first phalaenopsis ever - help

[1277cynthia]

hi, i got a mini-phalaenosis orchid from a friend. there wasn't a tag so i don't know its variety. its a light pink colour flower with dark pink veins. this is my every first orchid ever and i really want it to be healthy and rebloom. its been about a month since i got the plant and i see the leaves' edges are turning a bit yellow but its not that noticeable and the tip of the leaf is yellowing and splitting in half. the plant does not have any new growth and its flowers are falling. the roots are firm but wrinkled and kinda yellow&white or brown coloured and there isn't alot of roots on the plant. the leaves are firm but they are dull in colour and they feel bumpy like pores. there are little leaves at the bottom of the crown that are lose and falling off. the plant is in a 4" pot in bark medium and i water it once a week (on friday). its in a west facing window with bright light but not direct sunlight and its usually 16 - 21 celsius there. i feed the orchid the SCHULTZ brand 19-31-17 orchid food about one spoon once every 2 waterings. i'm doing something worng? and is my orchid healthy? how long will it take to grow a new leaf or root???

[Laserbeak]

Sounds like you may be over fertilizing. You might want to cut the amount of fertilizer you're using in half and see if it improves.

[Bulbofett]

Originally Posted by 1277cynthia

i feed the orchid the SCHULTZ brand 19-31-17 orchid food about one spoon once every 2 waterings. i'm doing something worng? and is my orchid healthy? how long will it take to grow a new leaf or root???

An entire spoon?! I'm new to orchids myself, but that seems like a lot of fertilizer, for what I'm assuming are frequent feedings. I feed once a month in the winter time at a teaspoon per gallon of water.

[JamesL]

Best advise Water weakly/weakly..with fert. 1/2 teaspoon to a gal. of water. With a full clean water flush once a month..

[1277cynthia]

thank you!!!

[Optimist]

Use a 10-10-10 fertilizer at about 1/8 teaspoon per gallon (I use per 2 gallons), so I go even weaker than the recommendation above. Some people use a different ratio fertilizer for blooming, and one for vegetative growth. I do not know what that it in liters. I fertilize once per month if the plants are in a growth cycle.

Orchid roots are highly sensitive.

Yes, I think you have over-fertilized. I don't know if you can back out of that damage. Maybe someone here has saved an over-fertilized phal?

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by Bulbofett

An entire spoon?! I'm new to orchids myself, but that seems like a lot of fertilizer, for what I'm assuming are frequent feedings. I feed once a month in the winter time at a teaspoon per gallon of water.

Schultz orchid fertilizer comes with a tiny, quarter tsp measuring scoop - or did when I got some years ago - if it still does, and that's what's being used, it shouldn't be toi much

[james mickelso]

Indeed Schultz comes with a quarter teaspoon measuring spoon. It may be getting too cold if it is near a window. It may be getting too much water but in bark I wouldn't think so, yet we don't know what size bark nor how old the bark is. It could be very dry and needs more water. And it simply may need a rest as the flowers are falling off which means it has used a lot of it's stored energy and must recoup some of that energy by resting and growing a new leaf soon. Simply put, there are many reasons for the behavior of your phal that we can only surmise helping. It shouldn't be near a cold west window but will be fine a foot or so away. If it's bark based media is small 1'4 inch size, you are doing ok with your watering. If it is larger then water every 4-5 days and see if that perks it up. Don't fertilize it as this is winter and it probably isn't really growing that much. It would like temps in the 70's. The bumps are telling me that it might need more water but if the roots aren't really in good shape then they won't take up much water anyway. Pictures please.

[magicatt]

If your phal is in a clear pot look at the roots, if they are silvery white it needs a drink. If they are green and wet looking don't water. Good luck with your phal.