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Phal: Healthy roots, dying leaves
I have had a phal (further ID unknown) for about a year now, and the
roots are thriving, thick, green, and happy. They are, in fact, filling a five-inch pot. The leaves, however, are not happy. Over the past SIX MONTHS, the lower leaves have, one by one, begun yellowing at the tip and then falling off. Currently, it is down to one yellow leaf and one new, small, medium-green leaf that looks very healthy. What am I doing wrong? Two months ago, I repotted the plant in a clear plastic orchid pot with medium bark and rocks in the bottom for good drainage (no change in leaf health, but the roots continued to thrive). It sits in an east-facing sunroom window. My temperatures (NE USA) run 80-65 degrees. Three fans are running at all times. I use a very dilute fertilizer. I squirt it daily so the roots are always a little moist--and I keep water out of the crown (no crown rot). I've sprayed the leaves with fungicide and pesticide. I've examined the leaves with a jeweler's loupe, and I can't see any bugs. The phal next to it has perfectly healthy leaves and is blooming, so what is wrong with this plant? How can the roots be so healthy when the leaves are so unhealthy? If all the leaves drop off, should I keep watering the roots and hope for more leaves? Thanks for any insight. |
Phal: Healthy roots, dying leaves
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Healthy roots, dying leaves
That does not sound like a plant with healthy roots. Are you sure they're
OK? -- Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids http://www.firstrays.com Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info! wrote in message t... I have had a phal (further ID unknown) for about a year now, and the roots are thriving, thick, green, and happy. They are, in fact, filling a five-inch pot. The leaves, however, are not happy. Over the past SIX MONTHS, the lower leaves have, one by one, begun yellowing at the tip and then falling off. Currently, it is down to one yellow leaf and one new, small, medium-green leaf that looks very healthy. What am I doing wrong? Two months ago, I repotted the plant in a clear plastic orchid pot with medium bark and rocks in the bottom for good drainage (no change in leaf health, but the roots continued to thrive). It sits in an east-facing sunroom window. My temperatures (NE USA) run 80-65 degrees. Three fans are running at all times. I use a very dilute fertilizer. I squirt it daily so the roots are always a little moist--and I keep water out of the crown (no crown rot). I've sprayed the leaves with fungicide and pesticide. I've examined the leaves with a jeweler's loupe, and I can't see any bugs. The phal next to it has perfectly healthy leaves and is blooming, so what is wrong with this plant? How can the roots be so healthy when the leaves are so unhealthy? If all the leaves drop off, should I keep watering the roots and hope for more leaves? Thanks for any insight. |
Phal: Healthy roots, dying leaves
In article , Karen
wrote: wrote: I have had a phal (further ID unknown) for about a year now, and the roots are thriving, thick, green, and happy. They are, in fact, filling a five-inch pot. The leaves, however, are not happy. Over the past SIX MONTHS, the lower leaves have, one by one, begun yellowing at the tip and then falling off. Currently, it is down to one yellow leaf and one new, small, medium-green leaf that looks very healthy. What am I doing wrong? Two months ago, I repotted the plant in a clear plastic orchid pot with medium bark and rocks in the bottom for good drainage (no change in leaf health, but the roots continued to thrive). It sits in an east-facing sunroom window. My temperatures (NE USA) run 80-65 degrees. Three fans are running at all times. I use a very dilute fertilizer. I squirt it daily so the roots are always a little moist--and I keep water out of the crown (no crown rot). I've sprayed the leaves with fungicide and pesticide. I've examined the leaves with a jeweler's loupe, and I can't see any bugs. The phal next to it has perfectly healthy leaves and is blooming, so what is wrong with this plant? How can the roots be so healthy when the leaves are so unhealthy? If all the leaves drop off, should I keep watering the roots and hope for more leaves? Thanks for any insight. The crown of the plant is ok, in that you are not suffering any crown rot? Karen Not a bit of crown rot. The junction of the remaining two leaves is solid green, and the "stem" below them, which is about two inches long (after the other leaves died), is green and healthy. "Death" of the leaves typically starts at the leaf tip and then works back to the center, until the entire leaf is yellow and drops off. |
Healthy roots, dying leaves
how old is this phal, and how many times has it bllomed? We were discussing
Phals at the OS meeting this week and it was mentioned that Phals can be over bloomed. The Speaker rarely saw a phal over 10 yrs old. Just a thought. Diane "Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message ... That does not sound like a plant with healthy roots. Are you sure they're OK? -- Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids http://www.firstrays.com Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info! wrote in message t... I have had a phal (further ID unknown) for about a year now, and the roots are thriving, thick, green, and happy. They are, in fact, filling a five-inch pot. The leaves, however, are not happy. Over the past SIX MONTHS, the lower leaves have, one by one, begun yellowing at the tip and then falling off. Currently, it is down to one yellow leaf and one new, small, medium-green leaf that looks very healthy. What am I doing wrong? Two months ago, I repotted the plant in a clear plastic orchid pot with medium bark and rocks in the bottom for good drainage (no change in leaf health, but the roots continued to thrive). It sits in an east-facing sunroom window. My temperatures (NE USA) run 80-65 degrees. Three fans are running at all times. I use a very dilute fertilizer. I squirt it daily so the roots are always a little moist--and I keep water out of the crown (no crown rot). I've sprayed the leaves with fungicide and pesticide. I've examined the leaves with a jeweler's loupe, and I can't see any bugs. The phal next to it has perfectly healthy leaves and is blooming, so what is wrong with this plant? How can the roots be so healthy when the leaves are so unhealthy? If all the leaves drop off, should I keep watering the roots and hope for more leaves? Thanks for any insight. |
Healthy roots, dying leaves
I think your speaker told more than he knows.
