hard time with phals...

[Lady Tottington]

Hi all! Well, I have one bigger noid phal that I seem to be keeping alive and is even in bloom after a two year break, but if I was to show you the damage those poor large leaves have seen, you'd likely kick me out of this joint. Between my two kids, the two cats, and me trying to get my watering even, the leaves look like the thing has been through the ringer and back. It has 6 leaves total and it's a rather nice size and easy enough for me to not get water in the crown to kill the poor thing.

Now, that being said, I sadly have let three others go to that crown rot fate. I am so sad about that, but live and learn. I have one that had three keiki's on it, and now, after potting them in their own pots, etc. only one is left (yes, that means I killed the mother plant too). The lone survivor I have tried promising it that I won't let it succumb to the same fate as it's siblings, but as I examined it today, it's remaining three roots laughed at my faced and said "good luck" under their breath.

I do have one other phal that is a mini type that seems to be doing well with four leaves, and I water it weekly and just pray for it to live as well.

What is the solution to keeping a small phal with two leaves and three roots alive? What is the secret to keeping any phal alive for heaven's sake?

thanks don't kick me out. I have so much to learn.

[Oscarman]

Whew, where to start....LadyT. Have you got Wererabbit problems?

Can you tell us about your growing area, temperature, light levels. What you are using for pots and potting media. How often are you watering, fertilizing.

Lets see what we can figure out.

[WhiteRabbit]

I feel your pain! I have had such a hard time with Phals!
I finally last fall had one that was doing well - until it got crown rot - grrrr - the roots were still good so despite everything else on the plant rotting away I continued to care for the pot of roots, and now have a basal keiki growing nicely.

I also now have a couple of Phals I got last summer at the farmer's market - 2 in one pot - doing very well! For me I have been watering by the root color, and judging by the feel of the skewer, the media is just about dry at the time the roots are silver, so I apparently had been over-watering.

I also have been using an over-turned net pot inside the pots the Phals are in, increasing air to the roots, and helping the media dry more evenly - I think that's probably helped me as well. I think a small plastic or clay pot - while not as airy as a net pot - would also work pretty well.

Don't feel bad - I know several people, including myself, who have had trouble with Phals

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

The "secret" to growing Phals, is understanding where they come from and how they grow in the wild.

There are some pics of them online showing where they grow in-situ.

Then compare that to how your growing conditions are and see if they match.

Notice tiny details such as the roots being green. Ask yourself why they're green. In fact, I'll ask you why you think the roots are green.

Another one is how they hang off the trees or rocks. Then ask yourself why they hang that way.

Ask yourself where do they attach onto for support. Is it a tree? Is there moss on the tree or are there lichens? How much moss is on the tree? Do they latch onto a shrub? Is it a rock? If it's a rock, what kind of rock?

Find out what country they're from and the habitats they inhabit. Just saying "forest" isn't specific enough. What kind of forest? What's it like there? This includes climate information.

BTW, I've never said Phals were easy plants for beginners. I've always said the opposite. They're definitely growable, but they are quite difficult to grow. There are much easier orchids to grow that are just as, or more exotic than Phalaenopsis, that are great confidence boosters in the hobby.

[Lady Tottington]

Thanks for all the replies friends. I've had a hectic week at work and am just now finding time to get back to the intranets and orchid learning.

As per the questions above... my growing area in summer is a West facing window that gets morning indirect light, and full west sun in the afternoon that we HAVE to close the blinds facing up because otherwise we would roast. I have one great window ledge that is also facing west, but the afternoon sun of July and August are too hot and I fear putting anything in the window.

I also have an east facing window in a guest room that I have a table in front of and I have three cattleyas calling that place home, one of which has a small yellowing leaf, but it is sprouting a new sheath in another spot that is about three inches long.

Pretty much I have east or west. I have my larger phal on a table that is inside the west facing window, so it gets indirect light most of the day and thankfully bloomed again for me after two years from when first got it as a gift in bloom.

The pots: I had the smaller ones in smaller 2 1/2-3" pots with a bark/perilite/charcoal mix. Drains well and when I water I let it run through till mix is wet, then repeat, etc. and then drain and return to it's spot. My larger phal is in a clay pot with the same mix and styrofoam peanuts in the bottom, it seems happy enough, aside from our households abuse of leaves. I just put a skewer in the smaller pots and hopefully will prevent me from overwatering, which I think I can admit to doing *ack*

Thanks for all the help and understanding. I should look at some more phals in the wild photos to understand what I could emulate

hugs!

[jrodpad]

LT -

I struggled with my phals until I started tipping them over in their pot. I took them all out of their pots and repotted them so that the crowns are all tipped over and the leaves hang over the side of the pots. It's closer to the way they grow in nature - which is quite near upside down. After the switch, my phals are now behaving themselves and they've really turned themselves around - good leaf growth, reblooming, the works.

- J

[Lady Tottington]

Originally Posted by jrodpad

LT -

I struggled with my phals until I started tipping them over in their pot. I took them all out of their pots and repotted them so that the crowns are all tipped over and the leaves hang over the side of the pots. It's closer to the way they grow in nature - which is quite near upside down. After the switch, my phals are now behaving themselves and they've really turned themselves around - good leaf growth, reblooming, the works.

- J

this makes sense, but I don't understand how the potting medium/bark stay in and not fall out? I'm clueless

[Izzie]

If you find yourself continually frustrated, it wouldn't be a defeat to take a step back and try a different genus for a while.

[Bird Song Farm]

Originally Posted by Lady Tottington

this makes sense, but I don't understand how the potting medium/bark stay in and not fall out? I'm clueless

Hi,
The plant is tipped on its side, not the pot...........
Al

[jrodpad]

LT -

Sorry, shoud have been more clear.

The pot is upright - it's just the plant that's potted at an angle. I'll try and upload a pic in a bit.

- J