RIP My First Phal.

[RandomGemini]

My very first phal has collar rot. I've done the reading... I know I could try to treat it, but I think the plant is already too far gone for me to save.

I'm probably going to pitch it because I don't want to risk infecting the rest of my orchids, but I'm so sad about it that I have to share.

My daughter got it for me for my birthday last year. It started an addiction that went from one plant sitting on my desk, to over 30 on a rack behind me just over a year later. My best and worst luck has been with Phals. Most of my reblooms have been with phals, I've had success with a couple of other things too. Something about this phal has always been off.

It has never grown well for me. Lots of others have, but this one has always been sort of behind the curve. I wondered if it was something I was doing wrong. I don't think so now. This is the only one of my phals that is afflicted. The others look great and all are growing new roots or leaves or are in bloom. I think this one might have been infected all along.

It's just a bummer to come back to this plant a year later and find that I'm going to chuck it in the bin.

Bloom pic: