Unidentified issues with phalaeopnosis

[Blooming]

Hi! I'm new to the forum and to orchids and hope someone can help figure out what's wrong with one of my orchids. I've searched a lot online but didn't find much and wasn't sure if the descriptions I read really described the problems with my orchid.

Here are some pictures showing the brown spots on a couple of leaves, white spots under another leaf, a couple of split leaves and possible root rot?

There are more pictures but I wasn't able to upload them.

[jkofferdahl]

The only unusual spots I see are scars from physical damage. There's nothing in your photo of concern. I don't want to address other issues like root rot because I can't see the roots. Why do you suspect it? How is your plant potted? What medium? How often do you water?

[Optimist]

Some phals, and phal leaves, (other ochids too) have lots of the pigment that makes red-purple-blue, called anthocyanins. These often are seen underneath the leaves. Looking closely (possibly you might have a camera that you can get extreme close-ups on) you will see they are separate tiny cells, especially at the leave edges due to sun exposure.

Your white spots seem to be hard water spots. There are a lot of dissolved minerals in hard water. This is probably calcium. To remove this, lemon and water is often used. Do not use a leaf-shine type peaf cleaner, it will clog the "breathing pores" called "stomata" on the leaves of the plants.

Last, the big white chunky injuries are as jkofferdhal has said, caused by some kind of manual damage. It is kind of like if you had a cut, and it healed and left a scar.

Root rot? Expect a bit of root death. Rot is something totally different from death, and then decomposition of roots. The roots in orchids (phals) are covered with a spongy material called Velemen. which helps the plant "fix carbon" from the carbon dioxide it brings in. The atoms of CO2 are separated with a small electronic charge, and then the "carbon" atoms are combined with Oxygen in such a way as to create simple sugars and then give off stray Oxygen atoms. So, these little carbon fixing factories (roots) eventually wear down, and die. They dry up, and when water gets on them, it breaks down the remains like any other plant-like in the compost bin. At any time, new roots are being born, and old roots are dying. Hanuka Matata you know?

Root rot is another disease. Your roots would be stinky, squishy and the rot would be spreading.

[Blooming]

Thank you so much for your replies!

I'll try to attach the other pictures I didn't have permission to upload earlier.

I water my two orchids once a week. I've had the one pictured for a little over a year. It came in a mossy kind of soil. The roots were very big and I just repotted it two days ago. This is the soil I bought based on good reviews: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00KW...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The other orchid was down to two small leaves (one of them wilted and wrinkly) and a couple of tiny roots. Not only did it survive but it started growing a new leaf overnight! I was very excited!

Back to the orchid pictured: I followed the instructions on the soil package plus things I read online so I removed all the dead roots before repotting it. But now I noticed what looks like some damage on top.

Thanks again for your replies.

[jkofferdahl]

Regarding watering, go by the plant's schedule and not yours. You can use a wood kitchen skewer to test the media by sticking it into the pot and leaving it about 15 minutes. When you remove it, if you feel moisture then the plant isn't yet ready to be watered.

Overall, the plant you've pictured is fine. The browning on the roots isn't root rot at all, it's the opposite. The root was probably dry a bit too long. In the fourth picture the middle leaf is a bit wrinkly from underwatering, which is probably also why it's smaller than the others. The cracking in the leaf seams could also be caused by underwatering, or could be from physical damage - either way, the leaf will still function as well as it ever did.

If by damage on top you mean the top of the roots, we're good. If by that you mean the spots on the newest leaf, these are completely normal for a Phalaenopsis.

[rbarata]

I suspect its flowers have spots.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

We expect flower photos eventually.

[Dollythehun]

All of your concerns could come from underwatering. Yes, welcome!

[Blooming]

Thank you so much! Maybe the new soil requires more watering? I'll try the skewer trick.