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Old 26-04-2005, 08:56 PM
 
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Default blooming moss and splitting leaves

The good news first: while watering and feeding my plant today I
noticed my hardware store phal is growing another new leaf (that's the
second since I've owned it), the blossoms are still on and looking
good (they started blooming before Christmas), the new branch (yes I
know that's the wrong term) is slowly getting bigger and it looks like
I'm getting my first new spike -- either that or the plant is
developing some sort of strange tumour/growth. The spike can best be
described as a conical (almost cylindrical) half-centimetre growth
originating from the point where the lowest leaf joins the main
stem/spike.

Now to the questions:

1. Is it a bad sign that my last new leaf has started to split? The
leaf is about four-inches long and it is has about a half centimetre
split that runs lengthwise along the centre of the leaf. Where it has
split the colour has turned from green to beige/light brown.

2. The plant is in a growing medium (the stuff that looks like regular
soil to my untrained eye but I'm assuming that's not what it is) and a
top layer of moss of the brown variety. Sorry for not being able to
provide specifics. Lately I've been noticing that the moss is turning
green and it looks like it is trying to grow. Should I be worried
about that? Whenever I've seen it, I've carefully picked the green
bits out and tossed them in the garbage, but I see today that it has
started to happen again. Should I keep "pruning" it or should I leave
it alone?

Now I really don't want to repot this plant because it seems to be
generally healthy, it is still growing, and because I really don't
know what I'm doing. This is all still very new to me, and since I'm
trying to prevent this orchid thing from becoming an obsession, I'm
trying not to overdose on research -- which is a trap into which I
could easily stumble. I just want to keep my phal alive and healthy
for as long as possible without taking heroic measures.
--Vic


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Old 27-04-2005, 02:55 AM
Susan Erickson
 
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Default

On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 18:56:43 GMT, da wrote:

The good news first: while watering and feeding my plant today I
noticed my hardware store phal is growing another new leaf (that's the
second since I've owned it), the blossoms are still on and looking
good (they started blooming before Christmas), the new branch (yes I
know that's the wrong term) is slowly getting bigger and it looks like
I'm getting my first new spike -- either that or the plant is
developing some sort of strange tumour/growth. The spike can best be
described as a conical (almost cylindrical) half-centimetre growth
originating from the point where the lowest leaf joins the main
stem/spike.

Now to the questions:

1. Is it a bad sign that my last new leaf has started to split? The
leaf is about four-inches long and it is has about a half centimetre
split that runs lengthwise along the centre of the leaf. Where it has
split the colour has turned from green to beige/light brown.

2. The plant is in a growing medium (the stuff that looks like regular
soil to my untrained eye but I'm assuming that's not what it is) and a
top layer of moss of the brown variety. Sorry for not being able to
provide specifics. Lately I've been noticing that the moss is turning
green and it looks like it is trying to grow. Should I be worried
about that? Whenever I've seen it, I've carefully picked the green
bits out and tossed them in the garbage, but I see today that it has
started to happen again. Should I keep "pruning" it or should I leave
it alone?

Now I really don't want to repot this plant because it seems to be
generally healthy, it is still growing, and because I really don't
know what I'm doing. This is all still very new to me, and since I'm
trying to prevent this orchid thing from becoming an obsession, I'm
trying not to overdose on research -- which is a trap into which I
could easily stumble. I just want to keep my phal alive and healthy
for as long as possible without taking heroic measures.
--Vic


Congratulations, 2 leaves are great. As well as a good long
bloom cycle. Since it is growing leaves you do not have to worry
much about the health of the plant. It would not be able to grow
leaves while it is blooming if it were being stressed by such an
extended bloom cycle. Good News.

The spike can best be

described as a conical (almost cylindrical) half-centimetre growth
originating from the point where the lowest leaf joins the main
stem/spike.


This sounds as if it could be a new aerial root rather than a new
inflorescence. That is good news too. Phals like aerial roots
as well as roots in the pot. And growing new leaves and new
roots are all healthy happy signs.

Now - as to the split -- I will let one of the phal experts
expound on it. I would guess the humidity is low. But I am not
sure of the causes.

Good growing.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php
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Old 27-04-2005, 05:37 AM
 
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On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 18:55:07 -0600, Susan Erickson
wrote:
SuE wrote:

Congratulations, 2 leaves are great. As well as a good long
bloom cycle. Since it is growing leaves you do not have to worry
much about the health of the plant. It would not be able to grow
leaves while it is blooming if it were being stressed by such an
extended bloom cycle. Good News.

The spike can best be

described as a conical (almost cylindrical) half-centimetre growth
originating from the point where the lowest leaf joins the main
stem/spike.


This sounds as if it could be a new aerial root rather than a new
inflorescence. That is good news too. Phals like aerial roots
as well as roots in the pot. And growing new leaves and new
roots are all healthy happy signs.

Now - as to the split -- I will let one of the phal experts
expound on it. I would guess the humidity is low. But I am not
sure of the causes.

