Phal health advice (deformed leaves)

[sine__nomine]

Hello everyone! First time poster, just registered. Please excuse my english, it's not my first language.
I'm a new orchid grower. I bought my Phal the 19th of November 2022, from a shop who was keeping it outside at the beautiful temperature of 7°C. I decided to do my best to save it (payed 1€ for it).

The Phal came with deformed leaves (see pictures) I suppose from the heavy stress it was going through. It also had two stems: the first one with one open flower and one about to open, the second one cut near the base.
Over dicember I managed to make the flower open and grow another one that opened too, but smaller with respect to the first two.
By the beginning of January the flowers fell off and since here in Italy it was winter I decided to attempt a rebloom by cutting the stem just above the first not opened node (I covered the cut with a bit of cinnamon powder, to help it dry quickly). I repotted it in bark the same day. You can see in the picture below how that is going (is it good? Is it not? The color of the stem below the cut it's what worries me the most).

The second stem (see picture) just deteriorated over time, I guess it's dying, what should I do with it?

I determine when to water it by using a scale, I weigh it every morning, when the weight decreases by one gram or less I water it by soaking it for 10 minutes in tepid water with a fertilizer with NPK 3-4-5.

The pictures are from this morning, I have to water it most probably tomorrow.

I keep it on a desk where it gets indirect light from a east facing window, the temperature in the room over the winter oscillated between 18°C and 22°C, it's gonna increase a lot in the summer.

Could you give me an opinion on the general health of the roots? And about the leaves, it never grew a new one, just shed the one at the bottom and another one is about to die to. Is it normal since it was winter or the heavy stress from the beginning is not allowing new leaf growth?

Thanks everyone in advance for the help!
Deformed leaves:
Deformed-Leaves hosted at ImgBB — ImgBB
Main stem, reblooom attempt:
MainStem hosted at ImgBB — ImgBB
Main roots, new root growth:
New-Root-Growth hosted at ImgBB — ImgBB
Generic root in pot, bark condition:
Root-In-Media hosted at ImgBB — ImgBB
Second dying stem, dying bottom leaf, other main roots:
Second-Stem hosted at ImgBB — ImgBB

[Dimples]

It looks pretty good. The roots just look old but still functional. The leaves look a little dehydrated but not too bad. Consider watering a day or two earlier than you are. Twice a week would be my minimum for new bark. New bark doesn’t retain much water, and the pieces look to be a nice large size, so you can water freely until the bark starts to absorb and hang onto some of it. Make sure you’re watering occasionally with regular water too.

The spike drying down below the cut is normal. It may stop there or it may continue all the way to the base. It all depends on what the plant decides to do.

Losing a few lower leaves when you first bring it home, or every once and awhile, is also normal. Plants only keep the leaves they need/can support and home conditions aren’t as ideal as the greenhouse they came from so they usually shed a couple to compensate.

---------- Post added at 09:03 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:00 AM ----------

Your temps are at the low end of what phals want. They really start to pump out the growth once temps are at or above 24C / 75F. Adding a seedling heating mat would boost temps but you’d need to water even more often, likely daily or every other day until the bark starts to soften.

---------- Post added at 09:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:03 AM ----------

And welcome!

[sine__nomine]

Thanks for the answer! I didn't even know seedling heating mats existed, I'm gonna consider buying one for next winter. I don't water it more frequeuntly simply because I'm worried about over doing it and induce rotting, but I'll try to do it one or two days before as you suggested!

[Arizona Jeanie]

Welcome Sine Nomine, and your English is fine!
Your phal is resting and regrouping, it looks in pretty good shape to me.
They grow slowly, you may only get one or two new leaves in a year. Mine don't start new leaves until the flowers are finished and the weather gets a little warmer and the days longer.
When new flower spikes start in the Fall, the leaf growth stops. It's normal to lose lower leaves, one or two a year will drop off. Don't cut them, just leave them until they come loose with a gentle tug.
The old dry flower stem is fine as it is, just leave it.
With that very chunky new bark and fast draining pot, I think it would be hard to overwater. The plant does look a little dry, I also suggest watering more often.
I would also be sure to fertilize--lots of opinions on that, but half-strength complete fertilizer every week works for me. The formula you're using sounds quite weak.
Yes, a heat mat sounds like a good idea, they like to stay warm.
Instead of focusing on getting more flowers, work to keep the whole plant healthy and happy. When roots and leaves are doing well, the flowers will follow when the time is right.
Welcome to a wonderful hobby!

[sine__nomine]

When you say: "half-strength complete fertilizer every week works for me. The formula you're using sounds quite weak"
What do you mean by that? What formula do you suggest?

And about the "Instead of focusing on getting more flowers, work to keep the whole plant healthy and happy." do you think that I should cut near the base the main stem and give up the reblooming attempt? Or should I keep trying to see what happens even if we are going towards spring and summer? Thanks

[Arizona Jeanie]

Some growers cut the old bloom stalks even if they're green, some leave them and try for a re-bloom. It's up to you. I usually leave them to see what they'll do.
I use a 30-10-10 orchid fertilizer that contains micronutrients, at half the recommended rate, every week. When they show active leaf growth, I increase to full strength every week--this is through the summer. I'm not a fertilizer expert, I'm hoping others can advise you on this, but so far it works well for my plants.
I don't know what is available in your area, look for a "complete"--meaning containing micronutrients--formulation. Fertilizer is not the most critical part of care. Proper light, temperature and water are more important.
You'll hear lots of different opinions on what is best. Consider the recommendations but if you keep an eye on your plant, it will let you know what it likes.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by sine__nomine

When you say: "half-strength complete fertilizer every week works for me. The formula you're using sounds quite weak"
What do you mean by that? What formula do you suggest?

And about the "Instead of focusing on getting more flowers, work to keep the whole plant healthy and happy." do you think that I should cut near the base the main stem and give up the reblooming attempt? Or should I keep trying to see what happens even if we are going towards spring and summer? Thanks

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

Orchids are really light feeders. Think about how they grow - on tree branches or trunks. The only fertilizer they get in nature is from rotting detritus above them in the canopy, washed down by rain. So very dilute, but frequent. It's really important to just observe the plant - see what it does. I don't usually cut the old flower spikes if they're still green. they may not rebloom, but the plant can "recycle" the tissue and water in that old stalk. If you really don't like looking at it, then you will do no harm if you cut it, but no harm if you leave it and maybe a small benefit. Once it is brown and dried, cut it because it will be ugly and of no more use to the plant.

[Dimples]

There are others on here that can talk your ear off with specifics about fertilizer, so hopefully they’ll make an appearance, but in general you can typically use half of what a fertilizer package says to use and use that once a week. Lots of commercial fertilizer formulas have higher NPK numbers, like 20-20-20 or 24-12-18, but yours is already a weaker/lower dose formula so I would think the full suggested amount on the package would be good for once a week use. Use up the fertilizer you have, water with tap water every other time, and worry about finding a new complete fertilizer later.

[sine__nomine]

Thanks everyone for the explanations! Will follow your advice ✌🏼

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

The most important factors for Phal. success are lots of air at the roots, warm to hot temperatures, and plenty of water.

I suggest using a translator to read the some of a thread here. In the yellow menu at the left click Forums. Then click Beginners. Near the top look for The Phal. abuse stops here.