Phalanopsis not growing

[SteveM]

Hey All,

Again thank you for all responses and feedback. I have this Phal that I got from a local supermarket in Aug. It was a white phal NOID. The flower was very large and maybe 4 total. the leaves are tremendous, however it has not produced a new leaf since then, a good 4 or 5 months. All my other phals grow like 7 leaves a year, if not a keikie and none of those plants has been distressed and have not died. But I do know each plant background is different. This one keeps losing the bottom most leaf, like one every month or so. Lost 2 total besides this yellow one. I have posted a pic of the yellow leaf and the underside of the last leaf that remains (green). I was thinking that the no growth was attributed to some hormone or plant regulator because these leaves are unusually big compared to all my other phals. I suspected virus as well, being that maybe it just doesnt have the energy to grow more. Anyways with the underside green leaf pic I kind of suspect virus more. the dark patches are dark green where the main leaf is a little lighter. I have it quarantined to the best that I can, I do not plan on testing for it, but I have not seen any pics of viruses like these markings, but I do know there are a lot of viruses out there besides the most common 3 or so, and I am not the best at virus identification. It gets medium light, I can read a newspaper for like 6 hrs, no direct sunlight. and I do not water too much or too often, fertilize once a month right now, was every 2 weeks. I treat it no different than any other phal, I just recently took it out of pot to inspect roots and there were a few dead ones but had plenty of green ones. Dead ones were trimmed off. I feel this plant is on the way to orchid heaven. This plant showed from the leaves that it had a hard life, had some scabs from what I think was edema, I tried to give it a good home but am getting less hopeful with this one. Any ideas anyone. Thank you for the help.

[estación seca]

What are your growing conditions? Temperatures day/night, light, humidity? How are you watering?

[SteveM]

Temperature day 68-70
night 66-68
Water roughly 5 to 1o days. I use skewer and once it almost completely dry so no set time. Right now I let it sit for 10 min when I water, in summer like 20 min to 30.

Light is room with west window, but it is set back about 10ft from the window right now but was about 3 foot from window with some dappled sun for maybe an hour. All other Phals has been doing well. I know environment is not ideal, but I dont think it is too bad. I have all my orchids on one table except with a 3 that is suspected problems, I think viral. Thats where this one is now. My table I have ordered the ones that like light are closest to window, den, vandas, catts, then misc other ones in middle, coegyne, Oncydium, cymbidium etc and phals and paph furthest away. I really hate winter, things do much better out in the greenhouse in spring and summer. Im in W Tn. Planted mostly in fir bark with some spag moss to retain water and a little charcoal. Freshly potted in August, took out and was not broken down just added a bit more bark.

[estación seca]

That's the low end of temperatures for growing Phals. They're warm to hot growing plants. Some hybrids are less tolerant of low temperatures than others. Also mineral or nitrogen deficiency could be present. How have you been fertilizing?

[Dimples]

Ten feet from a west-facing window is probably too far. Can you move it closer to a different window?

[SteveM]

i was fertilizing it every 2 weeks up until December. Now once a month. I use the low end of instructions. And I flush out every other week very well.

Dimples, my choice of windows are limited due to my furry friends. I have a cat that loves one of my intergeneric oncidiums which I have that one in isolation also. That has completely stalled also but is looking fine and no yellowing of leaves. The dark green patches seem to be dissipating, but I am wondering if the true color of leaf was dark green and now turning lighter.

Now humidity is a different situation and may have a lot to do with it. Right now I have been struggling for 20 percent due to old man winter having a field day with us with these unusual temps. today been able to get it round 35 but normally it gets about 40-45. However I have much more dry sensitive plants than these (cloud forest types) and they are all doing well and doesnt seem to mind the dryness too much.

---------- Post added at 03:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:39 PM ----------

Also One more thing. Up until mid October the temps were in the low to mid 90's during the day and upper 60's low 70's at night. Took them in the house mid October which they pretty much had a very slight temp differential. A constant 77 degrees then slowly decreasing temps from November on till now.

Im looking into the crown and I think I see something that is beginning to happen, looks more like when a Rhynchostylis sends out a new leaf, but it is pretty deep in the crown and small. Maybe some hope.

[SteveM]

Plant died. Looks like it was fusarium. I have been trying to take an easy with the roots when trimming but I guess I have to get more aggressive and look at the middle roots better. My guess that's why it wasn't growing any leaves but finally succumbed to it. It still had a good amount of good roots, but they arent doing any good. I really don't have much luck with grocery store orchids. especially from this one that I won't mention. I have to go back to see what Trader Joe has instead Hee hee. The non mention chain I recently saw plants with all sorts of bacterial infections, you name it, it was there. it spread over a full table of orchids. Label said "ice" or something like that 😉

[estación seca]

Cutting off roots is not a good idea. Phals. are more susceptible to diseases when temperatures are too cool. I would suggest a heating mat before buying more Phals. in winter.

[SteveM]

Still have 5 that are doing really well. Most are miniatures with the exception of one. 3 others that are isolated and coming around. and one that is very suspect of a virus. I think I lost 3 others a few months ago. As easy as people say they are, I have problems with them. Its funny I can stop problems when I see them on other genera, phals once I see the problem, its toast.

Wife went crazy last summer on them when they were on clearance.