Scarred roots, yellow wilted leaves, moss questions
 

Hi,
I have 3 phals and just added a 4th to my collection today since the 3 have finally finished blooming and I couldn't resist getting a new one to bloom for the winter. I guess it really is becoming a collection!

I have several questions....

On my oldest phal, which I bought about 1.5 years ago, the surface of the older roots near the top of the medium have become brown and scarred. Is this normal or is it an indication of something? The roots otherwise seem really healthy, and the plant seems really healthy. Leaves are dark green and stiff. However, it only put up one short spike this spring with only 3 or 4 blooms. It grew a lot of aerial roots this summer.

On another phal, which I've had since early spring, the leaves seem really healthy, but the small lower leaves are yellowing and limp. Is it because they are not getting any light under the larger leaves? Why are there little leaves under there anyway, as I thought new leaves grow from the top....

Finally, my new purchase is soaked in moss. By what I've read, it seems I should replant in bark, which is what I am going to do tomorrow. I am also gleaning from info here that it's okay to repot while in bloom, right?

I am also thinking of reusing the moss for the one orchid that I repotted in my new cut-out ceramic pot. I am thinking that since winter is very dry here, that it will do better with the moss?

Thanks!

Without a picture, your old scarred surface root is likely OK. Mine look somewhat brown and streaky sometimes if they have been on the surface a long time. Hard to say why you only got 3 or 4 blooms, but at least it bloomed! Do you use any bloom booster fertilizer prior to blooming? That might help.

The small yellow leaves are likely the oldest if they are on the same stem and under the larger leaves. If not, it sounds like a basal keiki. Phals usually grow larger new leaves than the previous ones as the plant matures. It shows the plant is doing well and has enough nutrient for good sized leaves. I wouldn't worry about them if there are 3 or 4 healthy green leaves above them. You should never let water sit in the crown as that could cause crown rot.

It sounds like you have seen some of the posts here about wet moss and phals. Yes, I would re-pot. The wet moss is a recipe for root rot. Phals in bloom don't seem to mind being re-potted.

It's likely better to use new moss as you don't know how old the existing moss is. And it is best not to re-use it on a different plant in case the one it came in had any kind of virus or bacterial infection that hasn't shown yet. So long as the moss can dry out to the centre of the plant and there are lots of holes in the pot, it should be OK in moss. Lots of people here don't like moss for phals tho. I use half moss and half med. bark and mine seem to like it, but everyone's conditions are different and their watering schedule also has a lot to do with it. Phals like some air at the roots and to get fairly dry before watering again but not for long.