Before the "big freeze" that completely wiped me out, I had a pink-spotted white phal that had bloomed reliably for 17 or 18 years. As a matter of fact, due to size and maturity, it got better every year. -- Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids http://www.firstrays.com Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info! "Diane Mancino" wrote in message t... how old is this phal, and how many times has it bllomed? We were discussing Phals at the OS meeting this week and it was mentioned that Phals can be over bloomed. The Speaker rarely saw a phal over 10 yrs old. Just a thought. Diane "Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message ... That does not sound like a plant with healthy roots. Are you sure they're OK? -- Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids http://www.firstrays.com Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info! wrote in message t... I have had a phal (further ID unknown) for about a year now, and the roots are thriving, thick, green, and happy. They are, in fact, filling a five-inch pot. The leaves, however, are not happy. Over the past SIX MONTHS, the lower leaves have, one by one, begun yellowing at the tip and then falling off. Currently, it is down to one yellow leaf and one new, small, medium-green leaf that looks very healthy. What am I doing wrong? Two months ago, I repotted the plant in a clear plastic orchid pot with medium bark and rocks in the bottom for good drainage (no change in leaf health, but the roots continued to thrive). It sits in an east-facing sunroom window. My temperatures (NE USA) run 80-65 degrees. Three fans are running at all times. I use a very dilute fertilizer. I squirt it daily so the roots are always a little moist--and I keep water out of the crown (no crown rot). I've sprayed the leaves with fungicide and pesticide. I've examined the leaves with a jeweler's loupe, and I can't see any bugs. The phal next to it has perfectly healthy leaves and is blooming, so what is wrong with this plant? How can the roots be so healthy when the leaves are so unhealthy? If all the leaves drop off, should I keep watering the roots and hope for more leaves? Thanks for any insight. |
Phal: Healthy roots, dying leaves
In article ,
wrote: In article , Karen wrote: wrote: I have had a phal (further ID unknown) for about a year now, and the roots are thriving, thick, green, and happy. They are, in fact, filling a five-inch pot. The leaves, however, are not happy. Over the past SIX MONTHS, the lower leaves have, one by one, begun yellowing at the tip and then falling off. Currently, it is down to one yellow leaf and one new, small, medium-green leaf that looks very healthy. What am I doing wrong? Two months ago, I repotted the plant in a clear plastic orchid pot with medium bark and rocks in the bottom for good drainage (no change in leaf health, but the roots continued to thrive). It sits in an east-facing sunroom window. My temperatures (NE USA) run 80-65 degrees. Three fans are running at all times. I use a very dilute fertilizer. I squirt it daily so the roots are always a little moist--and I keep water out of the crown (no crown rot). I've sprayed the leaves with fungicide and pesticide. I've examined the leaves with a jeweler's loupe, and I can't see any bugs. The phal next to it has perfectly healthy leaves and is blooming, so what is wrong with this plant? How can the roots be so healthy when the leaves are so unhealthy? If all the leaves drop off, should I keep watering the roots and hope for more leaves? Thanks for any insight. The crown of the plant is ok, in that you are not suffering any crown rot? Karen Not a bit of crown rot. The junction of the remaining two leaves is solid green, and the "stem" below them, which is about two inches long (after the other leaves died), is green and healthy. "Death" of the leaves typically starts at the leaf tip and then works back to the center, until the entire leaf is yellow and drops off. This morning, I unpotted it, just to check the roots. The roots are a very bright green--in fact, they are an unnaturally bright "mossy" green. The bits of chopped moss that I had mixed in with the bark are tinged with that same bright green. The media seems super hydrated--perhaps too much so. I'll try not misting it for a few days. |
Phal: Healthy roots, dying leaves
writes:
This morning, I unpotted it, just to check the roots. The roots are a very bright green--in fact, they are an unnaturally bright "mossy" green. The bits of chopped moss that I had mixed in with the bark are Sounds like algae to me. Geir |
Healthy roots, dying leaves
It's not an old plant. I've had it for a year, and it was blooming when
