Roots keep rotting!

[NadPhal]

Hay,
I have been following this site with great interest. Thus I decided to become a member.

Here is my problem . After I got my Phal I decided to re-pot it. There were a few rotted roots. I removed them and re-potted.
It wasn’t long until I noticed something was wrong . So I took my poor Phal out of the pot again. Some of the roots that were healthy a few weeks ago were now rotten. So I cut all of them as best I could.

I also cut the flower spike to allow my Phal to put all of its energy in to recovering.

Is there something more I could do or how can I prevent this from happening again?

[Leafmite]

Using a nice loose medium (bark, charcoal, leca, rock, etc,) or placing it on a mount will work. The medium's purpose is to provide moist air around a phal's roots, to help simulate the environment from which they originate. They grow, clinging to trees with their roots, in humid environments. It has enough root that it should recover once you have it set up correctly. Good luck!

[orchidsarefun]

make sure that the pot isn't in standing water and that you are not watering too much. Once a week should be fine. Pot should have drainage holes and best is to stand on rocks/pebbles in a tray ( raise humidity level ), ensuring that the pot isn't wet as water will be wicked up otherwise.

[NadPhal]

Thanx,
I have already re-potted twice. Will it survive a third time if I move it into a bark medium?

[tucker85]

The best way to increase your chances for success is to plant the phal in the smallest pot that will comfortably accommodate the roots. Sometimes this means using a pot that looks way too small, but it really works. Also use a course enough mix that air can get to the roots. Bark or coconut husk chips are two good candidates. Let it get almost completely dry between waterings.

[orchidsarefun]

Originally Posted by NadPhal

Thanx,
I have already re-potted twice. Will it survive a third time if I move it into a bark medium?

not sure why you think you need to repot. Keep it where it is, just make sure that the medium is not compacted and you are watering correctly.

[NadPhal]

Ok, so for now I will leave my Phal were it is as it is.
Should I hold off on watering for awhile because of the re-potting?

[orchidsarefun]

Originally Posted by NadPhal

Ok, so for now I will leave my Phal were it is as it is.
Should I hold off on watering for awhile because of the re-potting?

Water once per week, calculated from your repotting...
I suspect your original problem was from overwatering ( happened to my folks - they are in Kleinmond )

[NadPhal]

I also think that might have been my problem. I then changed my watering schedule because after 6-7 days the moss in the middle of the pot was still fairly damp.
I now water according to the dampness of the moss in the middle, which is about once every 2 weeks. I guise watering depends on where you live???

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

How big is the pot that it is in in comparison to the root mass? This has never once been mentioned or shown. Please disclose.