I keep my phal in a plastic pot with all the roots hidden under the compost.
In this case, how doule u water or feed the plant to avoid crown rot? just
spray mist to keep the leaves wet?



"Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message
...
I have a gigantea hybrid growing in an eight-inch basket hung sideways.
It
still provides a decent medium-holding arrangement while totally avoiding
rot.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"tom bell" wrote in message
...
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.)

Why do you want to keep the leaves wet? That's what can lead to rot.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"boochap" wrote in message
...
I keep my phal in a plastic pot with all the roots hidden under the
compost.
In this case, how doule u water or feed the plant to avoid crown rot? just
spray mist to keep the leaves wet?



"Ray @ First Rays Orchids" wrote in message
...
I have a gigantea hybrid growing in an eight-inch basket hung sideways.
It
still provides a decent medium-holding arrangement while totally
avoiding
rot.

--

Ray Barkalow First Rays Orchids
http://www.firstrays.com
Secure Online Ordering & Lots of Free Info!


"tom bell" wrote in message
...
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.)

Dear Boo:

Rule # 1: Water in the morning and make sure the plant has good air
circulation. You want the plant to have time to dry its leaves before it
goes to bed. Avoid water collecting in the crown.

Rule #2: See Rule #1.

Diana

When the ancient war dogs did battle on Sat, 5 Apr 2003 23:40:41
+0800, "boochap" did speak the following bit of
wisdom:

I keep my phal in a plastic pot with all the roots hidden under the compost.
In this case, how doule u water or feed the plant to avoid crown rot? just
spray mist to keep the leaves wet?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That's exactly what you *don't* want to do. The water will drip down
into the crown of the plant and help to cause rot. If you want to be
extra safe, you should keep water off Phal leaves as much as possible.
The exception would be if you are watering first thing in the morning
and have excellent air flow all around the plants so they can quickly
dry off. There are tricks people use, like laying the pot on its side
or tilting it so water can run away from the crown of the plant. In
any case, you want the leaves to be dry by nightfall.

Just carefully water the actual orchid media and let all the water
drain out of the pot before you replace them in their usual place.
They shouldn't stand in water.
* * * * *
Karen C.
Southern CT / USDA Zone 6
Spammers be damned! I can't be emailed from this account...

"Gardeners know all the best dirt!"

thanks!
my first phal die of crown rot....a lesson i'll not forget everytime i water
my 2nd phal.

wrote in message
...
When the ancient war dogs did battle on Sat, 5 Apr 2003 23:40:41
+0800, "boochap" did speak the following bit of
wisdom:

I keep my phal in a plastic pot with all the roots hidden under the
compost.
In this case, how doule u water or feed the plant to avoid crown rot?
just
spray mist to keep the leaves wet?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That's exactly what you *don't* want to do. The water will drip down
into the crown of the plant and help to cause rot. If you want to be
extra safe, you should keep water off Phal leaves as much as possible.
The exception would be if you are watering first thing in the morning
and have excellent air flow all around the plants so they can quickly
dry off. There are tricks people use, like laying the pot on its side
or tilting it so water can run away from the crown of the plant. In
any case, you want the leaves to be dry by nightfall.

Just carefully water the actual orchid media and let all the water
drain out of the pot before you replace them in their usual place.
They shouldn't stand in water.
* * * * *
Karen C.
Southern CT / USDA Zone 6
Spammers be damned! I can't be emailed from this account...

"Gardeners know all the best dirt!"

Fred Bergman, a local phal breeder, and sometimes contributor to Orchids and
other related publications, discovered recently that spraying water with a
little dish soap in it into the crown of the plant will allow water to drain
readily through the leaves ... the old surface tension principle. Do it
whenever the water stops draining from the crown.

As for keeping the leaves wet, etc., use a humidity tray for indoor growing
and find them a nice shady place outside as soon as nighttime temperatures
get consistently above 50 degrees. (Unless of course you live in the desert,
but you wouldn't have crown rot problems in he desert, would you?)

Mark

From: "boochap"
Organization: StarHub Internet Pte Ltd
Newsgroups: rec.gardens.orchids
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2003 01:40:02 +0800
Subject: how do u water phal to avoid crown rot?

thanks!
my first phal die of crown rot....a lesson i'll not forget everytime i water
my 2nd phal.

wrote in message
...
When the ancient war dogs did battle on Sat, 5 Apr 2003 23:40:41
+0800, "boochap" did speak the following bit of
wisdom:

I keep my phal in a plastic pot with all the roots hidden under the
compost.
In this case, how doule u water or feed the plant to avoid crown rot?
just
spray mist to keep the leaves wet?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
That's exactly what you *don't* want to do. The water will drip down
into the crown of the plant and help to cause rot. If you want to be
extra safe, you should keep water off Phal leaves as much as possible.
The exception would be if you are watering first thing in the morning
and have excellent air flow all around the plants so they can quickly
dry off. There are tricks people use, like laying the pot on its side
or tilting it so water can run away from the crown of the plant. In
any case, you want the leaves to be dry by nightfall.

