What do i do with this ?

[hojo86]

Im new to the forum and need some advise on my Phal.

I rescued Zelda from the supermarket (yes I've named her Zelda and she's done really well over the few years I've had her) and she lives in my kitchen and flowered over the years from around February to around mid-August.
Ive never repotted her, or have ever drastically cut anything away .... apart from old or dead stalks etc.

Over the last few month Zelda looks terrible and as the pic shows has lost a load of leaves and her aerial roots look as though they want to escape the pot.

I think i have to repot ( actually I'm pretty sure) but im not sure how and where to cut?

Do i cut just under the browning trunk or get rid of the lot?

Do i try to put the aerial roots in the new potting medium?
What type of medium is best? Wood bark? (if so what type?) Soil? Pebbles? Sand????

[PaphMadMan]

You definitely need to repot.

Cut it a centimeter or 2 below the point most the aerial roots come from. it might be completely dead and dry at that point on the stem but if you cut through green tissue doing that dust it with fungicide or cinnamon and let it air dry overnight before potting it.

Yes, the roots should go in the new potting mix. Since they are actively growing they should adapt well. They have probably been avoiding the old media because it is broken down.

Here in the US most garden centers have commercial orchid bark potting mixes available. I don't know what is common for you in the UK, but any greenhouse that sells orchids should have something appropriate. Phals aren't picky about the exact type of mix, you just need to adapt your watering to work with whatever the mix is.

Zelda looks like a survivor, and I bet she will reward you with amazing growth in new potting mix.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board, hojo86!

These threads will help you a lot. They are in the Beginners forum here. You can reach them from the menu at the left, Forums.

The Phal abuse ends here.

Using skewers to determine when to water