Urgent advice on rescuing a phal needed!

[Fuzzy]

Dear forum,

My phal is in a very, very sad state. It has basically no good leaves left, but has several healthy roots. It was blooming for a while, but all of a sudden the leaves started yellowing and withering. I cut off the spike and unpotted it. It is now sitting on top of its medium (1/2 sphag, 1/2 perlite/charcoal from repotme). What do I do now, how do I save the phal?? Is it even possible to save at this point?

To be honest, it is probably not worth the effort.
I would throw it away and go get new healthy phal in bloom.
But that's just me, I don't do rescues anymore...

[Optimist]

The main reasons orchids die: overwatering, fungus, too much heat or cold. Looking at this I personally think it cannot be saved because the yellowing is in the middle of the plant (the "crown.") A few people here might be able to give some good advice if they think it can be saved.

I would like you to think about how you watered it. Phals need to dry out between watering. (Some like oncidiums with tiny roots do not need to dry out as much). The reason that repotme makes a mixture with spagham moss in it is so you can water it every 7 to 10 days and so the drying is slow and gradual. How many times per week are you watering it?

I ask because it looks like overwatering has been the cause of its Near Death. I must say do not give up. Each of us crazy orchid lovers have killed many plants. I am up to about 10 right now. 10 dead and 25 saved.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by Optimist

The main reasons orchids die: overwatering, fungus, too much heat or cold. Looking at this I personally think it cannot be saved because the yellowing is in the middle of the plant (the "crown.") A few people here might be able to give some good advice if they think it can be saved.

I would like you to think about how you watered it. Phals need to dry out between watering. (Some like oncidiums with tiny roots do not need to dry out as much). The reason that repotme makes a mixture with spagham moss in it is so you can water it every 7 to 10 days and so the drying is slow and gradual. How many times per week are you watering it?

I ask because it looks like overwatering has been the cause of its Near Death. I must say do not give up. Each of us crazy orchid lovers have killed many plants. I am up to about 10 right now. 10 dead and 25 saved.

I was very careful not to overwater, but I guess not careful enough. I was watering it thoroughly roughly every 8-9 days, and waiting for it to nearly dry between waterings. The question is, what should I do with it now? Put it back in the medium and simply hope it pulls through?

[RandomGemini]

If it does recover, it will take a year or two for it to bounce back. I would toss this plant and go get another one too. I think that it's best to start with a healthy one.

What you need to look for is a Phal with pencil thick roots that isn't soggy at the store. I recommend that you go tomorrow or Friday. The home stores seem to get their new stock of plants just before the weekend, so if you get a plant they just received, your odds of getting a healthy plant are better. Look for healthy leaves. Six or more and you want to see new growth on the roots or even a new leaf just starting to grow. Root growth is more important.

[james mickelso]

This was under-watered. The roots are still viable and should have, given enough water, kept this plant alive. The plant had flowers which sapped too much moisture from the leaves which is where the plant stores excess water. This can be saved but will only survive by growing a keiki. Unless you have a lot of patience, I would let this go and buy another. Rescues are not for the faint of heart, and impatient.