need advise for my phal

[ewbie]

Hi! I got this phalaenopsis on Mother's day this year. It had lost 2 bottom leaves since May. It's already August and I haven't seen any improvement. No new leaf nor new roots. There is like a new leaf peeking when I got it but it didn't grow out. It's potted in sphagnum moss, I think. I am carefully holding on watering it. I'm watering every 2 weeks sometimes even a month of no watering. I'm using skewers to check if it's still moist in the middle.

Any advise why my phal went stagnant? Thank you in advance

[wintergirl]

Maybe the spagh moss is smothering the roots. You might try re-potting in chunky bark.

[ewbie]

Kindly pardon my ignorance, but, didn't the phal grew in that original pot and the sphag? If it grew in that pot then it must be happy? So why should I change it?

I've always read to repot orchids as soon as it has stopped blooming but why fix when it's not broken?

Sorry for my ignorance... thank you for your reply, wintergirl.

[campchi]

Originally Posted by ewbie

Kindly pardon my ignorance, but, didn't the phal grew in that original pot and the sphag? If it grew in that pot then it must be happy? So why should I change it?

I've always read to repot orchids as soon as it has stopped blooming but why fix when it's not broken?

Sorry for my ignorance... thank you for your reply, wintergirl.

If the moss were too tight, there might be rot present. Take it out and repot into some airy mix.

[bil]

Originally Posted by ewbie

Kindly pardon my ignorance, but, didn't the phal grew in that original pot and the sphag? If it grew in that pot then it must be happy? So why should I change it?

I've always read to repot orchids as soon as it has stopped blooming but why fix when it's not broken?

Sorry for my ignorance... thank you for your reply, wintergirl.

You can grow them in moss, but it will asphyxiate the roots if you aren't careful. IIt's easier and safer to grow it in bark chunks so the roots can breathe.

[wintergirl]

Originally Posted by ewbie

Kindly pardon my ignorance, but, didn't the phal grew in that original pot and the sphag? If it grew in that pot then it must be happy? So why should I change it?

I've always read to repot orchids as soon as it has stopped blooming but why fix when it's not broken?

Sorry for my ignorance... thank you for your reply, wintergirl.

We don't know if the orchid was grown in that moss, it could have been placed in moss for shipping and sale. I doubt your plant is happy if you are loosing leaves and you are asking for help. You can repot a phal anytime, but especially you should repot or at least look at your roots if you are loosing leaves.

Here is a thread you might find helpful : The Phal abuse ends here.

[WhiteRabbit]

Originally Posted by ewbie

Kindly pardon my ignorance, but, didn't the phal grew in that original pot and the sphag? If it grew in that pot then it must be happy? So why should I change it?

I've always read to repot orchids as soon as it has stopped blooming but why fix when it's not broken?

Sorry for my ignorance... thank you for your reply, wintergirl.

Phals, and many commonly grown orchids are not terrestrial plants, and need air at their roots. Most commonly used potting mixes are organic materials, and break down with time (which leads to root problems in time). The dried sphagnum moss breaks down faster than other organic potting media (and beomes acidic) and it's recommended that it be replaced annually.
Many people tend to over-water when using sphag moss (it is very effective for water retention, and store bought orchids are usually are potted with a lot of it really packed in the pot, which also leads to root problems.

the Phal abuse thread (read the first few, to several pages) may be helpful, as well as the sticky thread about using skewers to help determine when to water.

[AnonYMouse]

Originally Posted by ewbie

Kindly pardon my ignorance, but, didn't the phal grew in that original pot and the sphag? If it grew in that pot then it must be happy? So why should I change it?

I've always read to repot orchids as soon as it has stopped blooming but why fix when it's not broken?

Sorry for my ignorance... thank you for your reply, wintergirl.

If your conditions and practices matches that of the mass grow nursery, you can leave it in sphag. The nursery sells their stock before the media degrades, they leave that for you to do. If you can adapt care relative to the moss degrading, you can leave it longer.

Most people change media to suit their conditions and practices. How many of us can afford an automated misting system for each grow zone (temp/RH/watering)?

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[bil]

Originally Posted by AnonYMouse

If your conditions and practices matches that of the mass grow nursery, you can leave it in sphag. The nursery sells their stock before the media degrades, they leave that for you to do. If you can adapt care relative to the moss degrading, you can leave it longer.

Most people change media to suit their conditions and practices. How many of us can afford an automated misting system for each grow zone (temp/RH/watering)?

What seems to hapen in a lot of sellers is that the orchids (and other plants too) are potted in substrate that will last until they are sold to the garde centres. I always repot all plants I buy, and almost all are root bound some nearly terminallly.
I have a misting system, but the phals aren't in it. They are outside and get a wash down, the crowns filled wiith water (to prove a point) and a water every day in the hot season.

I really don''t like moss and won't use it ESPECIALLY for phals. If you keep phals in moss, you tread a very fine line between root rot and adequate watering. You simply can't overwater in bark chunks, unless you never change the bark, and lave it sitting in water.

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[ewbie]

Thank you for your replies and advises. I will try to do wood mounting on my phal as I'm so fond of misting and checking on my orchids every morning. I'm still drying the wood that it'll be mounted on.

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