Why Paphs keep losing bottom leaves?

[Lynnliny]

Hello! Need help please! Picture attached.

They were repotted not long ago and have lost one leaf each already. Now I can see another bottom leaf turning brown on both. Is it normal? Thank you!

[Lynnliny]

Double posted accidentally, can't figure out how to delete one, sorry.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

They look good to me. They sometimes drop a leaf when transitioning to semi-hydroponic growing. They usually adapt quickly and take off growing. I have almost all my Paphs in S/H.

[camille1585]

I deleted the duplicate thread for you. 1-2 leaves dropping off may simply be normal leaf drop (due to S/H, or otherwise), and I wouldn't be concerned unless you start to see more leaves heading the same way.

I didn't know that Paphs took to S/H so easily, and I may give it a go with one. How do you time the transition? New root growth is not that easy to see on a Paph.

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by camille1585

I deleted the duplicate thread for you. 1-2 leaves dropping off may simply be normal leaf drop (due to S/H, or otherwise), and I wouldn't be concerned unless you start to see more leaves heading the same way.

I didn't know that Paphs took to S/H so easily, and I may give it a go with one. How do you time the transition? New root growth is not that easy to see on a Paph.

I put them into S/H as soon as they show up in the mail, which is usually spring or fall. I try not to receive shipments during Hell season, and vendors won't ship in winter. I think many (not all) Paph hybrids are in constant growth if temperatures and water are available.

[WeirdGuySeattle]

Hmm, that brown leaf on the maudiae type looks like the plant went dry. Maybe from root loss / damage on the transition to SH? Or maybe from fertilizer burn? Or maybe its just too dry?

I don't know watering / fertilizing on an SH growing style, but if that were bark / sphag like I grow in, I'd be sure to water once a week or maybe 2 times this time of year. With SH, probably every 2-3 days? Those guys like to be wetter than my Brachypetalums.

The other green leaf paph looks fine to me.

[Lynnliny]

I should've probably watered them more often than I did.

The bottom leaf on the older one is turning yellow, not quite brown yet. Also, it is weird, its leaves seem stop growing since I put it in S/H.

I do see the new roots are growing on both though. Looks like I've got confused information here.

[estación seca]

The point of S/H is that the reservoir at the bottom is not supposed to dry out. There is always moisture available to wick up the clay balls to the plant roots.

One should water the containers before the reservoir runs dry. One can water every single day; my experience has been plants in S/H do better the more often they are watered.

[Lynnliny]

Thank you estación seca, I didn't know that I can water them every single day. I thought that it would be better to let the water down a bit, but I never let the reservoirs dry-out though.