Broken leaf

[birdbrain]

Hi friends, I just love this time of year when one finds orchids on clearance. My friend who knows how much I adore my orchids and couldn’t pass this up. Naturally no tag my guess would be a phal? Still having flowers on the orchid hopefully someone out there will know exactly what it is. My friend paid 2.99 for her. One set back she has a broken leaf I’m not sure how or what I do or not do with it otherwise she looks good. Can anyone please reply to lead me in the right direction with this issue? Pease and thank you I come here first for advice....B

[Roberta]

It is a Phal NOID. I would leave the broken leaf in place for now - it is green. If it is attached at all, it can still provide energy to the plant. Eventually the broken part will probably turn brown, especially if it is has no connection to the plant. at that point you can remove that part. But my general rules, is "If it is green, leave it alone". You don't want to take away a something that may still be contributing in the name of aesthetics.

[camille1585]

I agree with Roberta. Leave it, and if the end section does yellow and die later, you can trim it off.

My only concern (if I'm right about what I think I see in the photo) is the pot. it looks like it's in one of those very soft transparent plastic pots and potted in sphagnum? If so I would repot it since those soft pots generally only have one drainage hole, and tightly packed sphag can be difficult to water correctly. Unless of course, you have grown orchids potted like this before and do fine with them!

[birdbrain]

Thank you Roberta and Camille, I appreciate te very helpful advice. Ok I won’t touch the leaf for now because it’s still green. It looked like to me that there might be a wee tiny bit still connected. It also appears to be “scabbing” around the fracture. I will definitely keep a very close eye on. Yes it is potted in a flimsy plastic container. Do I repot only after the blooms are gone. I’d sacrifice the blooms for the greater good of the plant. Thank you ladies❤️.....B

[Roberta]

Phals don't seem to mind being repotted in bloom. Just clean off the old medium (moss) gently, don't worry about getting it all. If the center is impacted (dry/solid as a rock) soak it for an hour or so to loosen it up, then you can use fingers or a wood barbecue skewer to tease it out. It will certainly be happier in new medium (preferably bark unless you are really comfortable with sphag) in a new pot, to get air around those roots. But the flowers probably won't miss a beat, until they are ready to drop anyway.

[birdbrain]

Thank y’all that helped me with the broken leaf. Issue. I finally repotted the broken leaf got a little trauma during my repot but is still attached and still very much green. So all is well😘 thank you again