Ruby the Mini Phal Might have Crown Rot

[GaitedGurl]

This is Ruby. She is a mini phal.
Flickr
Although Ruby has 27 beautiful blooms, I believe Ruby may be on her last legs/roots.


Ruby lives in Michigan in a house that is usually about 40% humidity. Ruby was repotted when she was brought home on 2/18 because it was hard packed icky smelling spagh. Ruby's Mom thought she had an ok root systemand thought she would be fine in a home of Better Gro Orchid Mix plus about 20% spag because its so dry. Ruby started with 6 leaves and is now down to 3...which is why Mom unpotted her to find she has barely any roots left. Mom pulled off the last yellow leaf (3rd gone) to see what was under it and the crown looks a little yellow (see under red mark on picture). Ruby has been put in an indoor green house and kept at about 76 for last week before she was unpotted. She is now soaking in KelpMax, and will probably be planted in very loose spagh soaked and wrung out of Kelp Max and placed under a fan. She did get KM water in her crown which is shy she will go under the fan in the green house.

Ruby's Mom is newer to orchid's. Is there anything else Ruby's Mom should do to try and save her. LOL
Ok seriously guys....I have been trying to get into Ray's zoom thing on Tuesday but can't figure out what to do after I sign up--so I can ask these questions. Also am not good with these boards and REALLY HOPING my pictures even show up!

I did a board search on crown rot but didn't really find much to help me. Once they have crown rot are they done? Should I just enjoy flowers till she dies completely? I saw something about copper but didn't understand. I saw something about H2O2....but I thought that wasn't a good idea. Any help would be appreciated.

[estación seca]

With crown rot the leaves fall out from the center, the growing point, also called the crown. Older leaves are last to go. You don't show the crown. The roots might have suffocated and died back. This led to leaf dieback. The stem you show looks fine. Pot in an airy mix and keep warm; it should grow more roots and leaves.

[GaitedGurl]

Originally Posted by estación seca

..... You don't show the crown.....

In the 2nd picture, isn't the crown below my red line and above the stem? Is my second picture showing?

Thank you for your reply...let me know if you saw the 2nd pic....I am not good with posting pics on these boards.

[estación seca]

The crown can only be seen from the top. It is at the bottom of the center cavity in the newest leaf when viewed from the top. What you show doesn't look diseased.

[3rdMaestro]

Phalaenopsis have a natural cycle of growing new leaves out the top of the "stem" and eventually losing the bottom most leaf. In this way, it keeps on renewing itself with fresh, healthy leaves. But what you might see with a long lived phal is a gangly looking stem (now with roots attached) on the bottom of it where there were once leaves but they have since come and gone. Your second picture looks like this part of the lower stem, where leaves are gone and roots are left behind.
Crown rot is more of a leaf problem, specifically where the newest leaf is growing. If the rot problem reaches the center of the top leaf where all the leaves join together, that is crown rot. A good way to prevent crown rot is to make sure there is no water collecting in the folds of the leaf, and provide a little air movement (which in part helps dry off water.)
But ES is right, we can't actually see the crown of your phal. However, based on what I can see, I don't think there is a problem? Perhaps a picture that is a little bit zoomed out would help, where we can see both the roots and the leaves.
By the way, nice flowers! I can see why you are attached

[GaitedGurl]

3rdMaestro yes I am familiar with the normal dropping of leaves but 3 in a 3 week period is concerning. I am always very careful about watching that I don't get water in the crown but also as a precaution I will put the fan on them after a watering...trying to imitate what it would be like if they are outside.

[3rdMaestro]

Ah pardon me. I didn't realize it was a 3 week period. I was reading it as if you had the phal in your care for 3 years. Just curious, did the plant start shedding leaves shortly after the repot? Losing leaves that quickly certainly does seem like the plant is stressed somehow

Also, regarding copper. Did you read that as being used to treat disease for orchids? I believe it was Ray that advised steering clear of it. I believe he said its a systemic treatment, but that he prefers something else that isn't so toxic to the orchid itself

[aliceinwl]

I think your Phalaenopsis probably jettisoned its lower leaves to conserve water because it lacked the root system to support them. I don’t see any sign of rot. Switching from a very wet media like moss to one that dries rapidly like bark can require a bit of TLC. It really helps to have a clear pot, that you can see the roots through, that just fits them (don’t overpot). As soon as the roots start to look silver: water. The roots don’t want to get bone dry.

Total drying is difficult for a plant to adapt to and can lead to leaf drop. The roots want moist air in between waterings so you want to water when the substrate is almost but not totally dry. Grown at room temperatures (low 70s) I’ve found a setup where the plant is dry enough to require watering every 3-6 days works best. At these temperatures, staying wet more than 7 days tends to make the plant vulnerable to opportunistic infections (rot).