Just carefully water the actual orchid media and let all the water
drain out of the pot before you replace them in their usual place.
They shouldn't stand in water.
* * * * *
Karen C.
Southern CT / USDA Zone 6
Spammers be damned! I can't be emailed from this account...

"Gardeners know all the best dirt!"

When the ancient war dogs did battle on Fri, 11 Apr 2003 01:40:02
+0800, "boochap" did speak the following bit of
wisdom:

my first phal die of crown rot....a lesson i'll not forget everytime i water
my 2nd phal.

Don't feel bad. Sometimes, you can't know why a plant will rot.
Example: I have several blooming-sized seedlings that I treat all the
same in regard to watering, light, humidity, airflow, etc. These
plants all sit next to each other. I do not make a habit of wetting up
leaves. Today, I walked past the rack and noticed that one of them had
dropped all its leaves (3) and, on further examination, it looks like
the crown had rotted. It still has some nice, plump roots. So I've
sprinkled the crown with some cinnamon and put the plant aside, away
from its siblings. If it lives, terrific. If not? Oh well... There are
6 more like it on my shelf.

I figure that any baby or young plant that fails to thrive wasn't very
strong to begin with. And if it dies, it's sad, but I chalk it up to
survival of the fittest.
* * * * *
Karen C.
Southern CT / USDA Zone 6
Spammers be damned! I can't be emailed from this account...

"Gardeners know all the best dirt!"

I recently purchased my first orchid. Within a month one by one, my blooms and now my leaves have fallen off. I'm not doing so well. Could this be crown rot? Does this mean I am overwatering? It is a phal taipei. Any advice is welcomed and appreciated. Thank you. Chrissykp

Hello!

It could be roots rot! How is the medium?
I would repot the plant in fresh medium, cut old mushy roots and give the
plant a rest !

Claude

"chrissykp" wrote in message
news:1109621328.bcef8eba78cf20a1dded6645802061d8@t eranews...
|
| I recently purchased my first orchid. Within a month one by one, my
| blooms and now my leaves have fallen off. I'm not doing so well.
| Could this be crown rot? Does this mean I am overwatering? It is a
| phal taipei. Any advice is welcomed and appreciated. Thank you.
| Chrissykp
|
|
| --
| chrissykp

Claude,
Thanks for the quick advice. So you say, take the plant out of the medium, cut mushy roots, replant in well draining pot, in fresh medium (orchid bark mix I presume) and give it a rest. And by rest you mean cut back on the watering? I have seen other people mention compost? Or do I stick to just bark. I have also seen that people mist their orchids daily? Or do I just water the medium once a week. Thanks for taking the time to answer my obviously novice questions! What does a healthy vs mushy root look like?

| Chrissykp
|
|
| --
| chrissykp[/quote]

Chrissy,
If you use spraghum moss and a few pieces of bark mixed in you'll
do fine for a medium. As a beginner read up on Phals. For instance:

Water it when it is just this side of dry or dry for one day.

When you water it don't leave water standing in it's crown and
don't leave water in a drain dish- this is a sure fire way to kill your
orchid.

Put it where it gets light (east window) but not hot.

Try not to move your orchid around - it's funny - I use a small hand
mirror to look at blooms and stems. You won't damage your plant this
way.

Keep us posted and we'll tell you the do's and don'ts - we have to
hear how your treating your plant in order to help........Burr

Thank you so much for your clear advice. I have been trying to read up on phals and just find so much conflicting advice. They also tend to use alot of jargon with which I am not yet savy. I will try your scrip and see how it goes. Thanks again.

I just joined this group and I missed the scrip....

Please repost...

Many thanks in advance

"chrissykp" wrote in message
news:1110269257.6c1c383e3abd50051955ffe5d42fee1a@t eranews...

Thank you so much for your clear advice. I have been trying to read up
on phals and just find so much conflicting advice. They also tend to
use alot of jargon with which I am not yet savy. I will try your scrip
and see how it goes. Thanks again.


--
chrissykp