Question

Phalaenopsis   QUESTION: Hi Wayne King,

My Phalaenopsis orchid's new leave is very small compared to old leaves. It has been almost 2 months that
this new leave come out.  But, after 1.5 inch long , it is no more getting bigger.

I checked the pot. It is still in good condition & all roots are strong & light green. I've attached photo of this
phalaenopsis.

I keep it indoor & it getting enought light.

I noticed that no new root has come out also.

I keep it on sauccer with water & pebbles without touching it its pot base.

I spray instead of watering as it always keep moist. Never get it dry as I place it on sauccer.

So,here my questions are
1) Why the leave is very small or it is still in progress or the leave grow very slowly(it is 2 month old)?

2) Why there is no new roots although existing roots are strong?

3) Is the way I water & caring correct for my phalaenopsis?

4) Does my phal look healthy?

Thanks in advance,
Nwe Lay

ANSWER: Your picture is alittle dark but it looks like this phal has mottled leaves.  If so, that is fine, but, from your picture, I can't tell if it is pitting in the leaves or mottling.  You did not mention feeding you plant or what type of plant food you use, concentration, or frequency of feeding.  I think your plant looks fairly healthy, but am concerned about your feeding. New leaves, when they are young, grow very slowly and then faster as they get larger.

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QUESTION: Hi Wayne King,

Thanks for your instant reply.

Yes, it has mottled leaves. It's Phal Wiganiae (schilleriana X stuartiana).

I water using pure water without any fertilizer (spray) every 10 days. Because, medium is still moist(but not wet).  I thought as long as there is moisture, no need to water. Is my assumption correct?

If not correct, please guide me how to feed it?

Thanks in advance,

Nwe Lay

ANSWER: It is likely that the reason the new leaf is not growing as rapidly as it could is lack of feeding.  The type of fertilizer to use depends upon the potting mix.  Use a balanced fertilizer if your potting mix is tree fern, sphagnum, charcoal, or various inorganic aggregates, but 30-10-10 with fir bark.  Use the recommended concentration once per week.  Flush with water once per month as phalaenopsis roots are sensitive to fertilizer salt build up.  Phalaenopsis are particularly fond of organic fertilizers such as fish emulsion and manure teas. These organic fertilizers eliminate concern over salt build up.

It is possible that the cross is Phal. Wiganiae but there are many other crosses that incorporate mottled leaf species.  Also, it may not be a primary hybrid, in which case the possibilities are in the thousands.

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QUESTION: Hi Wayne King,

Thanks again for your quick response.

As per your suggestion,"flush with water once per month", I think it is difficult for me to do so as my phalaenopsis growing medium is sphagnum moss. I'm afraid of being wet in the pot. How to deal with this problem without repotting?

What is fish emulsion? Is it just the water used to wash & clean fish?Can I straight way use it without modifying anything? Can phalaenopsis take fish smell? Is it used once per week or how?

Sorry for asking a lots of question as I'm very new to phalenopsis & organic fertilizers.

Thanks in advance,
Nwe Lay

Answer
If your sphagnum moss stays wet for that long, either you have very high humidity, your sphagnum moss has compacted (a common problem in moss), insufficient drainage (ie not enough drain holes in the pot) or a combination of these.  You may want to consider growing in a standard fir-bark based potting mix.  Fish emulsion is an organic plant food carried by garden centers.  Its only drawback is that it smells rather fishy. It is a concentrate that is diluted with water prior to use.