need water because of the growing medium. They're in front of a SE window that always has a silhouette-like window treatment, so they get filtered morning light. The leaves look very healthy (on one plant, they look better than when I got them). Both have had buds bloom. However, one plant has air roots that used to be green and healthy. They are now drying up and dying. Is this a problem? What could be going wrong?

[11Orchid126]

You might consider using the skewer method of watering. Get a shishkabob skewer, the kind from the grocery store. Trim it down and stick it in the pot. The next time you think the plant needs water take out the skewer and touch it to your lip, cheek, or the back of your hand. If it's wet, don't water. If it's nearly dry, water. How wet or dry the skewer is before you water will depend on the type of orchid.

I don't know what part of the country you're in or what type of medium the phal is potted in, but watering twice a week seems too often. The air roots may be dying because the medium has been kept too wet, or they may be drying up from too low a humidity. If you feel that the plant has not been kept too wet then you might consider spraying the air roots once in a while to keep them hydrated.

[fred]

welcome to the forum sbolles4
first of all this link to the AOC Culture sheet may help you also
http://www.aos.org/aos/orchids/docum...lturephals.pdf

this one will help you understand the Skewer method
http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/orc...f-orchids.html

also could you please go into your Profile and update your Location as this will help us with giving you the right advice and also to understand your growing conditions as we have members from all over the world with different growing conditions

[sbolles4]

Thank you all for the tips and advice. I will get the skewers and try that. I'm in very dry Denver. With all the cold weather we've had, which runs the furnace lots, we're even dryer than we normally are. I'm betting at this point that the air roots probably need moisture. Overall, the plants are still very healthy looking. I'll keep refining what I'm doing, and hopefully I'll soon be a confident & competent phal grower.
Thanks!
Sharon

[articuno75]

I have to agree that it sounds like overwatering and to try the misting of the air roots. Be careful of wetting the crown, but if your enviroment is that dry like you say, you might not have to worry so much.

[cindiras]

sbolles, You might think about using a humidity tray under your Phal plants. Take a pretty container at least an inch deep (even a clear plastic drip tray a couple of inches larger than the size of your pot will work). Fill the tray with pebbles, marbles, or pretty glass beads- something that doesn't float. fill with water to just below the top of the pebbles. Set the pot on top of that. As the water evaporates from the tray, it will increase the humidity around the plant.

[JamesK]

Begging to give some more reading material. I found this article about evaporation on Ray's website.

I hope this helps.

Cheers,

James

[palito]

Originally Posted by sbolles4

However, one plant has air roots that used to be green and healthy. They are now drying up and dying. Is this a problem? What could be going wrong?

I wouldnt dont worry about those aerial roots. They'll dry if the humidity is low. Not a problem for phals.

[Debbie Hayden]

Originally Posted by JamesK

Begging to give some more reading material. I found this article about evaporation on Ray's website.

I hope this helps.

Cheers,

James

Would a warm air humidifier be more effcient?