Hello everyone,

One of my orchids is looking very very sick and I'm hoping someone can tell me whats wrong.

I've kept a phaeleanopsis for about a year now, and that one was fine (so I assume the growing conditions, level of watering etc. are ok), until I bought 4 more orchids about 2 months ago, and then it's all gone down hill. The new orchids weren't looking very happy about a week after I got them, which I assumed was shock, because it was very cold that day (and I had to wait outside with them for ages for the bus!). But they were doing alright, the real problem was then with my old orchid - 2 leaves went yellow and brown (about 6 weeks ago), so I cut them off. I now have brown indentations surrounded by light patches on the leaves, which I think is a fungus - I have just covered the leaves with cinammon, so can't send a pic :-) Then, 3 days ago, one of the new phals (which had started to look pretty healthy again) started to drop its flowers really quickly and the leaf started to go yellow. The yellow is spreading really fast and now nearly all the leaf is yellow (see pic). The yellow bit has a shrivelled appearance. I'm thinking I should cut it off (with a sterilised knife), but it only has 3 leaves! And there is no new growth. What is happenning to it, and why?

The only thing I think that I could have done wrong was going away for 2 weeks over Christmas and therefore not watering it. But the temp of the flat never dropped below 15 celcius. Anyway, now my other phal is starting to develop a yellow leaf. I am quite sad at their untimely demises, so please help. Emma x

PS. I can't upload the photos, but will try attach them later