Phal Not Doing Well

[gr8pillock]

So, as off yesterday, though the flowers were slowly wilting (I figured it's budding time was just coming to an end given how long it has been going) so I plucked them off one by one. Still, yesterday there were two flowers still going strong and the leaves were thick and green and beautiful.

This morning I come down stairs to find two big beautiful leaves on the counter. I pick them up and they are literally MUSH at the base. I check the plant and when I touch the leaves, they just pluck right off into my hands. They were ALL mush at their bases. Now, I have a spike with two flowers (which are not as bright eyed and bushy tailed as they were yesterday) and NO leaves.

The bottom leaves were the most saturated, but literally you could not see the darker area of the mushy part on the tops of the leaves, just below.

I water only when it is almost dry and keep on a counter outside of direct sunlight. I have NO idea what could have caused it and I am pretty sure all my other plants are doing fine. (Though I am about to go check. I'm also about to check this poor things roots to see if they are also mushy.)

I am also growing veggies in another window sill and sometimes see tiny flies around the plants. One or two here and there, and one did fly from the Orchid, but I see nothing else to explain it.

ANY HELP would unbelievably appreciated. I would live to save this guy if I can...

[otis 226]

We'll wait for more experienced voices to chime in, but it certainly sounds like the dreaded crown rot to me. Picutures would certainly help confirm that, but, you can unpot whats left of your poor plant and probably find even though you thought it was drying out, it was still very moist if not soaked in the middle! I just lost my first phal yesterday, to a combination of mealy bug and crown rot. It was a rescue that was in pretty bad shape when I got it 2 weeks ago, but I still didn't like losing it At least I was cautious enough to have it isolated! Anyhow, you've nothing to lose now, so might as well check out whats left of the roots and crown if anything and make it a learning experience.
Then go out and get another one and try again.
Tony

[Hummer344]

Crown rot. Make sure that you water your plants early in the day so the crown dries out. If not, you will get crown rot every time. Some people would try and get it to come back but it would be a long time before it bloomed again even if you could save it. I would toss it and get another one.

[JBee]

I absolutely have to dry out the crowns of my phals. Either with a Q-tip or a paper towel. I'm compulsive about it.

I gave up on one of my phals yesterday... but it was a root rotting problem, not crown rot. I still have another one that I'm trying to save that's lost about three leaves and has two left (again, a root rotting problem.)

[Greybeard]

Pics of the problem would be very helpful and as some have said go ahead and repot to check the roots, black or brown mushy roots are not a good sign, really can't say much more without seeing what is going on Good luck and hope you can save your chid

[karategirl73]

My phals tend to stay so wet and I'm so paranoid about crown rot that I purchased a desk top fan that blows on my phals constantly. It dries them out nicely and the plants are growing great with the addition of the fan.

[koshki]

Welcome to Orchid Geeks, but I'm sorry you have found us under such stressful circumstances! I have no advice on this issue for you, but I'm sure if you don't heal this plant, our forum will have you falling in love with new orchids very soon!