2 Phal leaves wilting, curling, spotting on flower - Orchid Board

crazy4orchids · #1 08-15-2012, 10:08 AM

Hi all,

New to board and relatively new orchid mom, but have come on to visit and read threads. My phal has been doing fairly well for a couple of years, but suddenly yesterday, I noticed that one of her middle leaves was wilting. Later in the evening, a bottom leaf below that began curling her edges downward. Read online and wasn't sure what was going on as it seems there could be many reasons for these symptoms.

Since I recently repotted her several weeks ago with a new bark medium and the top roots look shriveled, I first thought I may be underwatering her since I have always fed her via the "ice cube" method once a week. I did thoroughly water her this morning, draining out the excess water.

While draining, I noticed some strange spots and shapes on her flower petals that appear to be new, and a new brown spot on an upper leaf!

-General care: Changes in the past several weeks may be around her repotting (gotten a yellow bottom leaf; discovered water was sitting in the bottom of the pot). She had a spike of 3 flowers; lost the outer flower a week later, and the innermost flower a few days after that.
watering/amount: She has been given the amount of water of 3 ice cubes most of her life, once a week. The only time I have ever given her a thorough watering before was right after the recent repotting and following a suggestion I read online. Since I have been so successful at watering her with the ice cube method, I had returned to that method in the past couple of weeks.
water/type of water: I used to use tap water that I would store for at least a week to dechlorinate. The past couple of months I have added a 1/8 t Schultz orchid food to a 1/2 gallon water. But online, saw suggestion to use distilled water, so have been using that the past couple of weeks.
misting: also have been misting almost daily. Have read that's not necessarily a good idea.
air flow: have left window open to air out room in the mornings for several hours.

Wanted to include photos, but discovered I can't as a new board member. Am I allowed to provide email address to allow for backchanneling? In case, to describe the spotting on her flower, there are three spots that are irregular in shape, occurring near the stem of the top petal, that appeared translucent and are now starting to brown as seen from the back of the flower.

Would appreciate possible explanations, and welcome any and all advice on general care.

Thanks for your help!