Question
I have a question about wrinkled leaves on my Phals.

I have two that have been in different spots in my kitchen that have wrinkling leaves. One is an older Phal that has a few leaves wrinkling (which hopefully is just its normal process of shedding some leaves??) This phal has never re-bloomed since I got it, so I would also love to know how to get it to bloom again.

The second Phal I got this past summer and it has sprouted a keiki from the flower spike (I seem to be able to grow keikis but not flowers!). In the past few months however, all of the leaves on this plant have been wrinkling. The keiki keeps growing bigger so I thought the plant was okay, but I am concerned about the wrinkling and cannot see any healthy roots. It was quite moist (sitting in water) when I brought it home from the store but I tend to wait for it to dry out before re-watering (i.e., no water in the bowl of stones under them) so I don't think that I over watered it. Therefore, I'm not sure if I should repot (given that it is the winter here in Toronto Canada where I live) or maybe try soaking thoroughly as someone else suggested above?  

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Answer
Olive, I think you definitely should repot your phals.  The first step is to obtain some orchid potting mix and soak it for a few hours.  While it is soaking, unpot each plant and toss the old potting mix.  Carefully clean the roots of the unpotted plants, removing any dead roots (these are mushy).  Place the plant to be repotted in a plastic pot with lots of drainage holes in the bottom and place the pot in an area where the new potting mix can drain as it is added to the pot.  There is a good chance that you have some rotted roots which is why your leaves are wrinkled.  Old potting mix retains moisture and restricts air movement in the potting mix necessary for healthy roots. Wait at least a week before watering your plants after repotting  Phalaenopsis are unlike most orchids and they can be repotted nearly anytime.  To recover, your plants are going to have to grow new roots and those new roots will produce new leaves.  Those leaves that are wrinkled were likely supported by damaged or rotted roots and some, or most, may not recover.

Keikis suggest to me that your light level may not be sufficient.  Best to grow your plants in an east facing window where they can get morning sunlight and/or under a plant light.  The keiki is a way in which a plant that is in distress can reproduce its kind.  When it has  a couple of new roots, you may detach it from the flower spike and pot it up as a separate plant.