Phal leaves are sagging

[Brent]

Hello all. Im a newbe from west coast of Canada.
I have several Phals
1 in particular has 6 leaves which Im told makes it about 6 yrs old.
It has 1 bloom and a new sprout coming on. My problem is: all of my leaves are sagging. They look like they have not been watered for quite some time.
I was reading a thread here the other day and it was suggested that maybe its root rot or not enough air circulation around the roots. Id like to check this out but... is while its blooming a good time or should I wait until its not blooming? or should i sacrifice a bloom to save the plant??
all and any suggestions readily welcome and appreciatedhttp://www.orchidboard.com/community/images/icons/icon9.gif

[justatypn]

It's hard to say what might be goin' on with wilted leaves but from what I have experienced take a look at the watering regimen, have you been watering more or less. Leaves can become shriveled in appearance from to much or not enough water. It would not hurt to look at the rooting system. Hope another member will shed a more concrete analogy as to what is going on. Just my 2cents worth

[snow]

definitely take a look at the roots. my experience is that the roots are mostly the culprits. most phals come tightly packed in spagnum moss; which is ideal for the grower, who can water less but not so good for us growers; who tend to water more and consequently keepthe moss too wet. the plant can,t get any air and suffocates,
you will most likely find that that is the case.
if that,s what it is repot in an airier phal mixture
you might be lucky and save the flowerspike; but if the roots are really in bad shape sacrifice the flower for the sake of the orchid.
hope this helps and good luck

[kagura]

I have one phal who's leaves mostly will not stand up because of the size of them. If the leaves are large and heavy, and if the plant isn't getting water and good light the leaves will just sag. I re potted mine and almost all the roots were dead so off came the flower spike and in went loose mixture of bark with some sphag to keep in moisture for it. Two of the larger leaves have stood back up with regular watering and a good light cycle and is also growing new roots. Just don't give it a lot of light after you re pot it because you probably will shock it. My suggestion is check the roots if they are mushy or are dead get it in a better potting mix, keep it watered (but not to much >.<) and let it get some light, even if it's nothing but a desk lamp. Some pic's would be nice ^.^

Let us know how it goes.

[kiki-do]

What medium is it in? Is it moss? If it's moss, I would say it's due to overwatering and would definitely check the roots for rot. If it isn't moss, I'm not sure what is causing it. Pictures speak volumes. Can you post some?
I have one phal that has leaves that are not stiff, but soft....yet the blooms and roots seem to be okay. I monitor it often and check for pests, fungus, bacterial signs, but nothing I can detect. It seems to be just one of those things.

[josterha]

I'm having a very similiar problem with one of my Phals. It is a relatively small plant at the end of the blooming cycle. I'm planning tonight to repot and cut the spike down. The leaves are in a serious state of shrivel. I'm almost sure that there will be dead or rotting roots under the surface. I'm just hoping that the top-most leaves will bounce back and I won't lose the plant.

John

[Brent]

My roots suffered majot loss of system ,unfortunately the leaves have not bounced back as hoped because my spike is still in flower and sending more shoots out.. Do you think I should sacrifice the flowers and all/part? of the exisiting spike?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

It could be root rot, not certain unless you check.

Or...it could be because that's natural for them to do. Especially if they're 6 yrs old.

If you look at pics of Phalaenopsis growing on trees in nature, the stem grows upwards and droops over sideways. The leaves will also get elongated and droop downwards.

When potted, over time a Phalaenopsis will start growing how they normally grow in nature. The leaves will droop and the stem will curve over the edge of the pot.