snipping old leaves to expose new growth
 

What's your opinion on snipping old leaves (say, of a phal or onc.) rather than letting them turn brown and fall off naturally? I always cut them off so that new growth (whether it be new roots, spikes or bulbs) is exposed to the light and can't get moisture trapped against it or provide a hiding place for bugs. However, I do wonder whether I'm depriving the plant of some extra energy. Your thoughts?

My thoughts are that by cutting the leaves off while they're still green and not ready to fall off, you can severely hinder the growth of your plant in the long run.

Leaves are what make the necessary sugars to provide the plant with food. When the leaves yellow, the plant is absorbing this and transferring it to where it needs to go.

I'd leave them alone.

I'll say one thing, cutting old leaves off before they're ready to fall off from a terrestrial orchid can be very detrimental depending on which species you're dealing with.

Deciduous Calanthes, any terrestrial with a tuber, tuberoid growth, or tuberous growth, and some of the more difficult to grow Eulophia species can eventually shrink over time and die if the leaves are removed before they're ready to yellow and fall constantly.

Actually, I performed "surgery" on a recovering Phal today. After my s/h experiment it sufferend root loss and it needs new roots ASAP. Compared to others in my collection it recovers slowly. The second new root grew where you would expect a spike but the leaf beneath was very healthy and firm.
This baby grows roots very slowly and I would love that this root would find the bark rather than develop as an 'aerial' because that leaf was in it's way. I removed a bit of that leaf to give the root easier access to the bark.
I'll never remove healthy looking leafs. I think the plant needs them and if it's a healthy plant there is good balance between roots and leafs.
If you remove 1 leaf from a Phal that has 4-5 leafs, it won't die, but it certainly would stress it, IMHO.

I never had problems with bugs/fungus because of leafs that were very close to the bark. Also, when leaf naturally dies back, remove it only when it falls off by it's own. The plant takes nutrients from that leaf.

Nicole

Thanks for that, I'll have to revise my practice!

I agree it's best to leave the leaves on until they are completely yellow. Sometimes they'll hang on a while even when completely yellow, so in that case I sometimes help nature along and cut them off.

I've had a very very limp leaf which has gone a sickly green/brown colour and it has hung on for six months.

I'm still leaving it because I figure the plant knows when it doesn't need it any more and will let go when it's ready. There is still some green in the leaf, it's not gone as brown as I've seen them in the past.

I would advise letting the plant decide when it's done with a leaf. If it comes away with a gentle tug then it's probably done with it, if not leave it.