Mounted orchid not fairing so well

[electric.chowder]

One of my phals I mounted a few months ago isn't doing so well and the other two are doing fine. The one in question is putting out new roots and leaves, but all of the old leaves fell off, and just the three that it put out this season remain, and the largest is really wilted looking. Should I take him off the mount and put it back into a pot, where he was happy? or should I just hold out and hope he makes it?

[tom499]

phals are usually pretty happy mounted, so there must be something its not happy with. Is there any difference to the others. Shadier position? colder spot?

[electric.chowder]

the three of them are hanging in a tree are within two feet of each other, they all get similar watering and fert., I don't want to lose him, because it was my first orchid

[palito]

are the roots naked on the mount or did you cover them with moss? It is probably needing a much higher humidity.

[prisana]

The old leaves dropping off is normal, if there are no other sign of distress on newer leaves then your plant is a-okay. Right now most of my Phals are dropping their older leaves and that's normal this time of year. Pretty soon they should be starting their spikes..then by winter, you should be getting blooms.

[electric.chowder]

prisana, is it normal for a phal to drop all its old leaves? It grew three new leaves this season, and at first they all came out really strong and healthy, then slowly began getting softer and more droopy

[jay]

Isn't droopy leaves a sign of lack of water. In potted phals it usually means overwatering and root rot, but mounted, is it just low humidity and lack of water.

You said it was your first orchid, how much older is it than the others? Has it been indoors the whole time? If there has been a big difference in time, it may be adjusted to indoor life and is now trying to adjust to outdoor mounted life. Just a thought.

jay

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Readjustment can mean a different number of leaves are needed. Sounds to me like the plant is over the hump, so I would let it be. You have already paid for the repotting to a mount, why disturb it again. Remember that there are a lot of different species in each Phals background, not to mention any mutations that hybridizers seem to want to encourage, so they are all unique plants with different reactions to any particular culture.

[prisana]

Hi Chowder. It is normal for a Phal to lose all it's old leaves from privious season. Your new leaf that is droopy could be from lack of moisture like Jay said. If the weather has been on the hot side then it should be given more water than normal. Have you been watering it everyday? If you are already doing that, then maybe increasing it to a couple more times a day would help, since it has no means to retain moisture like a potted phal would.

I agree with Cynthia that it should be left alone ,meaning don't repot it again cuz that will just add to the stress it may be having already. Good luck.

[electric.chowder]

I've been soaking it every morning, and then misting at least once a day, but it has been very hot here recently. I'll start watering it a bit more heavy and hopefully it'll bounce back

thanks everyone!