Is there something wrong with my Paph?

[Becca]

Hi Everyone! I have a quick question, I have a Paph. Henrietta Fujiwara with two very nice growths on it. The second growth is just finishing up with it's fourth leaf. I purchased it in bloom this last May so I never got around to repotting it to check out it's roots, but the potting medium looks good. Just over night, the newest leaf (about 6 inches long) decided it wants to flop over and won't stand upright anymore and the other leaves are fine, is this common with a new leaf growth? It doesn't look wilted or dehydrated, feels nice and firm. Where it is flopping over at does seem to be soft tissue from it's recent growth spurt. I brought it home from work and was going to look at it's roots, but I noticed that the newer growth has some itty bitty roots just starting to form and I don't want to damage or disturb them for fear of them not continuing to grow. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'll take a picture if I you need me to, but there really isn't much to see other then a nice 6 inch leaf flopping over sideways! I think I just watered it on Monday if I remember correctly, I could water it again but I'd hate to over water it, although the pot does feel light like the potting medium has dried out for the most part. So...is this normal or should I check the roots?

[unhappykat]

sounds like you dont have enough light to support the new growth. you should increase the intensity as well as repot just incase the medium is brewaking down and causing root rot.

[Ross]

For mine, when that happens, it's always a moisture problem. That could be lack of wetness, could also be bad roots. I'd check the roots and mix.

[Becca]

ok...I will go ahead and check the roots and the potting mixture. I also wanted to note that I have been growing this in an east facing window, so it would get morning sun, but that was about it. That is when it really did most of it's growing. Then about a week and a half ago I moved it to my work. The humidity should be the same so that wouldn't be the issue would it? I now have it under one of those compact fluorescent desk lamps that is supposed to mimic natural lighting. Do you think maybe the lamp isn't providing enough light? Maybe I will just put it back in it's window sill.

[quiltergal]

I agree with unhappycat, if the leaf looks good other than being floppy I think it's not getting enough light.

[Becca]

that dang light must not be enough, come to think of it, my phrag hasn't been growing as fast as it was before I moved it from the window sill to under the light as well. I did try to put a wooden skewer (actually a chopstick) in the potting medium to see if it was dry, I didn't see any moisture on it, but I could swear I watered on Monday.....I didn't unpot it to look at the roots tonight since I figured I should have some fresh potting medium soaked (which is currently soaking) and ready for it before taking it out of the pot. If I don't get to it tomorrow then I'll take care of it this weekend and give an update when I am finished!

Thanks for the help everyone!

[unhappykat]

if you are growing it under a light you must keep it as close as possible to the bulb to be sure it gets enough light or it will begin to suffer from light stress. I would put it back in the sill and buy a phal for the light.

[shakkai]

Becca, I hope that you get to the bottom of this. I have had a floppy new leaf on some of mine, and it has pretty much always been because of a lack of moisture.

Let us know what you find when you repot!

[Becca]

I put a support stick where the leaf would be mostly upright instead of leaning over, but it wasn't totally dependant on it for being up right. I woke up this morning and the leaf was fine, I don't know if it was just that it went through a growth spurt so fast that the tissue at the base of the leaf was soft or what. I'll still be taking a peak at the roots either tonight or this weekend.