Phalaenopsis Shriveled

[Lanfears]

Hello

I'm glad I have found this forum, there is alot of very useful info here.

I love my orchids but I must be doing something wrong.
I bought this one about a year ago, it has been fine until now.

The leaves have wilted a bit and gone one has gone crinkly at the edges. I have read that its a hydration issue.

If I want to soak my orchid what is the best way to do this?

It is currently in a bark medium.

Also the newest leaf has a kink in it?
I have no idea what is causing this.

I have just noticed that the new flower spike has shriveled up in the middle and seems to be leaking sap? *cry*

Can some one please help me diagnose this orchid?

If there is a better way to search though the older posts could some one please let me know, as I tried to find a similar post to mine, but its really hard?

Thank You

[RenéeS]

Hello Lanfears, welcome to the OB
It's a shame that the spike shrivelled too! When the leaves feel soft and wilted, it's usually dehydrated. When I have that happen to mine, I fill the overpot I keep my phalaenopsis with water and leave the plant standing in it for an hour or 2. Usually it perks up a bit and the leaves turn ferm again.
Now, i can't properly see on the photo, but is the edge of the leaf in the 2nd photo turning brown? It also looks to me like it's rotting. Not sure if I'm seeing it right, I bet other members will chime in soon .

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Hello.

I recommend checking the roots and look for ones that have rotted. The dead roots should be removed to the best of your ability.

Right off the bat, I can probably say that it may have been over potted.

Another suggestion is to clean the orchid up as best as you can. Clean orchids look better and they tend to have less of a chance of contracting bacterial or fungal infections.

Remember, bacteria and fungi usually proliferate in rotting organic material.

As far as addressing your Phal's wrinkled leaves, yeah, it's from dehydration, but...I think the real culprit is not that you don't water enough. I can see you water quite a bit, as the bark is a very dark color, (almost black in fact).

I think the roots on your Phal are severely damaged, and therefore can't take up water.

As far as the kink on the leaf is concerned. I think that the following is what may have caused it...

The source of the light may be where the leaf with the kink was pointed at. In other words, the crown of your Phal may have been pointed away from the light source. Instead, the tip of the leaf that's kinked was pointing in the direction of the light. Am I wrong or am I close to the truth?

If I'm right, then you should be positioning a Phal's crown towards the light source. The crown is where the new leaf comes out.

In other words, you see the dried up flower spikes on your Phal? That part of the Phal should be facing the room. The other side should be pointing towards the window.

Check this link out it'll make sense. These are pics of Phals growing in the wild:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...DofktAP_2uSIBA

Thank the person who took the pics, "Sarawak Lens", they don't belong to me.

[Undergrounder]

Hi Lanfears!

Check the roots, they're possibly rotted. I think it's time for a repot, now is a good time coming into summer when there should be new root growth.

[Lanfears]

Morning Guys

Thanks so much for the reply's.
I will get some new potting media today from work and try to look at the roots, at the same time, do you think I should let it soak for an hour or two in some water with no potting media after I have looked at the roots?

As for the kink, yes I think you must be right, I may have moved its facing direction when I was checking out the spike in progress.
Here I was getting so exciting to see my first re-bloom and now it goes and dies on me.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what caused the spike to shrivel like that? And what should I do about it? Cut it off?

Thanks again guys for the reply's =]
Off to work

[Country Gramma]

Yes, I would cut off the spike along with any thing else that is obviously dead. It will just be a breeding ground for other problems. Good luck!!

Karen

[Lanfears]

Thanks for the Advice everyone.
I cut it off, it was obviously dead =[
I will be making sure the after I look at it, it will be facing the same way to avoid kinks hehe

Hopefully I can get it to spike again, it was gonna be my first re-bloom.

[Munash]

Hi! I seem to have a similar problem with a phalaenopsis I bought recently - the leaves are shriveled and soft. There is also a dark blackish colouring on the edges of one of the leaves. can anyone help? I will try to post a pic soon.

[nutgirl]

Originally Posted by Munash

Hi! I seem to have a similar problem with a phalaenopsis I bought recently - the leaves are shriveled and soft. There is also a dark blackish colouring on the edges of one of the leaves. can anyone help? I will try to post a pic soon.

Hi Munash, welcome to the Orchid Board!

Pictures would be a big help but in the meantime, have you taken the plant out of it's pot and checked the roots? They may be rotting. That's usually the cause of soft/shriveled leaves.

Depending on where you buy them and what they're potted in, phalaenopsis are often not cared for very well and the roots suffer. They are easy to repot and there's lots of info here on how to do it.

Maureen