Dyeing phal new spike or keiki?

[luvorchids]

Originally Posted by RandomGemini

Wrinkled leaves is also a sign of overwatering. I would not water this plant until the center of the medium is dry. Search the forum for the skewer method. This will help you learn when to water your plant.

Thank you, I read up on the skewer method & I have a pack of skewers I will put them to use.

[WhiteRabbit]

Yes, I would repot this into a more suitable for orchids potting mix.

[luvorchids]

Thanks, I removed all the dyeing roots, the top dead leaf & trimmed the other shriveling leaf. Put it in some moist sphagnum moss, inserted a skewer and covered it with a ziplock bag for humidity. Now we wait!

[LizB88]

I removed all the dyeing roots, the top dead leaf & trimmed the other shriveling leaf. Put it in some moist sphagnum moss, inserted a skewer and covered it with a ziplock bag for humidity

Good job, re-potting was what this plant need it. Make sure that you have wholes on the side of the bag for air circulation (although I don't know if you need the bag) you have a lot of roots and that is a good sign that the plant can make it. Also remember to use a q-tip with a little powder cinnamon to cure the cut of the leafs, making sure not to get the cinnamon on any of the roots for it will dry them out.

If you need to increase humidity I would put a tray with some water and some gravel or river rocks and put the potted plant on them.

And remember that orchids are slow growers, so just give it sometime. And keep us posted!

[luvorchids]

Thanks! I will take the bag off especially cause our AC is out and it's 90 degrees out!

[luvorchids]

Oh and the cinnamon on the cut leaf, I need to do that!

[james mickelso]

Cut off all the obviously dead brown roots with a sterile razor. Then using bark or moss, it doesn't matter, plant it in the smallest pot you can get the roots into. Let it get completely dry before watering again. If this is going to live, that will be it's best bet. Humidity is not the problem. Overwatering, then under watering was the cause. If you pot it into moss, just stuff small wads of moss amongst the roots. Don't pack it in but just push small wads of moss amongst the roots. this will give these roots enough moisture to sustain them until you start getting some leaves. Those new white roots won't take in moisture for two weeks at the very least. They will need to mature in order to absorb water. Place the repotted plant in a medium light. Do not overwater this again. That will definitely kill it off. Phals are very slow growers so this rescue will take a couple months until new leaves start to grow. That may be a keiki so if it is, yee hawww.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

When you repotted this orchid, I hope it was into a much smaller pot than the one that was pictured in the previous postings.

If it was put back into the same sized pot, that is way too large for a plant with a root system that is only between 1/2 to 2/3 the size of the pot you had.

As I recommended, and as James had said, it would be to the plant's benefit to be potted down a couple sizes.

The result of over potting the orchid is more root rot, and more problems with leaves wrinkling.

When roots get damaged, the plant is not able to efficiently take up enough moisture to support the leaves and the stem, let alone the inflorescence and the flowers, this might be part of the reason why you're seeing the wrinkling.

[james mickelso]

Also, these leaves won't become any better looking but don't despair. They are still photosynthesizing. The new leaves, when they come, will look great. If that new growth is a flower spike, I would cut it off if you want to keep this phal growing. In my opinion it would put too much stress on this over stressed plant now.

[luvorchids]

I did put it in the same pot because if I went smaller I would have to smash healthy roots to get them in. The pot is 3 1/2" to 4" max. I loosely packed the sphagnum around the roots and will not be watering it for at least 2 weeks.