What's up with this?

[justatypn]

You know Lin I am now not convinced that it's from weather conditions. Seems the leaves are dying off quickly. Do you have a most recent photo since the previous of 4 days ago.

What does the root system look like? If you have a magnifying glass look closely at the medium roots as well as the area of demise. Does any areas look different? moving pests? discoloration? Honestly I am puzzled but suggestively I would place this guy in an area that will not "infect" other chids, at least until you can figure out what is going on.

[Lin]

I can take a pic tomorrow. I have seen crown rot, and it's not like that. I will say that the two leaves left seem a little "pitted" toward the base of the leaves.

Will try and take a meaningful picture in the morning.

[justatypn]

Hopefully we can get a good exposure of the problem. If your talking pitting it appears it could be mites and they can spread, suggestively if this is the case Neem Oil will do you well, in addition to using it on the other neighboring chids. But lets take a look when you get a photo, hopefully others will chime in as well.

If this is any consolation, I have seen where phal's have lost all there leaves, roots are healthy and produced new leaves, so it's not ready for the crapper yet....

[Lin]

Here is the new picture. I hope you can see the pitted leaves and the brown area.

In the crown itself, the brown is cinnamon. I've checked it over for any bugs and cannot find anything, even tried the white paper on the bottom of the leaves, but nothing.

Any suggestions?

[Ross]

That looks like crown rot to me. The "pitting" is cell collapse. If this were my plant it would be in the trash so I could find a new one. But that's me. I don't have the patience to molly-coddle some plant that can't make up it's mind to grow. That's why I don't (as a rule) grow Dendrobiums (with the exception of superbum, which is a weed.) and that's why I threw away a lot of cacti that just sulked or got bugs when they chose to, or whatever was the problem. I think this is an experiment in "survival of the fitest"!

[Lin]

I thought crown rot started at the top and worked down. This started at the top, then the oldest leaves went, leaving the ones in the middle.

I'm with you though, don't have time to fuss.

[Ross]

I'm not sure crown rot is all that fussy as to which direction it progresses. With Phals, my experience has been that when some adventure such as this starts, it's better to throw the plant away and get another. They aren't really that expensive at Wal-Mart, etc. and there are tons of varieties available. I must confess, this genera isn't my go-to.

[justatypn]

This little guy was in poor shape when you purchased it, but the high of orchid growing is trial and error. Personally I would not throw it away, I have brought back chids that some have felt them being a total goner, there nature of growing is a creeping one but that's the fun of it...at least to me. I find it hard to throw any plant away, but that's just me...

I am with Tony though about it being crown-rot. Here are a few preventatives...

Use fans to keep air moving around the plants 24/7.
Irrigate with room temperature water. Don't water with cold tap water. Make sure the crown and crotch areas of the leaves are dry before night fall when temperatures are normally declining. Extended periods of cool temperature increase the chances of infection.

These tips work to remove the conditions that fungus spores need to have in place before they can inoculate healthy plant tissue; 1) still air 2) water 3) cool and/or declining temperatures.

I personally have never used physan 20, and if I remember correctly Tindo has a great way of helping with the use of physan 20 which helps ailing plants in general...is an effective control of fungi, algae, bacteria, and viruses.

[Lin]

I always watch the crowns of my phals and wick with a paper towel, water early and with room temp water. Had crown happen once (when they were outside in the summer).

The chances are very high that the last two leaves will go and then, what then? There's no way to bring a leafless phal back, is there?

[nenella]

Hello (ex-recent lurker here)
Moving about alot ...This has happened to me ..I only have 40 odd chids...I agree with All of the above! - Personally , if the roots are in 'good condition' ....I'd Keep it and try to see if it will come out with a Keiki(basal one).... I'd try and keep the 'top'(above the medium it's planted in on the 'dry side'...but Yes this is as mentioned above " molly-coddling" " some plant " which you can replace relatively cheaply at a store....
depends how you see it.....I prefer to "re-generate" (challenge !) rather then "buy" easy ! - although I am guilty of now wanting to always have some in bloom 12 months of the year!!!!!!!!