Bad leaf on my flowering dend/phal

[Miarielle]

Hey all, Im new to the forums and am in dire need of your help to save my beloved orchid!

Baught a dend. phal hybrid flowering beautifully a couple weeks ago. Since I'm still kinda new to the whole orchid thing, I've read myself up to dipp it completely in water once a week after its been completely dry for a day or two, which seemed fine. BUT! Yesterday I noticed a leaf gone bad on one of the side "bulbs".

It was turning yellow and had two ugly brown holes in the middle of it so I quickly cut it off. Whats going on? Am I watering too much/too little, sundamage?!

I've read so many different things on what to do with my dend/phal hybrid that I dont know whether to water now while its flowering or just give it a tiny bit of water (dunno if it got to sleep in the store).

Other than the bad leaf just now, the plant looks great ( I guess?) , and the flowers are doing great.

I know its just ONE leaf.... but my last orchid half a year ago, had the same symptoms and it was in heaven a couple weeks later despite CPR.

It looks like sun burn to me. Your den/phal likes to be watered and then get almost (but not totally) dry before being watered again, regular fertilization, slightly more light than a phalaenopsis, and intermediate temps, and that's for the entire year. It doesn't need to be kept cold or dry in the winter.

[Miarielle]

Ugh, 2 more leafs are turning yellow. Except they dont have the "holes" in them like the one on the pictures. The main part that is blooming seems fine, its just the "side sprouts" that seems affected.

After I read your message I moved it further away from the window, but that didnt seem to help. Now, although its getting light, it gets the least in the whole house.

If i didnt water enough.... What would be the first sign, would the leaves turn yellow or would the stem shrink up?

[val]

Hi everyone, new to forum. leaves turning yellow, too much sun-too little?
too much water? plant accidentally in path of cold air for an hour or so, could this be it? recently re-potted in orchid pumice. so worried.. thanks, val

[mayres]

Every time an orchid gets moved to a new environment it potentially goes through a period of stress - humidity change, temp. change, light change - all can have an effect. Give it some time to adapt to your place before you panic. Don't over-water. This is the most common first mistake. Some of my dends are just naturally yellowing a few leaves this time of year. Often when I repot one it soon thereafter looses a few leaves - keep the pot size down - they like to be root bound. It is going to want a fair amount of light - put it where you like to enjoy the blooms, but afterwards get it into a place where it will get morning sun or late afternoon sun. An hour or so of cold air drafts would certainly raise havoc with blooms - not sure about yellowing any leaves? More likely repotting. Good luck. mike

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

I suspect that this is normal senescense, especially if these are the lowest leaves. Dens don't hold their leaves very long, and often they will hold the upper leaves for a season or more longer than the lower leaves. Water the plant well while blooming or growing, and let it dry out fairly well when not growing and not blooming.

[Mumsey]

Help. I live in upstate NY. I bought a Phaleanopsis amiabilis from a grower. Its my first orchid. We been having very cold weather, so the humiditiy in the house is low. I have it sitting on a container with pebbles and water to act as a humidifier. Its main stem which supports the leaves is yellow on one side. Is it getting too much light, not enough light or is it cold?

[Cynthia, Prescott, AZ]

Is this a Dendrobium phalaenopsis or phalaenopsis type Dendrobium? Such a Dendrobium is not realy a Phalaenopsis. There is a Phalaenopsis amabilis, but the concept of leaves attached to a stem doesn't compute for a Phalaenopsis.