Phal problems
 

Hey
I'm new here and new orchids. After about a month of research I took the leap and bought 2 phals for SAMs club. About 2 days after I bought them one of the orchids 2 bottom leaves started to yellow. From all the research I knew that phals would shed these leaves from time to time but over the next 2 weeks the third leaf has started to yellow also.
Any ideas on what this could be or am I just worrying for no reason lol
Thanks


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Welcome to Orchidboard. Not really normal for a phal to get so many fast yellowing leaves. Either the roots are going bad or it's been over watered.

You may want to repot the orchid, that way you can see the roots and get new media. Roll the pot and pull the plant from the pot. Take out all the old media and cut off any rotted roots. (use alcohol soaked scissors)

I buy the Miracle Grow bark mix for orchids and it is working well. Pick out the big pieces, hold the plant above your pot in place (the same height that it was). Then put the bark in, all around where the orchid is tight in the pot. Do not use the fine particles, only the bigger pieces of bark. Wait one day, then soak/water the plant.

As for watering: Just water the plant at the root level. You can soak the entire pot, then let the water run out. Try not to get water into the stem or the base of the plant. If you do wipe out with a paper towel. Watch the roots, especially the ones inside the container. When they are silver/whitish they are dry, after watering they plump and turn green. Let them dry out to silver again before re-watering. If you are unsure, wait one more day. Sometimes I don't water for 2 weeks, depending on conditions. Also it is best to water in morning so it will dry some before night. Phals like indirect light, so if your spot is too sunny pull it back or use a sheer curtain.


There is a thread here that might be helpful to you:
http://www.orchidboard.com/community...hal-abuse.html

I have been making sure the roots have been turning silvery before I water and also being very careful with water on in or around the crown. I've only watered twice in that 2 week period. Once 4 days after getting them and again 6 days later. As far as light they are on the east wall with a northern and western exposers. They don't get any direct light at all. I worry about humidity cuz we're so dry. But we've been ranging 35 to 45 percent in the General area plus they're sitting on humidity trays. I was planning on repotting as soon as all the flowers had opened and fell anyway but should I push this up??


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It sounds like you are doing the right things so far. I would repot now since your leaves are turning yellow. If your media is bad or your roots are dying, something should be done sooner than later. Phals can repot at anytime. Most times your blooms will be unaffected, but better to loose a few flowers than your entire plant.

Tracer04, what media are your Phals in?
If it were mine, I would repot it in new media. So I can also check the condition of the roots.

Yep repot ..... I personally don't like the typical way they pot phals in compacted spagnum.

The centre ball can stay wet for much longer than 6 days even when the top and sides are dry (well that has been my experience )

They are in mainly bark with a touch of spagnum not much spagnum you can just barely see any in there. They are in clear pots and the roots you can see look ok to my untrained eyes


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It does look a bit okay. If you do not want to repot now, I would add more side slits in that container, to allow more air in the root zone. Those thick Phal roots love lots of air. The thing with actually pulling out the plant and checking the roots, sometimes, some more moss is wrapped around in the middle, not easily visible.

It seems the lower leaves are the one yellowing, so it is okay, maybe the plant is just trying to keep what it can sustain for the summer months, sometimes it does that.

The only thing with some store bought Phals, we do not really know how long they have been languishing at the store. It could be a combination of dehydration or could be overzealous watering at some point, so now that it has moved to your location, the roots are finally getting their dose of water, so the plant is adjusting to your current conditions.

Cool I was a little concerned at what point should I start worrying about the yellow?? Also I got a question on watering or I guess more on root color to me these are still slightly green and I need to wait to water. I have been looking for kind of a time lapse of phal roots just to be able to understand how sliver is silver. Not sure anything like that exists but it is an idea lol.


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Wait until the roots are a silvery white, not green. When in doubt wait another day. It is better to under water than over water.

Ok now when I repot do I cut off the yellowing leaves or do I just let it shed them naturally


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The one with yellow on the tip, leave. The half broken one you can cut. Soak your scissors in alcohol before cutting. Then put cinnamon powder on the edge of the plant where you made the cut.

Sometimes, I just let the plant do its natural leaf die off, eventually it makes like a perforated line that makes it easy to remove the leaves. I normally would hasten cutting off if there are somethings growing on it that is spreading fast, which may be fungal or bacterial. Some would still try to apply or spray something to mitigate it or prevent further spread. It takes awhile for the plant to resume growing leaves, so I try to keep the leaves if still possible and let the plant drain all that it can from the old ones.

I would be concerned if the leaf trouble occurs on the new growth or from the crown, that would indicate to me that plant may be suffering from crown or collar rot, or something else.

Ok cool thanks everyone thanks for all the info all my media and extra pots get here tomorrow so I think I'll repot both of them tomorrow and if I lose the blooms not a big deal.


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It's hard to tell but that 1/2 leaf almost looks like it has a black streak close to the base.

I would do the same, half leaf already way too yellow anyways.

She took care of that leaf today it fell of when I picked her up to insect the crown and base to make sure I wasn't getting any rot. The lead on the other side has yellowed some more but the yellow on the third leaf has stopped so I guess that's a good sign also no signs of rot on the I guess it be the base of the crown. I really need an orchid anatomy lesson. Lol


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So I repotted the 2 phals last night the one was in great shape only cut out 2 dead roots. But the one that had the yellowing leaves she was a little ruff all the roots in the center of the pot were rotten. She was potted in bark on the out side but the whole middle was sphagnum. 😕All the roots on the edge of the pot looked pretty good. So I think there are plenty of roots to support the plant. What else can I do for her while she's recovering??


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Nothing much I can think of at this point..just provide some air circulation too, a ceiling fan would be great...just be very patient. They grow at glacial pace at times:biggrin:

Oh I can show you some ways the new roots form..just to give you some idea how much air they really seem to like: not always like this, but it will do anything it likes:
This is my other Phal, Phal stuartiana 'Sogo'
Oops, sorry, photo lopsided, but as you can see, this plant decided it just wants its roots outside, aerial growing, hanging to the sides, it does not like to dig in to my media, so I am just letting it go.
Attachment 113580

it may also start as a nubbin growth at the base of the plant
Attachment 113581

or it may resume new growth on an existing root already
Attachment 113582

Thanks I hope I got them repotted correctly I guess only time will tell. This has actually been a great lesson in blooms don't tell the whole story. Cuz the blooms on this orchid are still holding and and look amazing while the blooms on the have started to wither away


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Yes some blooms lasts longer, some do not, but typically my Phals stays in bloom for about 6 months.