3 leaves left small phal

[Celtic100]

Hi - I have a very sad phal. I may have over watered even though I tried not to. Anyway, I have cut off the really bad leaves and left 2 very soft sad looking leaves. I am leaving them as there is a new shoot coming up between them. Should I cut them and let the new healthy looking shoot come up, or leave them for nutrition. Thanks very much.

[Roberta]

Don't cut. If the leaves are at all green, they are photosynthesizing and thus feeding the plant. Since Phals don't have pseudobulbs, they have no way to store reserves other than their own plant tissue. (Even an old spike, if still green, can nourish the plant) When it no longer needs the leaves it will drop them. Let the plant decide The only reason I can see to cut leaves would be if they had a bacterial or fungal infection that threatened the rest of the plant. Otherwise, you should let the plant slough off leaves after it has drawn the nutrients from it. You don't say anything about the roots, but that is what you should be looking at. If you overwatered and the medium is broken down, the plant needs repotting, to give new roots a chance to survive.

[Celtic100]

Thanks very much. Not much in the way of roots. I did repot so checked that out. Will leave the leaves as I thought they would provide some nutrition. Don't know how much success new shoot will have with so little in the way of roots but I will keep watering and feeding and hope for the best. Thanks!

BTW- how do you suppose this sent up a new shoot in the absence of much root presence. Does just a very little root growth provide enough basis for growth?

Thanks.

[fishmom]

It would be helpful to have a picture of the plant and the new shoot. It may be a new root, which would be a good sign. It may be a spike, which would be the plant's effort to bloom and reproduce before it dies. But yes, 3 leaves and a few roots can certainly produce new growth.

[Celtic100]

Good idea to show pict. Will do my best.

[fishmom]

That is a new leaf forming. Keep up good culture and you will have a future with this plant. The old leaves will probably not plump up much, but the new leaf should be fine.

[Celtic100]

Well that's exciting news. I'll try to keep it going. It was a lovely little mini phal. Thanks very much.

[Celtic100]

One last question - if that new shoot takes off and grows, at some point can I then remove those 2 sad leaves? Thanks.

[Paphluvr]

On a Phal. I would never remove green tissue unless there was a disease issue. Even though they're wrinkled they can still store energy and photosynthesize. When they no longer have anything to contribute they will yellow, dry out, and fall off on their own.

[Celtic100]

ok. Will leave them on - they're just so unattractive but as you say, when their time comes, they will fall off. Thanks very much