Phal. cornu-cervi's sick...

[Mira-Claude]

Hello everyone!
Last week-end (24-25 of march) was the Montreal orchid show from the french society. Me and Medelia had a lot of fun, even got to stand in and help the judges for the ribbon judging. We both learned a lot!
Bought a few plants, got a lot more as gifts!
One of the few I bought started acting strange a few days ago, and it got worse real quick.
I've never had an orchid doing that before, we think it might be fungal or bacterial infection. The plant is already isolated and went for a quick (1 hour) bath in physan. Now I'm just at lost at what to do. Please help!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Get it out of moss and check the roots.

[Mira-Claude]

The roots are fine, green and plump.
The plant arrived from China a few days before I got it.
It looked a bit weak but otherwise fine.
I temporarily potted her in a net pot with very loose sphag.
The yellow spot have progressed very little even though the picture is two days old.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I highly recommend removing the Phal from the moss. That moss may be having negative effects on the plant.

At this point, I can only speculate as to the actual scientific reasons behind why moss doesn't work very well with Phals for most people. I suspect it has something to do with the acidic nature of moss (pH 3 - 4), in relation to ion exchanges and nutrient availability. I don't quite understand these phenomena fully quite yet.

It may be too acidic for your Phal. If I'm not mistaken, this species comes from low to mid elevation swamp forests formed from limestone formations around Malaysia and Indonesia.

For now, suffice it to say, moss may be your culprit.

[Mira-Claude]

I have no limestone... but I do have hydroton... would it be a proper stand in?
as for light do I keep her at low light?
and the two leaves do I leave them there? with risk of the yellow spreading?
I've been growing orchids for a few years, but this one does stress me out..

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

You don't need limestone per se, just need to not have the plant in too acidic a situation.

Hydroton will work if you want to use a semi-hydroponics type of method for growing these plants. Other members can help you in this department.

You can also use CHC (coconut husk chips).

Low light. These guys come from places with lots of cover from the trees. I like to describe it as bright shade though.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Btw, try not to let the temperature drop below 60 F with this species.

I also recommend trying to have the Phal soak in water with vitamins in it and see what kind of effect it'll have. If you have multi-vitamins, just dissolve it in water and let the plant soak in it.

I suspect it may be suffering from nutrient deficiencies.

[Mira-Claude]

Thank you Philip! I will soak her up for fifteen minute in vitamins and nutrients water then pot her up in hydrton, I have to admit to have never managed coco husk very well. Bark is fine, charcoal is fine, sphag I do very well with, mounted sure can do, hydroton can work miracles, but coconut husk... never!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

You're welcome.

You may use bark if it has worked for you in the past with Phals. I recommend a medium grade rather than a large grade.

Final note on growing in full on moss - it may also be retaining too much moisture and not drying out fast enough.

[Paphman910]

I wonder if the plant got a cold spell on it!

Paphman910