mushy leaves on my Phals

[giovannarosa]

I have a few phals that seem to get a leaf that turns watery and rots while the rest of the leaves look healthy. I've just been cutting them at the point where they are still healthy. and it stops before reaching the main part of the plant. I just don't know what is causing this. I know it's not being burned because I have a shade between the east windows so that the sun is not on them. I only water once a week. The affected leaves get very soft, mushy and full of liquid. Any ideas? I can't take a picture because when I find a leaf like that I cut it off and throw it away. Has this happened to anyone else?

[Kmac]

I am not an expert, but it sounds like a disease to me...this link might help you ID what the problem is:
Orchid Diseases

[giovannarosa]

Dear Kathi, After looking at the picture on that site, I thought it looked like the bacterial rot. I applied powdered sulfur to the main stem where I removed the infected leaf because after I posted I checked on that plant again and noticed that it went further in to the main stem. I also grow other garden flowers and sometimes I use that on iris rhizomes to seal cuts and stop rot. I also repotted this plant although there were a lot of great looking roots. That's why I couldn't figure this out. I sure hope it doesn't spread to my orther plants. I have about 44 phals and several other types that I grow on my east- south facing sunporch that i keep those white bamboo shades on with a fan and windows open when It is hot. Thank you for your response. It helped me greatly.

[pelegandolar]

Um, bump? I hope I have permission to bump--I need to post 5 times before I can have pictures! And I am so overwhelmed trying to figure out where the heck I can post anything! I had a white NOID phal that got mushy leaves, too. It started out healthy, but I let the vendor at the place where I bought it pack it tightly into an outer decorative pot using sphagnum moss. (If I knew then what I know now...) I hope yours turned out OK--I tossed mine. It had suffocated because it was all packed in with sphagnum. So yes, I have seen leaves get weird and mushy.

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Um, bump? I hope I have permission to bump--I need to post 5 times before I can have pictures! And I am so overwhelmed trying to figure out where the heck I can post anything! I had a white NOID phal that got mushy leaves, too. It started out healthy, but I let the vendor at the place where I bought it pack it tightly into an outer decorative pot using sphagnum moss. (If I knew then what I know now...) I hope yours turned out OK--I tossed mine. It had suffocated because it was all packed in with sphagnum. So yes, I have seen leaves get weird and mushy.

Not sure what you mean about not being able to post photos. You can post photos as soon as you post your first message. See the link in my signature for information on how to post photos.

cheers,
BD

[snowghost45]

I've had issues too with posting pics. You have to make them really small and then copy and save and then I don't know where the computer saved them. If I use my pics in an email, all I have to do is attach, download and send. Posting them here is really difficult.

[snowghost45]

I too have a phal with mushy leaves. I looked at the web site posted here and the leaves on my plant look nothing like the ones displayed.

[giovannarosa]

I did loose several to that rot. I think it was caused by the excessive heat of summer. I had the windows open, but It was in the 90's a lot this past summer. All seems well now and am awaiting this seasons blooms. Most have spikes. I really don't know how to solve the problem of such heat in my sunroom, other than what I already do.

[snowghost45]

Well, I live in a drafty apartment and it's certainly not hot I currently have it in the sun. Maybe after I watered it, it didn't dry out quickly enough?