2 Phals with Limp Leaves - Orchid Board

sarahkayt · #1 08-14-2018, 02:22 AM

Hello all.
I'm going to dive right in, so bare with me until my question at the end.

Phal#1: My first, purchased from a local grocery store about 5 months ago(?). She was very root bound and packed full of moss, but i waited until she finished blooming (about 2 weeks), cut the spike below the lowest flower node and repotted her in some orchid bark mix. For the first month after that she did very well! But, I did notice her leaves started drooping after a while and realized I had over watered. Oops. So I un-potted her to check her roots (she isnt in a clear container which i regret). Alot of root rot was occuring. I clipped the dead roots and potted her in some fresh bark with most of her roots above the medium (most of the remaining roots were aerial roots). Her leaves perked up after this.

Phal#2: My second child, and worst off. Purchased 3 months ago(?). She was similarly potted as the first, so I proceeded like i did the first (except less watering and a clear pot) but I did so before her bloom finished. There were only 2 buds remaining and looked about to fall off. Repotted 1 week after purchasing.

Phal#3: My newest addition and healthiest. Purchased 2 month ago. Proceeded the same way as Phal#2. HOWEVER, one of her spikes went terminal the day after i brought her home and required clipping. She still has 1 flower on her remaining spike.

So, my problem is that #1 and #2 have VERY limp leaves again, even though #3 is doing great. I've been careful about watering, and make sure the meduim is dry before I water. I drench the roots and medium about once a week (if its dry). Thinking the humidity levels are not high enough, I began misting them once in the morning and then letting them sit in my restroom while i showered for an extra boost. All 3 recieve the same treatment. #3 is still doing amazing and her aerial roots have been growing like crazy, though some still look a little withered near the medium. #1 has perked up a little, her leaves are a bit stiffer but shes still droopy. She has a few new roots growing and the rest of her aerial roots look okay (1 is crawling skyward but looks withered). #2 looks awful but her roots do look good and is starting to grow 1 new one.
I'm not sure what else to try and was hoping to get ideas. My next idea is to clip their spikes to help the root growth.

Ray · #2 08-14-2018, 08:44 AM

I think you're seeing the result of "transplant shock".

Roots "tailor" themselves on a cellular level to function optimally in the environment in which they grow. Once grown they cannot change.

The tightly-packed sphagnum might have been a good medium in the mass grower's environment, but once it was in the store or your home, it probably wasn't ideal. That was change number 1. Then you repotted it - change number 2 - moving the roots into an entirely different environment, and they are no longer optimal, so they slowly began to fail.

Once new roots begin to grow, they will be optimal for the new environment, and will begin to pump water into the plants, leading to their recovery.

estación seca · #3 08-15-2018, 01:46 AM

There's a great thread here on learning to grow Phals. From the main left yellow menu select Forums, then Beginners. Near the top is a sticky thread: The Phal abuse ends here.