when to cut broken/yellowing leaf

[SamandAnne]

Hi all...

So, the bottom two leaves of my phal naturally turned yellow and came off with a tug, having a browned 'healed-over,' brown looking break at the base of the leaf. I put cinnamon powder at the break just in case.

I just noticed that the part of the leaf that surrounds the center stem, below the base of the leaf--on the next highest leaf (now the lowest)-- is turning yellow on one side. The rest of the leaf is green/normal. The phal only has 4 leaves now, two on each side.

Is this ok or a sign of something wrong?

I can try to post a photo later if that helps.

Thanks again!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I'm not following, please post pic.

[SamandAnne]

Thanks for helping...here are a couple photos of the orchid. It's the yellow at the base I'm wondering about; it's also starting to look wrinkled. The leaves have been recovering from being too floppy (root rot), and after I cut rotten roots and repotted in bark, they seemed to be firming up some. But the two on the side with the yellow are feeling floppy more now.

Is something wrong with the orchid? Could I not be watering enough, since I'm afraid of bringing back the rot? Thanks very much for your help.

[learning2letgo]

I would suggest that if you're going to keep your phal in that container it's in now, that you purchase a clear plastic pot of the same size to drop inside it. You can order these inexspensively from RepotMe, plus find many other great things for your orchids as well! Using a clear, plastic pot inside the other will enable you to slide the inner container out from time to time and get a gander at the roots without disturbing your potting medium around the root structure.

I would also suggest trying a different bark. If you have a PetSmart or other similar pet store nearby, go to the section where they carry reptile bedding and look for coconut husks. I have several phals in coconuts and they do rather well because the coconut husks retain more moisture and require less watering frequency.

The above comments are just my personal opinions, but you really have to find what works best for you. Sometimes you have to cause orchids to suffer in order to learn what works and what doesn't. Best wishes in your continued efforts

[SamandAnne]

learning2letgo...

Thanks. I heard of that idea to put the clear pot inside another pot after I repotted this one! But it's a great idea. I'm going to try and see if the garden center has one, and if not, order online.

I'm wondering about leaving the bark as is for now...since I'm not sure if it's too much water, too little water, too much or too little sunlight, disease, etc that's the problem. Any ideas what might be the cause? I can always water more if that's what it needed...I was just nervous about the rot, since it was in moss originally and only had two roots left when I repotted.

Any ideas on the cause?

Thank you!

[learning2letgo]

In my personal experience with the phals, most growers pack or repack them in the sphagnum moss before shipping to the local garden centers to retain moisture around and help preserve the current root structure.

The only drawback is that most of your local chain center and various others continue to water these beauties along with the other house plants for sale. BAD IDEA! That's where the root rot starts most of time. If you've got rot going on with her right now, don't water again until she's dried out completely - that would be your surest bet to keep your orchid alive. She may not be diseased at all, but if your leaves are more of a yellow-green, your phal is getting too much sunlight.

A take on the light requirement (or so it is for mine) is that if there's enough light for you to read a book by in the area where it's at, there's sufficient light for the plant to grow. The only time most orchids require intense or more light is during the season prior to the start of a new bloom cycle. A great majority of orchids will NOT rebloom without sufficient lighting to induce the photosynthesis necessary to carry out the function of the plants internal system for growth and bloom. Like I said before, you really just have to play around with your 'chids and see how they react. Plants give you a sign of their state of health

P.S. The crystal clear pots at RepotMe are rather inexpensive if you can't find any locally

[RosieC]

I think if you say most of the leaves are firming up that is a good sign.

If it is just that lowest leaf which is yellowing at the bottom that is still floppy, then my guess is that leaf has just gone too far and will be lost. If the others are all healthy and firming up then I think there is not a problem.

I agree that clear pots are a good idea, you can really judge your watering that way.

[SamandAnne]

learning2letgo and RosieC...

Thanks for the help.

I was wondering why the phal was planted in moss...now that makes sense. I think the rot started before we got it, because the leaves were floppy from the start. We didn't know about orchids, but it had such beautiful big white blooms! After the repotting the leaves on the one side are firming up. The leaves on the other side (the side with the one with the yellow base forming) always had a yellow green look. I moved it farther from the window to see if that will help.

I checked after I repotted in bark...the orchid went from two nubs of good root left to two good, longer roots. I've been watering when the pot feels light, less than once a week. So maybe that's working ok.

I'm going to put it in the clear pot and give it less light...and...we'll see how it goes!

Thanks for all your help. I'm learning a lot.

[Ray]

If the plant sustained root loss, it probably cannot take up enough water and nutrition to support all those leaves, so the plant is dumping them. It looks to be otherwise healthy enough, so i suspect that once it gets reestablished, it will grow like mad.

Don't forget: rot is not caused by water. If the old medium is too compressed, it suffocates the roots (aided by water filling the tiny spaces in the old medium), and they die. Dead tissue rots; living tissue does not.

[learning2letgo]

The world of orchid growing is a constant avenue for new learning! It is never ending and for most of us, we derive endless pleasure from our little jewels. I am glad to hear that you feel the information provided you has been helpful and that you continue to expand your collection!

I'm going today to a local supply store to gather a few things to pot up some keikis from an epidendrum (another easy grower for beginners). Once you conquer your phalaenopsis, perhaps you can give this species a try!