Slow/Stopped new leaf growth

[LadySoren]

I have a Phal that isn't doing so well for various reasons. It had a new leaf growing a few months ago, but it has since stopped at about an inch. It only has like 5 short (very short) roots. There is one new root growth that seemed to have paused for a couple weeks but recently started back up again. Another, older, but still a nubbin root growth paused altogether (older meaning it's old than the newest if that makes sense).

My guess is that it realized it needs to put more effort into the roots rather than a new leaf at the moment?
Not sure why only one root decides to continue growing.

I repotted ((again)) today in what I think will be a much better situation per suggestions on another thread.

Just wondering about pauses in growth.

Also, in general, do phals experience a "rest" ever?

As always, your repiles and encouragement are always appreciated.

[RandomGemini]

Are you fertilizing weakly, weekly?

What about a possible temperature drop in the phal's growing area?

[LadySoren]

I lost track of my fertilizing since I stopped watering once per week and try the skewer method instead.
I think it was biweekly before.

It has somewhat floppy/wrinkled leaves and like I said, not many roots.
I sort of butchered the roots when I didn't know any better earlier this year. That left it with about 5 roots a couple inches long. Dehydrated I think. And on top of that, I got a new light set up (el cheapo budgeted) a couple months ago and exposed it too the light too quickly and the leaves turned reddish and dark.

Maybe slight temp drop, but nothing dramatic. We tend to keep the AC at 68 at night and 74 day, but with the weather, it naturally doesn't go much above 71 or 72. So I would say day temps have dropped.

SO- it has been through a lot, but now it's in our warmer bathroom and good light and better humidity.

So I am hopeful that it likes it's new surroundings. It has been there for a couple weeks now which is when that root started up again, so I hope the leaf is next maybe.

---------- Post added at 11:17 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:16 PM ----------

Sorry for the long answer

[RandomGemini]

This plant has been through a lot. It's been moved, potted, repotted and been through surgery. I would make sure to start fertilizing it on a regular schedule and you should see some good growth out of it. I tend to place my orchids in their spot after they leave the isolation room and then I don't move them again until watering day and I try to put them back exactly as I had them after I water too.

[Island Girl]

They can decide to pause growth, if they don't have enough stored energy, or if there was a sudden change in environment. Yes, they do somewhat take a "rest" during the winter when it's colder, and the light is shorter/dimmer, here in the Northern Hemisphere, but in their natural habitat, they actually don't have a "rest" period. There are a couple species that are the exception (they are the deciduous, cold/cool growing types, that you don't often see in cultivation).

Just keep giving it what it needs culture-wise, provide fertilizer, and everything else (light, temp, humidity, etc) it needs, and it will resume growth when it's good and ready.

There are some cases where you will get very small leaves, that are actually done growing... This happens when a phal has gone thru a lot of stress, such as root rot, or pests, something that has drastically set it back, and the new leaves that come after this set-back, will sometimes be a lot smaller, and in those cases, you just have to give it lots of time, eventually they will grow leaves that are equal in size to the originals.... But I don't know if this was in the realm of being stressful enough... Can u post pics?

Lol, a few more comments were posted while I wrote this! I don't think the temp drop you mentioned is anything that would stop growth, but I dunno, it may be that it doesn't have the energy to grow much, and the drop in temps triggered a slowed down response?

[LadySoren]

I wasn't sure if fertilizing would be like stuffing food down its throat unwillingly while it's sick Lol

But you have way more experience than I and I will totally take your advice. Lol
Just got some free fertilizer from a society member too so I will use that. (Had been using Dyna Grow)

[Island Girl]

Don't over-fertilize, just do it frequently, and very weakly, you don't want to burn the roots. Do you have seaweed extract? That would actually help it grow roots, which in turn triggers a response to grow leaves as well. It sounds like it could use a few more roots... If you do use it, only apply once every two weeks - @ most, but once a month, or once every three weeks would work very well, without forcing too much on a weak plant.

Just give it time, I've had Phals that had a tiny leaf started, before I bought them, and after being shipped to me, the leaf stops... That's it sometimes, (and these were healthy) that leaf will stall, and it just grows a new leaf on the other side... They can be picky like that from time to time

I would use the Dyna-Grow on it, because it is a low concentration, so it would be unlikely to burn the roots.