Phal - Yellow Leaves & very green medium

[Lex3414]

Hi guys,

I posted some shots of my yellow phal yesterday and I took a look at it today and found one leaf to be very yellow/brown. I had noticed a slight discoloration before which I assumed was sun damage, but now its gotten larger. I also noticed when I changed the pot the moss was very green, I am thinking that it is retaining too much water and there is not enough air movement?

Pics are below, let me know your thoughts!

[Molly Taco]

I would clean out the old potting mix and trim the sickly roots and repot in a bark/spag mix. cut off the bloom spike give it a weak solution of fertilizer and nurse that baby back to health. The one leaf looks good, if the other has sunburn the browning could increase. You have a good chance of recovery. Keep us informed.
Cin

[Lex3414]

Thanks for the response Cin, I have a question on the repotting. Do I want to cut any of the roots, or simply remove the medium as much as possible with out disturbing the healthy roots. Also last time I cut a spike (on my first orchid) it didnt grow another spike for 7 or so months...do i need to do something different to the spike to prevent this?

[Molly Taco]

Try to remove the potting mix with out hurting any healthy roots but anything that looks dead cut off. Phals usually only spike in the late fall early/ winter so cutting off the spike will only redirect the energy of the plant to it's root and leaf system.
Cin

[Bikerdoc5968]

Don't mean to steal anyone's thunder, but I've noticed similar changes to some of my phals also....my situation may be different so again I apologize...Your 1st pic looks alittle out of focus and for me it almost looks like the leave is infected, but it is hard to tell. These pics are of 3 different phals which have all been in different locations in the GH. Two of them, have met with some hard times, no thanks to ME! Wo my question is this: Do both of us have the same or different problems? I thought for me it might be a virus. There are no foul-smelling brown spots...no weaping stuff...no black mold-looking material....just yellow.


This plant, I believe, despite the crown rot, has got an old leave that is naturally dying....then again maybe not?






This plant did sustain some sunburn last year (cut leave) but not to the yellowing leave which began this year about 1 month ago.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Lex - I agree with Cin. Repot and cut away the dead roots. I would like to see a close-up photo of the leaf from the first photo. It might be something else, but it is hard to tell and I don't want to speak out of turn.

Doc, besides the crown rot as you note, it looks to me like the spotting might be from a nutrient deficiency. The one leaf with the yellowing looks natural and is probably just arriving at its time. The yellow spotting within the leaves, if not associated with any smell or mushy parts could be caused by fertilizer issues. It could be something that was done to the orchid before you purchased it but I do not believe it is a virus. The plants look healthy and the roots seem thick and full. Keep an eye on it, but my opinion is to not worry. Maybe it is just adjusting to different care with you?

Cheers,
BD

[Lex3414]

Hey Doc, no worries we are all here to learn and discuss!

BD,

Below are some more close up shots of the leaves, still not perfectly clear but gives you a better idea. 3 shots total, one is of the normal looking leaf, the other 2 are of the top and underside of the leaf I am concerned about.

I will be repotting soon, but is there anything I need to look out for beside root rot when repotting? Scary little critters perhaps?

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Hi Lex,

The close up photos are fine. They give me a better idea of what you are talking about. To me, it appears to be fungal in nature. I suspect that there is not adequate air movement around this phal and the leaf stayed wet (perhaps on the underside) and developed a fungal infection.

Unpot out of the sphag, cut off the spike, spray the plant with a fungicide, and finally repot in a bark mix that you can more easily monitor for dryness or moisture. Put a fan near the orchid to provide constant air movement. The damaged leaf will not heal, but do not cut it off. It will die off on its own. If it is too ugly to bear, you can cut it half off leaving the more healthy part attached to the plant, but then you need to carefully help the cut edge heal so that it doesn't allow more problems. If it were mine, I would leave the leaf alone and let it die away in its own time.

Most likely, a new leaf will develop. I have had phals that have lost all of their leaves and I kept them in a shady area and watered just enough to give them a chance and usually they have grown new leaves.

One other comment - don't 'over care' for this phal. Repot it, keep air moving around it, and let it grow.

Cheers,
BD

[Lex3414]

Thanks again BD!

This orchid I purchased for $10 in China Town, when I repotted it the first time into a clay pot the medium was ALL moss and there was no air movement at all. I suspect this is a way of cutting costs (?)...although the other orchids in the store are potted in chips. Not sure if they is a rhyme or reason to it, but there is a weird political undertone of flower growers & stores in this city: You either pay $85 for a phal or $10 and I dont know if the more expensive ones are any healthier than the cheap ones when you get them!

Hopefully I can salvage the little guy....If anyone has a suggestion for a reliable orchid nursery, in the city or new jersey I'm open to suggestions. Please pm me with the suggestions.