Light Brown Dents, Odd White Spot on Phal

[jeeshikaa]

Hey there! I'm a first time orchid owner so I'm absolutely lost when it comes to orchid care. I picked up a miniature phal while I was at my local Shop Rite grocery store. The orchid has been sitting in my office cubicle for the past 3 days. I know it's not under the best lighting conditions, but I had read online that some people have had success raising phals in a lower-light office setting.

I'm not sure if I hadn't observed my phal closely enough when I first got it, or if it's a recent development... But I started noticing some light brown dents on 2 out of the 7 leaves on the plant. After extensive research on the web, I couldn't really decide if it was due to mesophyll cell collapse from being exposed to the cold, or some type of pest infestation...

There also seems to be a white spot on the edge of only one leaf. The spot doesn't seem to have grown any larger over the past few days... Not sure if that's anything to be worried about either.

The root system of the plant seems to be doing okay... the roots are either green and plump or have that slight silvery-sheen to it. The flowers also seem to be doing okay. It's just the leaves that are the issue, it seems.

I've attached a couple of photos of my phal's leaves. I would really appreciate some help diagnosing/treating these issues! Thanks so much!

[dangerouseddy]

the first picture with the nick in the leaf looks like mechanical damage.

not sure about the bottom leaves could be due to cold not sure.

never had mites and it doesn't look like any damage ive seen online.

personally id be paranoid it was some sort of fungal infection and spray it with some fungicide but that's just me


the thought crossed my mind that it could be natural ageing of the leaves but im not sure.
hopefully somebody with a bit more experience will be along soon.

[WhiteRabbit]

I have some similar "dented" areas on one of my Phals - I have always suspected cold damage, but can't say for certain. One leaf has had the blemish for at least a couple of years, and it hasn't gotten any worse.

I will be paying attention to what others may have to say about it.

[wintergirl]

I was wondering about how your phal is potted. It looks like a glass, are there holes for drainage? Phals like to dry out between watering. Your phal might get too wet with the glass vase and spag moss. I personally like to use large fir bark and clear plastic pots with lots of air holes on the sides and bottom of the pot. Maybe things are ok for your phal, not sure of your environment and watering trends but over time it could become a problem if your plant stays too wet.

[jeeshikaa]

Thanks for all the quick and informative replies! I'm so glad that there's nothing terribly wrong with my phal. I spent all day at work yesterday staring/worrying/obsessively-researching about all the types of pests and diseases my phal could possibly have, haha.

My mom actually repotted the phal for me after I brought it home from the store. When I bought it from the store, it was packaged in a tight clear plastic container that was jam-packed with so much moss that the entire container was more or less a solid mass.

My mom said that one of her friends pots her orchids in glass fishbowls/vases so I let her repot it for me. She put a layer of rocks down (for drainage, she said), and then used a mix of orchid potting mix (mostly bark, I think) and added some sphagnum moss to retain moisture since it's been pretty dry in this area lately?

Do you guys think I should repot my phal into something with more drainage holes? And if so, is it ok to repot the phal after it's already been repotted within the past week?

I'll attach an image of the bowl so you guys can see what's going on in there.

Thanks so much!

[dangerouseddy]

I would repot it in something with more drainage holes, it looks a bit soggy at the moment.

[MamaLiberty]

I'd definitely say it needs to be repotted, since the very shape of the glass will keep the roots from air circulation, even if the medium is quite dry. Since you will be keeping it in an office, usually with very dry air, you'll want to figure out some way to mist it or provide humidity. I suggest a tray at least twice the diameter of the pot, filled with the big stones like those in the glass bowl. Put the potted plant on top of the stones and keep them wet all the time. It won't begin to match a truly humid orchid environment, but it should help.

Good luck!!

[silken]

I agree, even if the roots aren't actually sitting in water, they also need air to them. In nature they grow in trees with roots clinging to the tree trunk and no media covering them. So a pot with good holes and some open chunky media mixed with a bit of sphag to retain some moisture is what I do for my Phals.

[jeeshikaa]

My phal was just repotted yesterday. Would it be ok for me to repot it so soon?

[MamaLiberty]

Originally Posted by jeeshikaa

My phal was just repotted yesterday. Would it be ok for me to repot it so soon?

I don't see any problem there, just as long as you are careful not to disturb the roots any more than strictly necessary. Take out most of the moss very gently if it is at all decomposed. Then let it pretty much dry out in the new pot and medium. I'd suggest using a mild solution of root stimulator such as "SuperThrive" (a drop or two in the water is plenty) for the first watering. Allow to drain completely, then return it to the bed of wet pebbles.