Phal post-mortem...

[Nic100]

Well, I have killed my first orchid. I feel worse because it was my mother's, and I've been reassuring her for months that she won't kill it! I was right... she didn't but I think I might have.

Last weekend all the flowers fell off, almost overnight. Turns out my Grandmother had turned the heating up during the day and then overnight the temperature had dropped quite significantly. I trimmed the spike, and repotted in bark with perlite. It had been in loose sphag, and some of the roots weren't in great shape, so I trimmed them too. The leaves looked great, and I moved it upstairs to a bedroom on a shaded east facing windowsill. Mum didn't water it again till this morning when she noticed all the leaves were just lying in the bark!!!

What I'd like to know is where you think I went wrong so I can make sure I don't do it again! I'm not 100% sure what this one has been a victim off - my first thought was crown rot, but I wonder if it's root rot? There is a big mushy mess where the leaves have fallen off. There was a white furry mould growing around the base of the roots and crown, but I rinsed it off to get a better look. Some of the roots are black, smelly and mushy, too.

Mum has ask me to rescue it... I've told her that I don't think that the whole of Orchidboard could put this humpty back together again!

I've got 8 thriving (I think) phals myself, and have repotted all of them without a problem. However there are some things I did or didn't do this time, which may have contributed!

1. Didn't dab the cut roots with cinnamon.
2. Didn't sterilise the scissors.
(I always do these things usually - I have no idea why I didn't this time!!)
3. Potted it quite deep in the bark - can the crown rot from lower down??

Could those have been the cause in just 7 days? Or do you think it started earlier, before I repotted?

The pics below aren't some creature from the deep... they actually are the remains of this poor fella.

If you've any thoughts I'd be glad to hear them!

Nicky

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Why not try what you did with your Phal parishii?

It's not dead until everything dies.

[Nic100]

Really... you think I can save it??

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Give it a go, you never know.

Your Phal parishii isn't dead yet is it?

I mean, you've got nothing to loose anyways. The Phal you're asking about right now is this far gone. What the heck, just do it and see what happens.

[Nic100]

You're right - there's nothing to lose!! Except I don't have anything to mount it on... any suggestions for the short term??

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I don't know, what do you have? Or what can you get a hold of right away?

[Nic100]

I've got some sphag... n'bag it???

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I really don't recommend the sphag and bag method for something like this.

Can you cut a good sized branch from a tree in your back yard? Maybe a tree that needed trimming to begin with. Try to shoot for a tree that doesn't have bark that smells like chemicals if you know what I mean.

A bark that smells like chemicals is leaching out biochemicals that may inhibit growth. That's not what you want.

What you want is something that doesn't smell at all.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Apple tree branch?

Cherry tree branch?

Peach tree?

Plum tree?

Nectarine tree?

Oak tree?

Any fruit trees that have woody bark?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Firewood without lighter fluid?

Wood for reptiles?

A piece of 2x4?