I bought it. After taking the roots out of the pot this morning, I think that my problem is that the roots have been too moist because they are such a mossy green. Another poster said that it sounded like algae. In article , "Diane Mancino" wrote: how old is this phal, and how many times has it bllomed? We were discussing Phals at the OS meeting this week and it was mentioned that Phals can be over bloomed. The Speaker rarely saw a phal over 10 yrs old. Just a thought. Diane "Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message ... That does not sound like a plant with healthy roots. Are you sure they're OK? -- Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids http://www.firstrays.com Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info! wrote in message t... I have had a phal (further ID unknown) for about a year now, and the roots are thriving, thick, green, and happy. They are, in fact, filling a five-inch pot. The leaves, however, are not happy. Over the past SIX MONTHS, the lower leaves have, one by one, begun yellowing at the tip and then falling off. Currently, it is down to one yellow leaf and one new, small, medium-green leaf that looks very healthy. What am I doing wrong? Two months ago, I repotted the plant in a clear plastic orchid pot with medium bark and rocks in the bottom for good drainage (no change in leaf health, but the roots continued to thrive). It sits in an east-facing sunroom window. My temperatures (NE USA) run 80-65 degrees. Three fans are running at all times. I use a very dilute fertilizer. I squirt it daily so the roots are always a little moist--and I keep water out of the crown (no crown rot). I've sprayed the leaves with fungicide and pesticide. I've examined the leaves with a jeweler's loupe, and I can't see any bugs. The phal next to it has perfectly healthy leaves and is blooming, so what is wrong with this plant? How can the roots be so healthy when the leaves are so unhealthy? If all the leaves drop off, should I keep watering the roots and hope for more leaves? Thanks for any insight. |
Phal: Healthy roots, dying leaves
Are the roots firm, or soft and mushy? Firm is good, soft and mushy means dead
roots. |
Phal: Healthy roots, dying leaves
|
Phal: Healthy roots, dying leaves
I would give the plant a good bath with Physan & repot. I have also found
that algae accumulates when using the clear pots? Cheers Wendy wrote in message t... In article , (IiSpankyii) wrote: Are the roots firm, or soft and mushy? Firm is good, soft and mushy means dead roots. They are very firm. |
Phal: Healthy roots, dying leaves
Any time you have moisture, nutrients, and light, you'll have algae. It
really is of little to no consequence as far as i can tell, unless it builds up to the black slime often seen on media such as rock wool. Then it tends to choke off air flow to the roots. -- Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids http://www.firstrays.com Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info! "Wendy" wrote in message news:PgPda.1792$Bq6.938@fed1read02... I would give the plant a good bath with Physan & repot. I have also found that algae accumulates when using the clear pots? Cheers Wendy wrote in message t... In article , (IiSpankyii) wrote: Are the roots firm, or soft and mushy? Firm is good, soft and mushy means dead roots. They are very firm. |
Healthy roots, dying leaves
I'm glad to hear that. Wonder who has the oldest Phal in this newsgroup.
Discussion was on how they can "bloom themselves to death." What do you think. My new phal is reblooming off a broken shoot Do you let your phal rebloom off the shoot , or cut the shoot back so it only blooms 1 x a year Diane "Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message ... I think your speaker told more than he knows. Before the "big freeze" that completely wiped me out, I had a pink-spotted white phal that had bloomed reliably for 17 or 18 years. As a matter of fact, due to size and maturity, it got better every year. -- Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids http://www.firstrays.com Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info! "Diane Mancino" wrote in message t... how old is this phal, and how many times has it bllomed? We were discussing Phals at the OS meeting this week and it was mentioned that Phals can be over bloomed. The Speaker rarely saw a phal over 10 yrs old. Just a thought. Diane "Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message ... That does not sound like a plant with healthy roots. Are you sure they're OK? -- Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids http://www.firstrays.com Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info! wrote in message t... I have had a phal (further ID unknown) for about a year now, and the roots are thriving, thick, green, and happy. They are, in fact, filling a five-inch pot. The leaves, however, are not happy. Over the past SIX MONTHS, the lower leaves have, one by one, begun yellowing at the tip and then falling off. Currently, it is down to one yellow leaf and one new, small, medium-green leaf that looks very healthy. What am I doing wrong? Two months ago, I repotted the plant in a clear plastic orchid pot with medium bark and rocks in the bottom for good drainage (no change in leaf health, but the roots continued to thrive). It sits in an east-facing sunroom window. My temperatures (NE USA) run 80-65 degrees. Three fans are running at all times. I use a very dilute fertilizer. I squirt it daily so the roots are always a little moist--and I keep water out of the crown (no crown rot). I've sprayed the leaves with fungicide and pesticide. I've examined the leaves with a jeweler's loupe, and I can't see any bugs. The phal next to it has perfectly healthy leaves and is blooming, so what is wrong with this plant? How can the roots be so healthy when the leaves are so unhealthy? If all the leaves drop off, should I keep watering the roots and hope for more leaves? Thanks for any insight. |
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