I've had good luck with Phals, but I've read that you can minimize
crown rot problems if you support pots in a semi-horizontal position, or
even mount the plants on bark.
Tom


From:
Organization: AT&T Broadband
Newsgroups: rec.gardens.orchids
Date: Sat, 29 Mar 2003 15:43:23 GMT
Subject: crown rot

Thanks for the advice! This was an unknown cross that I bought at my
local nursery, so I guess I will just say goodbye, even though I hate
to give up on anything that looks halfway alive. I'll give phals one
last try and buy a replacement--which I will immediately put into
PrimeAgra so I don't kill it by over-watering it or over-head watering
it. Carter and Holmes has some nice phal crosses--and some nice
species. The mini catts that I've bought from them are as tough as
nails, so maybe their phals are too.


In article k.net,
"Gene Schurg" wrote:

Hang in there Cady!

Crown rot seems to occur when water gets into the crown and foster bacteria.
I've also seen it when the young leaf is forming and damage occurs to that
leaf. The leaf dies and rots out the entire crown. Maybe it was bug damage
or just rough handling....who knows for sure.

You have to decide at this point how much the plant is worth to you. Some
Phals will send out a new lead from a domant bud. It will be a couple of
years before the plant fully recovers if the plant does this.

If the plant was a generic phal you purchased to enjoy the blooms then I'd
say dump it and start over. If it was a gift from a child who saved pennies
to buy it for dear aunt Cady then you will do anything to keep it alive.

I'd say about 90% of the phals that get crown rot never make it back to
blooming again. The ones I've had recover usually had a healthy leaf left
to nurish the plant until the new growth get large enough to survive.

Some Phals are very prone to crown rot. I've killed a dozen Phal amablis
species over the years. I finally put one in a hanging basket hung on end
to keep the water from building up in the crown.

Phals are beginner plants but we have to keep it challenging. This is what
keeps us separate from the African Violet growers!

Good Growing,
Gene






wrote in message
t...
A phal with dying leaves turned out to have crown rot, even though I
was sure that it wasn't. Even spraying with Physan 20 didn't stop the
rot. Now I have a pot with lots of healthy roots but no leaves. Is
there any way to save the plant and have it grow more leaves, or should
I just admit failure and move on? (I don't know why people call these
"beginners' orchids"--I keep killing them, but my catts and dendrobiums
do just fine.)