Browning Flower Spikes

[Alli Kat]

My Phalaenopsis Orchid has recently lost many leaves. It's still alive and blooming. Recently, I have found that one of its flower spikes are browning. (The base is becoming a brownish color and its wrinkly). The spike still has four flowers on it, and I haven't been overwatering... so can anyone tell me what's happening? (I can't upload a picture, sorry.)

[WhiteRabbit]

I would check the roots.

[Alli Kat]

I checked them. They were green. (Some bottom ones were yellow though).

[wintergirl]

Is the plant able to drain well? Are you watering too much? Phals like to dry out between watering, let the roots turn silver then water again and they green up.

[Alli Kat]

I water every 10 (or more) days.

[lepetitmartien]

Spike die from the tip in the usual way, so if it's browning from the base, something fishy is at work.

Check the base of the phal, there must be something wrong.

Roots that see light go green when watered, those with less light are yellow, and those with light are white. As long as they change of color it's fine. But here it may be hidden.

Is the brown part solid to the touch or mellow, watery ? (anyway go wash your hands right after and don't touch anything in between) Option 2 is something like erwinia (bacteria).

[Alli Kat]

The brown part is solid.

[wintergirl]

Have you ever repotted this plant or looked into the base of it? Some of the big box phals have a sponge up in the rootball and sometimes they rot the plant. If there is one or the media is bad it would help to repot (and get the sponge out if there if there is one).

[orchidsarefun]

in addition to the above, check for a bug infestation. At our last monthly meeting someone brought a plant in with a similar problem and an expert ( a speaker we had in ) said the problem was from a spider mite infestation. He found this by feeling the leaves ( furry ) and said that was his way of testing.
I didn't know that an infestation would cause a healthy spike to gradually perish, but now I know. Its another possible solution.

[Alli Kat]

My friend (a fellow orchid grower) told me to cut off the spike. I followed her advice, but before discarding the spike, I looked at a cross section of it. The inside of the spike is green and wet (Like it should be... right?) I also followed orchidsarefun's advice and felt the leaves. The leaves felt cool and smooth.