Phalaenopsis spikes and buds dying

[Milt]

I have a Phalaenopsis that started a couple of spikes several months ago. They were growing very slowly and then the buds began dying. Now the ends of the spikes are also dying. See photo. (The burnt leaf in the photo is from last summer. ) It was in a NW window, back from the glass so as not to get direct sunlight. Now it's in a grow box with fluorescent lighting. Anyone have any idea what might be the problem?

[Bud]

WELCOME AND HELLO !

Where are the pictures?
Its also a great help if you gave your grow zone, the humidity and temperature of the room where your grow box is.
I have a suspicion that the spikes blasted because of humidity issues. When Phals start to spike it takes 3 months to open the blooms...you do not move it from its position...it needs lots of patience and waiting...
What is your fertilizer/watering regimen for this plant?

[Milt]

Don't know whether the photo was attached in the previous post, so am trying again.

[Milt]

Originally Posted by Bud

WELCOME AND HELLO !

Where are the pictures?
Its also a great help if you gave your grow zone, the humidity and temperature of the room where your grow box is.
I have a suspicion that the spikes blasted because of humidity issues. When Phals start to spike it takes 3 months to open the blooms...you do not move it from its position...it needs lots of patience and waiting...
What is your fertilizer/watering regimen for this plant?

We're in San Diego, about 20 miles from the ocean. We don't generally heat the house (unless it gets really cold) so the temperature probably varies from 55 at night to 80 during the day doing this time of the year. (not this range every day, of course.) Not sure about the humidity. My wife waters and fertilizes so I don't know what the schedule is.
We have a cattleya that bloomed at the same time without any problems.

[Bud]

you have a fungi or bacterial infestation. isolate this plant from the others...Notice that one leaf has a blackened area and the yellowish ring around it might be fungi...that is also infecting the spikes.
I suggest you repot in a fresh media and dispose of the old media mix...you can wash the pot thoroughly and use it again.
if you can get physan20 (a capful to a gallon mixture and soak the plant for 5 min( use a bucket to dunk the whole plant in bareroot) to kill any of the fungi or bacteria...repeat again next week
then repot it and hope that the spikes continue to grow the buds
San Diego has good humidity indoors and outdoors...so humidity is not the issue here...in fact you can bring your plants outside under the shade of trees just bring them in when there is frost

[camille1585]

That spike is very odd looking as well, I've never seen so many come out from the same node; Could be that the abnormality is too much for the plant and it's aborting some branches. Are all of them dying?

Bud- see the first post, the dark spot is sunburn.

[Bud]

I guess the buds are blasting ...youre right the forking stems at the end of the spike is odd for a Phal spike...its indoor plant in the NW window...so I forgot he said the leaves got burnt

[camille1585]

A NW window can still burn a plant that's not used to it, but if it was not in direct light, then you may be right that it's not sunburn. But this happened nearly a year ago, and whatever infection it was (if it was one) is obviously cured....

I've also had a Phal blast from just moving it 5 feet away from its original spot. Some can be very very sensitive to the slightest change.

[Bud]

what about the roots? how is it?

[Milt]

Originally Posted by Bud

I guess the buds are blasting ...youre right the forking stems at the end of the spike is odd for a Phal spike...its indoor plant in the NW window...so I forgot he said the leaves got burnt

The photo is a little misleading. The two stems in the center are from a branch that comes off the spike lower in the photo. It just looks like all are coming from the same node.

There's also a second spike on the other side of the plant that has a dying stem.