No turgidity on Phal leaves...

[Lilac]

These are the three Phals that I have potted, re-potted, mounted, de-mounted, barked, de-barked and finally have in baskets in some moss,not much.

I have given lots of light, dimmer light, and everything in between! All that's left to do is set them on my head and walk around with them to see where they like it. Currently they are in bright shade and are staying there.

The biggest and floppiest one, in all fairness was one of those artificially tinted ones I was gifted. It had been tinted bluish lilac, but will bloom white. The person that bought it thought it was a natural beautiful lilac, and it was, but I think the dyeing messed with the roots.

This one is the slowest to grow anything, leaves or roots but it is sloooowly coming along. Because the leaves it came with are large and dangle over the basket, but don't have much turgidity. One is turning yellow from age I suspect, and I feel like cutting them all off except for the new ones, which seem to be growing normal. Can I do that? Would look so much better!

The other two are not so floppy and have developed more roots under the basket.

Notice also that the water is leaving white stain on all of them. I water almost daily except if they feel wet then I don't. I usually wait till they are dryish. I use plain tap water. Hose, soft spray.

I swear when and if they ever spike, I'm making a party!!!

Well, I can't seem to upload photos. I'm getting a message that a "security token was missing"
So I will try again later to upload. Thanks for any help. It's greatly appreciated!

[Orchid Whisperer]

The white may be salts (dissolved solids) build-up. It depends on where you are located in Puerto Rico, but sometimes the water supply can be high in total dissolved solids (for orchids, high is greater than 200 ppm TDS). Also, salt in the air may be a problem if you are near the ocean (close enough that metal rusts from salt in the air). 'Salt' for plants does not necessarily mean sea salt (or table salt or water softener salt), it can also mean solids from other sources, such as limestone (and a lot of the water in Puerto Rico flows through limestone).

Do the roots appear healthy otherwise?

If you don't have too many plants, maybe you can collect rain water for them? I do this in large plastic tubs designed for storing things under the bed. These large but flat tubs can be easily be stored out of the way.

If the leaves are green, no disease, I would not cut them.

Your dyed Phal that is now white should grow and be as healthy as any other Phal. The dye is not harmful.

Good luck!

[Lilac]

Thanks Orchid! I have thought about collecting rain water,I may give it a try, they do seem to love it. Again, thanks

[magicatt]

If all else has failed you, you could take chicken bones and wave them over the orchids whilst turning in circles counterclockwise.

[Lilac]

Okay magic! I've done just about everything else! and that sounds as good a solution as any actually!

[WeirdGuySeattle]

I've heard once they suffer some drought for a while - they never really regain their old turgidity, they kind of remain floppy - but they are functional to the plant, so leave em, but they might stay like that.

[Lilac]

Okay Seattle ! That may be it. When I got them they were in bloom from the hardware store but they were all cramped and soggy also. So they prolly had suffered some amount of damage The thing is because of those leaves I have to place it on the edge of the cart so the leaves can sort of hang and not be touching/laying on the rack...

I had also gotten from the clearance rack three mini phals in really sorry conditions! But they seem to be doing way better!

I did upload to a new thread up above the pics of the droopy phal.