my dark green phals are getting light green edges
 

here in the last fer days a couple of my phals are getting light green edges and I can't figure it out I think they all seem to be happy so It must be something I'm doing could some help me out here. Thanks alot

This happened to one of my large white phal.
I had it for a number of years and the leaves were green all throughout, but last year, some of the leaves developed this yellowish line along the edge of them.
I posted a question and no one really knew what it was.

I'm interested to see anyone knows what this is, other than guesses.

Looks to be sporting semi variegated to me.

Some plants have variegation as a defense mimicking poor health, and gets attacked less. No idea if this is the cause with this plant.

I'm definitely no expert, but I think it might be due to light levels. My phals respond to stronger light by developing that light edge. If I lower the light levels, the light edge darkens up again with time.

It looks rather pretty.

Hmmm interesting because the one I had that developed this white edge, was the one that received the lowest light.

All others were much closer to the window and none of them exhibited this.

Let me throw this out for consideration - it is NOT a statement of fact or expression of first-hand knowledge:

The plant looks like it is being grown more dryly than it probably prefers, and I suspect the %RH is reduced this time of year. Together, it could be that the plant is desiccating to a minor degree, and that is appearing as yellowing of the leaf edges - the part of the plant that had the least "meat" behind it, to keep it well-supplied.

I agree with Ray. I have a mini phal that had taken some abuse and responded very similarly, my fault of course. Here's a pic of the edge oldest leaf. I've corrected the conditions and the newer leaves are normal. http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/12/18/uzy6uhas.jpg

We have been discussing it last year- mine had the same Problem-after reading up on it a bit- it seems to be a Magnesium deficiency-so i add extra Magnesium now and the Leafs are better.

I think there very happy my humid. stays between 65 and 75 they are all watered 2x wk with reg. seaweed and magnesium and I keep my light around 1200fc so if someone thinks I'm doing something wrong please let me know because I dont have a clue whats up thinks agine

I also doubt it is any deficiency issue because I give all my plants the same stuff and only one or two does this. and I have more than 20 phals.

Look up the staugorchid site .It tells you what to look for.

I think their website has an photo article on calcium deficiency, but I couldn't see any other.

By the way, I do not think the yellowing edge of the phals leaves are due to any deficiency because all the rest do not exhibit this yellow lining.

When we hashed thru this last Time-we did not have a good answer for the "why" either-i have 3 doing this and since i add Epsoms Salt-they new Leafs are good-i dont think it will go away on the old ones.But whatever the reason-mine do like the extra treatment.

Deficiency





Symptoms: Magnesium deficiency can result in cupped leaves, a reduction in growth and marginal or interveinal chlorosis (yellow along leaf edges or between veins) and usually is exhibited in the middle or older leaves (extracted from Orchid Species Culture by Margaret L. and Charles O. Baker). It can also cause an increase in appearance of anthocyanin (red/purple coloration) in leaves, particularly after exposure to cooler temperatures.

Treatment: Supply extra magnesium when the plant is in active growth. Use a good cal mag fertilizer, add Epsom salts at the rate of 1 teaspoon per gallon to your water each month (you can add 1 tbsp/gallon as a correction to reddened leaves), add 1 tablespoon of dolomitic lime per gallon or top dress with powdered dolomite.

Prevention: Supply extra magnesium via a good cal mag fertilizer, Epsom salts or dolomitic lime. You can also make the magnesium present in our well water more available to the plant by using an acidity generating fertilizer like 20-20-20 or one of the fertilizers available from SAOS.

Read More: Leaf Reddening from Magnesium Deficiency after Exposure to Cold (Dr. Martin Motes)

Leaf reddening from Mg deficiency after exposure to cold is very interesting!

One of my cattleya and one mini phal are showing dark "clouding" over the entire leaves, and this never happened last winter.

Then again, they are all fed the same way and I have no idea why only a few do this while the majority do not.

Thanks for the info anyways.

By the way, I use fertilizer that contains Mg and some other trace elements.
What about you?

I do too-but still give extra -plus i feed extra Iron now too -and for the first time ever i have 3 Phals making double spikes-dont know if this has anything to do with the extra feedings-but they sure like it and they all look very healthy .You feed yours all the same and me too-and only some get the light green on the edges-maybe some need more then others? I had 3 doing it -2 hybrids and one Species

Plants drive me nuts sometimes. lol

They keep us on our Toes for sure .
But nothing a Glass of Wine cain't fix ( for you-not your orchids :rofl:

That is why I always have a few bottles of wine, vodka and rum handy. hahahaha

right now I use via mag, my question is I water 2x wk is 1 tbs per gal 1x wk to much or is that not enough comments please

Is this via Mag just straight magnesium?or mixed into a Fertilizer?
Sorry i dont know that brand. But if it is straight mag-i use one tsp per Gallon once a Month- in my hubble opinion one tablespoon every week is too much-but maybe someone else has better advise for you.