Brown patches under leaves: Phal. amabilis sick?
 

Hello guys,

I've purchased this Phal amabilis 3 weeks back. It started with 5 leaves new roots were growing but with 3 weeks, 3 of the oldest leaves had fallen off, the older roots had shriveled, and the new roots seems to be going dormant. I've attached pictures that seems quite off with brown patches under the leaves as compared to my other phals.

Do note that it is grown on a mount and I've added sphagnum moss to retain more moisture as it was grown outdoors previously here in Singapore.
I water all my orchids just by using a bowl and wetting the media with a spoon (nothing under the tap or hose for me) and this is done around evening due to my working schedule. For this phal, the moss would usually dry up by afternoon the next day (~20 hours), unless it was a rainy day where the weather is colder and it would stay wet for ~30 hours where I would then water it once again.

Not sure if the sphagnum did it more harm than good though. I'm suspecting some form of bacterial infection but it somehow seems to lead to signs of dehydration.

I think your Phal is dying of thirst. How often do you water it? My mounted Phals need plenty of water (yes, I flood them each watering) and often twice a day.

Yes the roots do seem that it is dehydrated but I water it daily and the sphagnum moss moist for ~20 hours most of the time!

I do not run it under the sink though so the roots that aren't covered with sphagnum would dry out faster than usual.

Again, how often do you water it?

Daily :)

Well, that doesn't help my theory! It look dry, though, and the description sounds dry.

And the roots? Do you have pictures?

What is your theory?

Any idea what those patches under the leaves mean?

I do hope it's really just a case of being too dry! Because if that's the case I will just add more sphag :)

Thanks for the promt reply!

Or more water? Maybe it's best.

There :)

Hope this will provide more info!