HELP ME, MY new phal!!!

[blackvine]

Originally Posted by MrsH530

Blackvine - my phal roots in the pot definitely turn to a silvery color when they're ready to be watered. This is one of my "fail safes" I always check before I water because I'm a terrible root rotter - if they're green they don't get watered, if they're silver they do.

wow - I sure may be wrong then! Glad for this site for learning!

[MrsH530]

Me too! I've learned so much!

[quiltergal]

My roots in the pot also turn white/silver as they dry out.

[LovePhals]

A good way to tell if it is crown rot- is that the leaves will turn yellow where attached to the crown and fall before the rest of the leaf turns yellow. Where as leaves that fall off from age begin to turn yellow at the end of the leaf. You also know it is crown rot if you lose all your leaves within a few days. I experienced this many times when I started with phals.

[TyronSA]

In the last picture you posted you can see that your roots are starting to shrivel. When roots do that its either over watering or under watering. In your case i would say over watering. What you should do is check your roots. physically check every single root where it starts at the base of your plant. If it feels even a little bit mushy CUT IT OFF!! If you leave it be all your roots will go mushy and you will definitely die. If you are left with absolutely no roots i would suggest putting it in water culture.. I know it sounds like the exact opposite thing you should do.

If you need to put it in water culture (hopefully not) here is what you do.
1 After you cut off all the roots rinse it under water till all debris is off. (before you cut remember to sterilize your tools)
2 Let the phal sit in a solution of root growing fertilizer for 10 min. the crown of the phal should never touch the water.
3 Rinse the phal again
4 Attach the phal to a spike. You can use the one your flowers were attached to. Make sure when you attach it you dont harm the phal but it should be firm.
5 put the spike with the phal in a honey jar and fill it with water. Water will need to be filled to just under the crown. If there is no "older part" of the plant that can be submerged in the water make sure that the crown just touches the water by 1mm no more no less.

Phal in water culture..
If all goes well that is how it will look like after a few months. A phal in water culture is also less prone to any rot. Well from my experience any way.

[blackvine]

Originally Posted by TyronSA;647423[url

http://www.orchidboard.com/community/beginner-discussion/68785-phal-water-culture.html[/url]
If all goes well that is how it will look like after a few months. A phal in water culture is also less prone to any rot. Well from my experience any way.

OK. I'm slain by this. I do not get how submerging phal roots in water can save it, nor do I get that picture of obviously healthy phal roots in the water. Could someone - FirstRays, maybe - 'splain the science behind this??? Seems like voodoo stuff to me, based on what (little) I know about orchids, but Lord knows I need enlightenment on a lot of things!

[TyronSA]

Originally Posted by blackvine

OK. I'm slain by this. I do not get how submerging phal roots in water can save it, nor do I get that picture of obviously healthy phal roots in the water. Could someone - FirstRays, maybe - 'splain the science behind this??? Seems like voodoo stuff to me, based on what (little) I know about orchids, but Lord knows I need enlightenment on a lot of things!

The roots you see in that picture is what we call water roots. When your orchid starts to drop leaves rapidly most of the times you have no live roots at all.. Or its crown rot.. I've learned with crown rot it is most of the time a lost cause. But if you still have healthy roots dont throw it away it will create a keiki if treated properly..

The reason why i put my orchids in water is because the sphag and bag method always creates more problems than solutions.. When you put a orchid in water it starts to adapt to more water than a usual orchid does.. so the roots in the water will not rot away like normal aerial roots would. Basically it turns it self into a water orchid like a water lily if you will haha.

[blackvine]

Originally Posted by TyronSA

When you put a orchid in water it starts to adapt to more water than a usual orchid does.. so the roots in the water will not rot away like normal aerial roots would. Basically it turns it self into a water orchid like a water lily if you will haha.

TyronSA, thank you! I had no idea orchids could do that!

[TyronSA]

They do it but there is no guarantee that it will work.. It always depends on how far your orchid has gone downhill. Your first time you do it will most likely fail. I cant tell you exactly what to do in your situation. You will gain that experience with trail and error. Once you perfected the art you will want to put all your orchids in water hahaha.