Question
QUESTION: Help!  I have a new phal. in bud.  It has been very slow to bloom and now the buds are turning yellow and falling off!  I provide it with medium light and let it dry out between watering as suggested by the place where I bought it. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks, Kris

ANSWER: Hello Kris,

There can be many causes for phalaenopsis flower bubs to die and fall off without opening, here are some of the major causes to check for.  

In no specific order: Fruits near by (especially bananas and apples), sudden changes in temperature of more than 10 degrees, too close to a cold window, freshly painted walls, unburnt fuel from a room heater within a closed room (portable kerosene or gas types).  

If one or more of the above are present, move the phalaenopsis to another location at least 10 feet away from the source.  But, if none of them are present, write back with a description of where and how you are growing it and I'll try to figure out what else it may be.  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks so much.  It is in an eastern window and planted in moss.  I also keep a humidifier close by.  Also since I last wrote the leaves have started to yellow as well.  I have since moved it to a different eastern window away from all other orchids and plants.  I am hoping to stop the progression of yellowing.  Could it be shock from when it was delivered 2 months ago?  Can I stop it?
Thanks again.

Answer
Hello again Kris,

If the leaves are starting to yellow, check at the base of the leaf to see if there is a black sooty looking deposit.  If there is, it probably is a fungus that is slowly killing the leaf.  Fungus forms and grows under dark damp conditions, for this reason it is best to do any watering in the morning to allow enough time for any water droplets to evaporate before nightfall.  

Unfortunately, if the fungus growth is not removed within a few days of its appearance, the damage has been done.  You can try treating it with some isopropyl alcohol to see if you can remove most of it.  

Also, since it is potted in moss, another possibility is that the moss is staying wet between waterings and the roots have begun to die and rot.  Moss can be a little tricky as far as watering, the top may look and feel dry but deeper in the pot it may still be pretty wet.  Along with that, moss breaks down fairly quickly and should be replaced annually.  

Hope some of this helps.  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.