Hi, new member & first post. Thanks for having me & for keeping up the volunteer educational wok for us novices!
I have become the kind of neighborhood drop-off for the orchids people receive as gifts. Once the blooms are gone, neighbors bring them here. Good for me, because I have had about 10 years to enjoy their discards when they bloom again.
I am posting because after all this time, I finally have a sick orchid. I had to leave for 10 days to go to my father's funeral. Left the orchids as I always do and they were all dark green & appeared happy when I got on the plane. I was looking forward to the blooms on the Phal pictured, but when I returned all (not one or two, but ALL) of the leaves had turned yellow (and red!?). Most of the blooms are turning red and shriveling as well. The plant was repotted last year in a sphag/bark mix & was truly happy.
After web searching the web, I think it's a goner & has crown rot, but wanted second (and third) opinions. Just kills me that it was so close to blooming and now may be dead. Also kills me to have to toss out my first orchid in about 10 years.
I am not an expert, but I have taken care of all of the orchids well, they bloom well (not constantly, but annually anyways) and have very lush, healthy leaves & roots are repotted every 2 years or so.
Thoughts?
Contagious to neighboring plants?
Thanks in advance!