While I seem to be doing well with my catts, even though several have
lost pseudobulbs because of the winter dryness and one has apparently
died from it, my phals seem to be sulking. Even though I rebloomed
one, not one of them has put out a new leaf; and a couple have lost
one or two leaves. With only two exceptions, they were all either
repotted after the last flower faded or had been repotted a few months
before I bought them (since the medium looks new, and rains a little
too fast for my taste). Apart from several dends which are in moss,
all my orchids are in either medium coconut husk chips or coir fibre,
and with a handful of exceptions, I am using clay pots.

Should I be worried that they haven't put out new leaves? Is there
some seasonality in leaf production in phals? Is there anything I can
do to stimulate leaf production? Should I forget about phals and
focus on catts and dends? Or is it a question of them being stressed
by the winter dryness and they'll put out new growth once summer
arrives with all its unbearable heat and humidity (while my plants may
love it, I suffer badly from heat, especially combined with high
humidity - living in Singapore for a couple of years was not fun for
me!)?

Cheers,

Ted

Ted,

Several of my phals seem to have the same problem and they are also potted
in medium coco husk. i'm thinking about switching them to small coco husk.
Mine are in 4" plastic pots. Many of them have a leaf or two that is limp.
The other possibility is that I have moved them to a place where the air
circulation is much greater and that may also contribute.

Bob

Ted,

If by sulking do you mean the leaves are limp and wrinkled?

I usually see that on a phal that has damaged roots. I have a few smaller
plants like that in my collection right. Something has damaged the roots.
Perhaps when they were repoted they weren't firm in the mix or maybe I
pulled them out and did not put them back in the pot. Maybe when I potted
them I didn't put enough mix around them and the roots dried out and died.

95% of my phals are doing great ...it's only a few.

When I find one of these plants I knock them out of the pot. Cut away any
dead roots and evaluate how best to give them what they need to recover.
Often that means taking them back a pot size and potting them a bit deeper
in the pot so the stem tissue can send out new roots. Sometimes that means
taking them back to 2 inch plastic pots with fine mix.

To answer your other question about leaf growth.....yes, phals are generally
seasonal growers. They grow leaves during long warm days.....set spikes
when it gets cool.....bloom in the dead of winter and then rest for a few
weeks until the days get warm and long again ....then the cycle starts
again.

I have a few plants that grow leaves all year around. There are always
exceptions.

One things for sure....a rootless sulking phal probably will not grow until
you identify what the problem is and fix it.

Good Growing,
Gene





"Ted Byers" wrote in message
om...
While I seem to be doing well with my catts, even though several have
lost pseudobulbs because of the winter dryness and one has apparently
died from it, my phals seem to be sulking. Even though I rebloomed
one, not one of them has put out a new leaf; and a couple have lost
one or two leaves. With only two exceptions, they were all either
repotted after the last flower faded or had been repotted a few months
before I bought them (since the medium looks new, and rains a little
too fast for my taste). Apart from several dends which are in moss,
all my orchids are in either medium coconut husk chips or coir fibre,
and with a handful of exceptions, I am using clay pots.

Should I be worried that they haven't put out new leaves? Is there
some seasonality in leaf production in phals? Is there anything I can
do to stimulate leaf production? Should I forget about phals and
focus on catts and dends? Or is it a question of them being stressed
by the winter dryness and they'll put out new growth once summer
arrives with all its unbearable heat and humidity (while my plants may
love it, I suffer badly from heat, especially combined with high
humidity - living in Singapore for a couple of years was not fun for
me!)?

Cheers,

Ted

It was a phooey phal season here until recently, when the weather finally
cooperated, and now they all think they are operatic divas, with their
multiple spikes and blooms. But, there are a couple of exceptions, and they
are due to come out of their pots tomorrow. One has that old "wrinkly" look
that Gene talked about, and the other is being eaten by something (slugs?).

Keep the faith.

Diana

"Gene Schurg" wrote in message rthlink.net...
Ted,

If by sulking do you mean the leaves are limp and wrinkled?

No, out of about a dozen phals, only one has a leaf that is slightly
yellow, and slightly wrinkled, and a couple others have lost a leaf in
the past month. All of the rest of the plants' leaves look fine: firm
and green.

By sulking, I mean that they are just sitting there with no new signs
of growth. I knew they'd begin producing inflorescences and flower
buds in the fall, so what I was hoping for, and not seeing, was new
leaves.


To answer your other question about leaf growth.....yes, phals are generally
seasonal growers. They grow leaves during long warm days.....set spikes
when it gets cool.....bloom in the dead of winter and then rest for a few
weeks until the days get warm and long again ....then the cycle starts
again.

I have a few plants that grow leaves all year around. There are always
exceptions.

So then, based on what you and Diana have said, it may be just that it
hasn't gotten warm and humid enough for them to start growing again,
and I shouldn't worry about 'cause they're resting. Right?

Cheers,

Ted

Ted,

Relax....sit back and have a cup of coffee and don't worry. Your phals
sound like they are just resting. Any day now they will start growing new
leaves.

Probably the most important thing you can do now is keep the center of the
crown dry so that bacteria doesn't grow and cause crown rot.

As long as the leaves are firm and "perky" your plants are doing good. You
will probably see new root growth before you'll see any new leaves. I
usually notice that the ends of roots change from the gray velum (spelling
is not my best quality) to nice lime green growing tissue. That's the
indicatation that the plant is waking from its rest after blooming.

Enjoy that cuppa coffee,
Gene




"Ted Byers" wrote in message
om...
"Gene Schurg" wrote in message
rthlink.net...
Ted,

If by sulking do you mean the leaves are limp and wrinkled?

No, out of about a dozen phals, only one has a leaf that is slightly
yellow, and slightly wrinkled, and a couple others have lost a leaf in
the past month. All of the rest of the plants' leaves look fine: firm
and green.

By sulking, I mean that they are just sitting there with no new signs
of growth. I knew they'd begin producing inflorescences and flower
buds in the fall, so what I was hoping for, and not seeing, was new
leaves.


To answer your other question about leaf growth.....yes, phals are
generally
seasonal growers. They grow leaves during long warm days.....set spikes
when it gets cool.....bloom in the dead of winter and then rest for a
few
weeks until the days get warm and long again ....then the cycle starts
again.

I have a few plants that grow leaves all year around. There are always
exceptions.

So then, based on what you and Diana have said, it may be just that it
hasn't gotten warm and humid enough for them to start growing again,
and I shouldn't worry about 'cause they're resting. Right?

Cheers,

Ted