Good growing.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php


Thanks SuE,

I run a humidifier in the apartment 24/7 during the fall, winter and
early spring. I don't do if for the plants though, this place is just
too dry and I'm not comfortable unless it's running. Actually maybe
the heat has something to do with it. The place has been warm enough
for weeks that I've had it off, but it has been on for the past few
days thanks to this cool front that we've been experiencing recently.
Unfortunately the plant has to sit closer to the heater than I'd
prefer in an ideal world, but my window space and available light is
severely limited.

I don't have any tool to measure the humidity levels in the rooms. I
just set it run until I can just see water vapour forming on the
windows.

My plant currently doesn't have any aerial roots. There is one root
that is close to the surface -- I can just see it under a thin spot in
the mossy cover, but it is still mostly concealed.
--Vic


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Old 27-04-2005, 05:47 PM
 
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On Tue, 26 Apr 2005 22:45:37 -0600, Susan Erickson
wrote:



Vic -

I forgot the moss. I let it green up. I like the natural look
of it around the plants. Other people don't like it. If it
turns BLACK definitely spray with a fungicide and clean it out.
But green looks like a tree would with the moss, and stuff around
the plant.
SuE
http://orchids.legolas.org/gallery/albums.php



Sue,

Thanks for the follow-up. The moss was my biggest concern. I don't
mind the colour at all. I just didn't want the moss to transfer
anything unhealthy to the phal, and since I wasn't sure if it was
supposed to be growing or not.
--Vic



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Old 27-04-2005, 09:23 PM
Kenni Judd
 
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As long as the "moss" is green, it's probably a good rather than a bad sign.

On the new "spike" -- my guess, too, is that's a new root. You should be
able to tell when it's about a half-inch. If it's a spike, all will stay
green; by that size, a root will start to show white velamen except at the
tip.

The split leaf is most probably due to over-feeding [causes weak new growth
prone to splits]. A lot of plants sold in big-box stores have an
over-abundance of time-release fert. in their pots ... although it could
also be mechanical damage, if it's been bumped or bent while being moved
around??? Usually not a big deal, other than cosmetically.
--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids
http://www.jborchids.com

wrote in message
...
The good news first: while watering and feeding my plant today I
noticed my hardware store phal is growing another new leaf (that's the
second since I've owned it), the blossoms are still on and looking
good (they started blooming before Christmas), the new branch (yes I
know that's the wrong term) is slowly getting bigger and it looks like
I'm getting my first new spike -- either that or the plant is
developing some sort of strange tumour/growth. The spike can best be
described as a conical (almost cylindrical) half-centimetre growth
originating from the point where the lowest leaf joins the main
stem/spike.

Now to the questions:

1. Is it a bad sign that my last new leaf has started to split? The
leaf is about four-inches long and it is has about a half centimetre
split that runs lengthwise along the centre of the leaf. Where it has
split the colour has turned from green to beige/light brown.

2. The plant is in a growing medium (the stuff that looks like regular
soil to my untrained eye but I'm assuming that's not what it is) and a
top layer of moss of the brown variety. Sorry for not being able to
provide specifics. Lately I've been noticing that the moss is turning
green and it looks like it is trying to grow. Should I be worried
about that? Whenever I've seen it, I've carefully picked the green
bits out and tossed them in the garbage, but I see today that it has
started to happen again. Should I keep "pruning" it or should I leave
it alone?

Now I really don't want to repot this plant because it seems to be
generally healthy, it is still growing, and because I really don't
know what I'm doing. This is all still very new to me, and since I'm
trying to prevent this orchid thing from becoming an obsession, I'm
trying not to overdose on research -- which is a trap into which I
could easily stumble. I just want to keep my phal alive and healthy
for as long as possible without taking heroic measures.
--Vic




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Old 27-04-2005, 10:13 PM
 
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Default

On Wed, 27 Apr 2005 15:23:56 -0400, "Kenni Judd"
wrote:

As long as the "moss" is green, it's probably a good rather than a bad sign.

On the new "spike" -- my guess, too, is that's a new root. You should be
able to tell when it's about a half-inch. If it's a spike, all will stay
green; by that size, a root will start to show white velamen except at the
tip.

The split leaf is most probably due to over-feeding [causes weak new growth
prone to splits]. A lot of plants sold in big-box stores have an
over-abundance of time-release fert. in their pots ... although it could
also be mechanical damage, if it's been bumped or bent while being moved
around??? Usually not a big deal, other than cosmetically.
--
Kenni Judd
Juno Beach Orchids
http://www.jborchids.com



Thanks Kenni,

The plant has been getting fed with each watering since it stared
blooming. Before blooming it got fed on every second or third or third
or fourth watering. I figure I'll stop feeding (at least for a while)
once the blooms are gone.

I might have bumped the leaf -- although I figure I would have bashed
the larger, more mature leaves before I'd ever come into contact with
the smaller, higher leaf -- but I'm not aware of doing so. I try to be
careful with the silly thing. g

I appreciate the description of the root. If it suddenly turned white,
I'd probably have panicked.
--Vic










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