Phalaenopsis leaves yellowing/browning and bumpy
 

Hi guys! I just bought 4 new grocery store phalaenopsis' and they are in full bloom so I am waiting to repot. But a few of them have some dying leaves and if I removed all of the yellowing/partially yellowing leaves a few of the plants would only have 2 leaves left and no signs of new growth. Is this normal as they get to the end of their bloom period? The leaves look weird so I just want to make sure there is no signs of disease so I have attached some pictures.

As an additional question, I will be repotting these orchids once the blooms drop so what is the best potting mix to use for phalaenopsis. I have a prior orchid in a better-gro mix that is pretty coarse and I seem to have to water 2 times a week or so because the coarse mix dries super fast but then I get worried I'm overwatering. Is this the right kind of mix? Should I get something with more sphagnum? What do the pros out there suggest? I'm considering mixing my own since I now own 6 orchids and the pre mixed bags are pretty small and can be pricey.

Thanks for all the advice. I wish I had an orchid expert to go to because I'm never sure if the plants need more water, how to get new leaf growth, when to repot and with what, how I tell if they are healthy, etc.

No, this is not normal. Let the leaves fall off. The plant will regrow if the roots are strong. Concentrate on the roots.

The roots all look great. Should I cut all of the dying leaves off or at least the yellowing parts?

Tell us more about how you're treating them and your cultural conditions.

Wel I'm not treating them because I have no clue what is wrong with them. I don't know if it is a virus or a bacteria or a fungus, or part of the normal aging process.

I water them whenever the root appear silvery and I do not keep them in a decorative pot, just the plastic pots. The roots that I can see look healthy on the one plant and relatively healthy on the other plant but that one could probably use some root pruning as some parts are beginning to decay. I have not repotted them yet since they are in bloom but from what I have read, I should repot them and sacrifice the blooms for the health of the plant. I do not have any fungicides on hand but have been reading to cut out the decayed portions and then as a home remedy, apply cinnamon.

From descriptions and pictures I have seen, I am considering bacterial brown spot though I have not seen any dark liquids or smelled any foul smells. I am also considering anthracnose fungi. The flowers are not affected and without having unpotted, the rhizome does not appear to be affected either.

What is the best method of treatment without diagnosis. I would like to try a home remedy for now so I can start today while I wait for a treatment to arrive in the mail

My inclination would be to remove all of the really bad looking leaves and cut off any portion of the leaves with lesions by cutting into green tissue and then appling cinnamon to the cuts and do a wait and see. I’d use a flame to sterilize the cutting instrument between every cut so nothing is being spread around. I’d also wear gloves and switch them between plants or wash my hands. Before you cut, maybe wait for a second opinion though.

If you’re gentle with the roots Phals tolerate repotting fine even when in bloom (as long as you don’t cut, break, or spray their roots with peroxide they’ll usually keep all their flowers). So, if you don’t like their growing conditions go ahead and repot. If a root shows any life (even if it has brown or mushy sections) don’t cut it. These roots aren’t healthy but they’re still supporting the plant until it can grow new roots.

Media choice depends on your conditions and preferences. If you used a very coarse media, it’s going to dry fast: it’s going to be almost impossible to overwater. If you use a finer media like moss it’s going to dry slowly: it’s going to be very easy to overwater.

I have most of my Phals in a 5 parts small orchiata bark, 1 part perlite, 1 part charcoal in plastic slotted pots inside cache pots growing in a bright north facing window with temperatures around 70F. These plants are fine being watered weekly. I’ve got a couple still in moss. One has lots of roots and is watered biweekly the other has just a few roots and gets watered every two - three weeks depending on how dry the moss feels. There’s no one way to pot up and water a Phal that works for everyone under every condition: don’t be afraid to play around and figure out what works for you.