Is my phal dying? - Orchid Board

meghan · #1 03-12-2012, 11:52 PM

I've had my two phals for about a month or so, one I bought from IKEA and it was in tightly packed sphag and the roots didn't look so good. The other I got from Home Depot and it's in some sort of bark mixture, lots of roots that seem okay.
Both of my phals sit together, by a west facing window (being winter there isn't a huge amount of sun). They are in plastic pots with drainage holes and sit in decorative pots that have stones all in the bottom. I don't know what the humidity is, but the temperature is pretty steady at 20 C/68 F, sometimes it dips lower depending on the temperature outside, no lower than 18-17 C though. I water every 7-10 days, depending on the bamboo skewers and how the roots of my second one look. I also bought some fertilizer for orchids, I followed the directions but used less than it said to. I've used it twice now.

My IKEA orchid I repotted in a bark mixture and I soaked the bark and trimmed all the dead roots/put cinnamon on them. I don't think I did the best job repotting but it was my first time and I didn't want to pack it too tightly incase I damaged any of the remaining roots.
There hadn't been any new visible growth so I thought maybe it was diverting energy into growing new roots (can't see them through the pot since they were pretty short).
First I noticed that the main stem started to droop, and now I'm worried because I noticed that one of the lower leaves turned yellow and eventually fell off, now a second leaf is yellowing and about to fall off. the other three leaves are all still darkish green. Also I wonder if maybe I potted it too low in the container?
It has three buds, and they looked fine (one has been open slightly for a while) but now the smallest is turning yellow and is going to fall off any time now. The other bud looks like it's going to go the same way. Also the flowers are crinkled looking in some places.
I have a feeling it's just a matter of time, but did I do something wrong that lead to this? I really like this phal it's flowers are pure white with dark pink centers.

Now for my Home Depot phal, it's winter here and I know that the shock from environment changes can cause bud blast, since I bought it two buds opened but the other two yellowed and fell off. It's leaves all look good, there are 6 all together, two small ones on the bottom. They stand almost at 45 degree angles though, while my other phals leaves hang over the pot and are much longer.
From what I can see the roots are green, some of the roots look hollow, not the majority and they don't look brown or mushy. I haven't examined the interior roots because I don't want to take it out of it's container in case it goes the same way as my other one.

So basically, is the fate of my first phal sealed? & did I do something to cause it? So I can know for next time...

Any help is appreciated, thank you in advance!

Im Just Saying · #2 03-13-2012, 12:16 AM

Hello, although I'm new and won't be of much assistance I think there's a good chance someone more knowledgeable than I will ask for photos just to get a complete picture of whats going on.

On a side note did you use cinnamon powder on the roots of the Ikea orchid? I've been told its a desiccant and will dry the roots out. With that being said there is a water, cinnamon, dish soap recipe you can use on the roots instead when you trim them to treat them with.

Sorry I can't be of more assistance hopefully someone will be along soon that can give you more thorough advice.

meghan · #3 03-13-2012, 12:26 AM

Thanks for the post, I will have to take photos tomorrow the light in my room at night isn't very good ^^

I didn't put the cinnamon on all of the roots just here and there after I cut away the dead/rotten parts, I didn't know about the dish soap/water/cinnamon recipe I will have to remember that for the future, thanks again.

Bud · #4 03-13-2012, 12:39 AM

I seem to think your Phals are dehydrated. new bark media wont hold moisture yet...you said watering 7to 10 days intervals in dry indoor in winter is not enough moisture and humidity for the plant. Maybe make a humidity tray. A constant 68F is fine just dont let it feel the damp and cold...
try to give it a bit of brighter light than what it is getting on that west facing window...
do not be scared to unpot and check your roots...Phals are tenacious plants they will survive another repot...
flush the roots of cinammon powder...next time use a bit of water with it to make a paste, use cottonbuds and dab on the cut part.
powder on the roots will desicate it

meghan · #5 03-13-2012, 05:35 AM

That's quite ironic considering I was so paranoid about overwatering I could have done more harm than good

I took some photos, the roots look really bad and I don't think there has been more growth just more rot :/

http://i40.tinypic.com/20pt4dy.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/rtokyx.jpg
http://i42.tinypic.com/1zchjqc.jpg
http://i43.tinypic.com/3469dgp.jpg

I'm not sure what to do next...

The Mutant · #6 03-13-2012, 06:11 AM

I'm also just a newbie, so don't take what I have to say too serious, but it looks like root rot on your IKEA-phal. I honestly don't know what you can do to save it, if it's even possible to do so.

Hopefully some of the more experienced ones will check this thread and help you. I am myself fighting a losing battle against stem rot on one of my newer acquisitions, but I got a ton of advice about how to do it so you've definitely come to the right place.

Good luck!

tucker85 · #7 03-13-2012, 09:20 AM

Orchids make their own food through photosynthises using light, water and carbon dioxide. During the winter when they get very little light they really don't do much growing. Sometimes they'll sit there and do nothing for months. They don't need a lot of water (but they do need some) and almost no fertilizer until they start getting more light. In the spring you should notice signs of growth and that's the time to start fertilizing. Losing lower leaves is normal when plants are moved into a new environment. Don't worry if only the lower leaves have turned yellow. Now that the plants have been repotted just give them normal care and they should be fine.

meghan · #8 03-13-2012, 12:52 PM

Thanks for the posts!

I cut away everything mushy or hollow or brown/black. There isn't really anything healthy except for a couple nubs. I ran peroxide over it a few times and it cleaned it up a bit. The leaf and bud both fell off. Without any good roots I don't really expect it to make it, so I filled the bottom of the pot with medium and rested the base on top and put a little bit around it. Then I put the bottom half in a freezer bag and closed it around the spike. I'll mist the nubs and bark every so often...

silken · #9 03-13-2012, 01:11 PM

I find Phals grow roots much quicker in a clear pot. If you have them in clear pots, you could try removing them from the decorative pot so that some light can get at the root nubs. I know this makes it harder to keep the pot stable, but worth a try. I'm not sure I understand the part about the bag. But the pot needs to get good air and the media to dry out well, so if you bagged the pot, I wouldn't do that. You might get mold and more rot. You could also try getting some K-L-N or Superthrive which have rooting hormones and promote root growth. bottom heat is another option to spur on root growth.

meghan · #10 03-13-2012, 01:21 PM

I will take it out of the bag for sure, and I already have it out of the pot so it's just the clear plastic. What kind of stores sell the superthrive? Is it strictly gardening places or would home depot/lowes possibly carry it?
Also, should I cut the spike to save the plant energy? Or wait and see if any of the other leaves or buds are going to go?

Is it a concern for my other phal that a fair few roots seem to have hollowed? I can't see any brown or mushy roots just green ones though. I don't want to disturb it or anything...

Thanks!