Orchid leaves turned yellow and fell off? - Orchid Board

SophieOrchid · #1 10-09-2013, 10:35 AM

Hi any advice on what I have done wrong with my orchid would be great.

I've had this orchid for around 1 year and it seemed like it was going well. It had already de flowered months ago and the older bottom leaves had fallen, which I read was normal. I was then told to snip the stems after the flowers had fallen to encourage new growth, I did this but nothing happened, the stems just turned brown. I went to ask the store owner (where I bought the orchid) if there could be something wrong? They told me to leave a small amount of water at the bottom of the pot as it likes the humidity. I did this making sure the water didn't touch the roots etc. Now all of the leaves have fallen and it's just a stump.. I am new to taking care of orchids so I have no clue what's happened and if I can do anything to save it? Thanks for any help.

kindrag23 · #2 10-09-2013, 10:52 AM

Can u take more pictures tops of leaves etc...

SophieOrchid · #3 10-09-2013, 10:54 AM

Don't know how to attach more than one image.. On ipad.
Here is the top.

SophieOrchid · #4 10-09-2013, 10:56 AM

Top of leaf

kindrag23 · #5 10-09-2013, 11:02 AM

The leaves to me; like pretty severe sunburn these can come back just place them in a cool high humidity, place with very light light. It does take time but sometimes they do come back from this.

SophieOrchid · #6 10-09-2013, 11:09 AM

I have read something about it rotting if over watered? I didn't think it could be sunburn as it has been in the same place for months and it was fine and the worst of the summer has passed now, but this just recently happened in the last 2 days! But like I said I am new to this and have no clue, so thanks for your advice.

RandomGemini · #7 10-09-2013, 11:23 AM

That looks like rot to me. I lost a phal like this just about a month ago. I didn't overwater it, but it came from its original owner, to me, with droopy leaves and a sopping wet pot full of tightly packed moss. I repotted it in bark, trimmed the rotted roots, but I did not trim the roots aggressively enough and I ended up leaving some of the rot behind. The rot it had moved very quickly. Over the course of a week or so, the roots just rotted out completely and the plant fell out of it's pot into the floor. Sunburn usually effects the outer edges of the leaves, but when a plant is dropping its leaves to conserve energy, the leaves will yellow from the stem outward. That looks like what's happened here. Rot can cause that.

Orchid roots do not like to be very wet. Phals only need to be watered about every 7 to 10 days.

nikkik · #8 10-09-2013, 11:27 AM

^ I agree, definitely rot.

SophieOrchid · #9 10-09-2013, 11:30 AM

Yes I had a feeling it was rot as I have read online. I water it once a week and leaving the water at the bottom not a very good idea, maybe?
So do I leave this orchid dry? Trim the rot away? or is there no way of saving it?

nikkik · #10 10-09-2013, 11:36 AM

My feelings are this one is probably a goner, sorry. With my phals I tend to water, let them dry out fully for a few days, then water again. The pot should have a good amount of drainage. I find that there isn't an exact rule of how many days to leave before watering as all of our environments (light, humidity, temps, etc.) vary so much.