Thin, Yellow, Curly Phal leaves

[horsegurl3313]

My Phal used to be really unhealthy but it has gotten better. It grew new roots and some new leaves and it has even grown a new stem off of the origional and I believe that it is going to bloom soon. However Some of the old leaves are still yellowish ans thin and just unhealthy looking. I was wondering if there was anything that I could do to help them or if it would be better to just take them off. Please give me some advice!!

[Daethen]

I am no real expert, but what I have read is that you can either leave them until they are ready to fall off on their own or you can remove them with a sterile knife and then dust the cut area with cinnamon to prevent infection.

[Paul Mc]

A picture or two of the plant would help.

[RosieC]

If they are old leaves from when it was unhealthy then they will not recover. On mine some went 'leathery' but stayed green and when the plant recovered those leaves just stayed 'leathery' until they finally fell off.

Give the old yellow leaves a gentle tug, if they fall away then the plant was ready to drop them anyway. If they stay put the plant is still wanting to keep them. Healthy Phal leaves don't pull away from the plant easily so a gently tug is a good test.

If you don't like the look of them however, and they are yellow, then you could carefully cut them away even if the plant doesn't let go of them. You can then dab the cut with cinnamon (the spice) to help stop infection, although if the leaf is very dry and almost ready to drop that may not be neccessary.