Leaning phal

[Sevelina]

I recently repotted a phal from tightly packed moss to bark, and it is now is leaning (not completely flat, more like 30-45 degrees), but away from the sun. It seems to me that naturally, they lean towards the sun, and if that's correct, will it be detrimental to the plant's development to lean in the other direction (backwards)?

The only way I can straighten it out is to prop it up with a lot of chips, but I'm afraid that this might keep too much moisture touching the bottom leaves (though I have a feeling they will be shed soon due to repotting/root-clipping stress). The phal has 9 leaves currently.

Do you think I should I repot/reposition, prop it with chips, tie it to a stake, or leave as is?

[Dollythehun]

What kind of Phal? A picture is helpful. Some Phals always lean. I just mounted one that kept growing away from the sun. It looks happier.

[Sevelina]

I'll see if I can post a picture when I get home tonight.

Edit: I just tried to post a picture of what it looked like in its old pot, but it wouldn't let me since I'm new, so I might not be able to do that.

[rbarata]

You now already have 5 posts. That means now you can post pictures.
Give it a try.

[Sevelina]

rbarata - thank you, I think it's working!

So this is what the phal looked like right before repotting. It was in really tight moss and a pot that was too large for its roots. I would water every month or so, as that's how long it took the medium to dry! I'm actually surprised it stayed alive and seemed to do quite well even though the roots were not that great.

I just can't seem to replicate the amount of support with a bark-charcoal-perlite mix and a lesser amount of roots than before.

I'll send the picture of the leaning when I get back home after work.

[Dollythehun]

There will be other opinions but, my IKEA Phals are potted like that. I only water them when they are nearly bone dry, just like you did. When I repotted the last one, it did lean slightly. I could live with that. If yours is severe, you can gently prop it up with a couple of long wooden skewers until it settles in. It will root in better if it doesn't wobble.

[Sevelina]

So here are the pics from today, as promised. The plant feels fairly stable in this position and doesn't wobble. Do you think the leaning is too severe?

[Sevelina]

Not sure why the pics were sideways.

[Dollythehun]

I don't think that is bad. I have some much worse than that. When I repot, I try to get them straight but as another member says,"Phals do what they do."

[Sevelina]

Thanks for your reply! It was so perfectly straight growing in the original pot that everytime I look at it now, it appears a bit wonky. But it's good to know that it's not as bad as it could be.

If you prop it up with a skewer, is there a way to do it without damage to the roots (besides obviously not poking them through )? I just got a small phal, and the roots that were in contact with the flower stake developed some sort of inky blue fungus (?) where they were touching (pressure area).