What do you do with old leaves?

[Pilot]

I have an orchid that has its lowest leaf shriveling up, turning bright red and clearing not looking well. I think this is just the plant naturally ridding itself of something it no longer needs-- but my questions is, what do I do with it? Some plants you take the dead leaves off...others like Clivia have been found that removing a leaf and open a wound, thereby killing the plant. So do I let it go completely and let it fall off on its own or just cut the thing off?

[camille1585]

I usually let the leaves fall off on their own. The plant does it pretty quick, on my phals as soon as the leaf is completely yellow and wrinkled it detaches by itself at a natural leaf break line. I don't pull them off unless it breaks with only a small tug.

[Pilot]

Originally Posted by camille1585

I usually let the leaves fall off on their own. The plant does it pretty quick, on my phals as soon as the leaf is completely yellow and wrinkled it detaches by itself at a natural leaf break line. I don't pull them off unless it breaks with only a small tug.

Thanks Camille-- BTW I love the pic of your duck! LOL When I was a teen, still living on my family's farm, I raised hundred and hundreds of ducks (and many game birds for release onto our land-- too many hunters thinned out our beautiful birds!!!)-- not sure why except I loved them and they loved me! To this day I can return and the ducks I raised will walk up to me while they avoid all others. Nothing quite fascinating as having 50 or so duckings (EVERY spring) follow you around thinking you're their mother!!

BTW-- the orchid in question is going into an s/h pot (hydroton medium). The person I bought it from has a mix of bark, perlite and hyrdo and so I don't think the plant will have to make much of an adjustment to the new pot.

[ChasWG]

I have an old leaf on my large Phal that is going through a simular thing. It's still held on tightly and simple tug tells me it's not ready yet. So I leave it alone. Like your mom used to say, "Don't pick that scab!" Ewwwwwwwww.... sorry.

Ryan, which orchid is it you have and are repotting?

[Pilot]

Originally Posted by ChasWG

Ryan, which orchid is it you have and are repotting?

Chas--

its another phal (really the only ones I can have at my current place). The name on the tag says:

P. Rousserole (Carmela's Wild Thing x Adelaide's Delight)

It is about to bloom but the siblings of this plant have a sort of leopard-spotted leaves of white and lavender blue-- some more solid other more white some very spotty. It is more interesting than another solid color, of which I have three-- so I figure this one could be a more visually exciting one. Really, its completely unknown what mine will look like-- I'm ok with that!

[ChasWG]

I'm the same way with some of the plkants I have bought. I haven't a clue what they'll look like, but to me that's kind of fun and surprising.

That must be one really big name tag on that Phal!

Post pictures when it pops!

[RosieC]

On a Phal I would gently tug the dying leaf. If it comes away then throw it away but if it does not come away with a gentle tug then leave it a bit longer.

The leaf will come away eventually but let it do it in it's own time.