Phal orchid dying- please help!!

[Smetson]

Hi all I desperately need help with my phal orchid.
I've had it for a year now and when I got it, it was so healthy. It had 6 flowers on one spike and was doing so well. I watered it regularly and left it on the south window with indirect sunlight. The leaves were a healthy medium to light green.

In the past 3 months I noticed a change in my phal. The leaves have gone very tough and leathery. They are dark green with a slight reddy tinge in them and a red underneath. The roots are drying up and even snapping!
I haven't changed my watering patterns at all.

I was so worried I thought I would repot it, give it a fresh start (it's spring here now). I fertilize it once a week with a special orchid fertilizer. There is no sign of any potential flower growth and when I water it the roots turn a light green for a few minutes. (they are so dry, even though I constantly check water). I noticed in the last day or two even the roots are going a red colour.

Please help! I have searched everywhere trying to find a solution to this!

[Merlyn]

Without pix the best guess I have is that it's in too much light and/or too much fertilizer. You should be using 1/4 to 1/2 the fertilizer dosage on the package which is usually 1 tsp/gallon. So you should be using 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon/gallon. The red, if it wasn't there originally, tells me too much sun/light !!! If the window is your only light, pull it back farther. I would soak it for about an hour because it also sounds like it is dehydrated. Then go back to your regular watering. When you water, this is how I do it, take it to the sink and use the sprayer and run it for about 30 seconds or more soaking all the media so it is runing out the bottom and spraying all the exposed roots & air roots.

Best I can guess without pix ! Posting some pix would help !

[Paul Mc]

My thought was too much light as well and not enough water at the same time.

When light hits a plant's leaves, they perspire water to keep cool. If a plant is not getting enough water they will not survive, thus in phal's they turn leathery and rough.

Too much sun also turns the leaves maroon colored.

Of course, without pictures, it would be hard to make a final diagnosis.

[Wjs2nd]

The reddish color means high light, but not alway to much light. To much light and your orchid would sunburn. Your orchid sounds to dry. Maybe your medium doesn't retain enough moister.

[cythaenopsis]

Merlyn, what fertilizer do you use?

[Smetson]

See link below. It has before and after pics from when I got it a year ago to now. It has been in same position all year.

Flickr: 75acadcb503a9e86ada2733fe2f71a77's Photostream

[Wjs2nd]

That isn't a great pot. You need something for more ventilation. You should also cover the window with a sheer-cloth so it filters the light some.

[Smetson]

Ok. Thanks so much! What kind of pot should I have it in? Also is there another option with the window? Would it survive if it was a further distance away?

[Hugorchids]

here's what i think...

1) definitely too much light, I would move it to a more shaded area, maybe east facing window so it can catch the morning light.
2) increase the humidity instead of watering. Since there are no other plants around from the picture, the roots are brittle on top from dry air.
3) Reduce fertilizer, phals are slow growers, they will do w/o fertilizers. I would say, DON'T even fertilize if there is no active growth, no new leaf emerging or spikes.
4) also with phals, don't overpot!
Good luck!

[Paul Mc]

A general rule of thumb for the redness on the leaves is that a little tint of red is ok and may actually be optimal for some phal's. Newer leaves tend to have a maroon coloration to them naturally. However, if the whole plant is turning that maroon color (leaves I mean), then it may be a sign of burning the leaves.

Fertilizer should be done at 1/4th the strength recommended on the label. They usually say weakly weekly fertilizing, however I hardly ever fertilize my phal's as they are slow growers and grow fine without a lot of fertilizer. In addition, some fertilizers (urea based) can burn the roots if left on them while watering.

A good rule of thumb for determining the right amount of light is to use your hand. Hold it where the plant would be positioned and look for your shadow. If you can clearly see the outline of your hand throughout the day then it's too much light. If you most of the time just barely see the outline of your hand then that's about right. You want to see the shadow, but not the outline very clearly.