Question
Hi Jim, I have a phal that was handd down to me by my daughter the bud fell off and now the leaves are begining to crinkle and the other one I have instead of having another flowering buds on tope of the stem 3 small leaves came out pls help me on what to do thank you very much for your time

Answer
Hi Lydia,

That was nice of your daughter to give you a phal.  

Crinkling of the leaves on a phal is not a good sign, I'm afraid.  Hopefully it is only one leaf that this is happening to.  The usual cause for this is either too much or too little water.  The only way to be sure is to take it out of the pot and check the roots.  If most of the roots are soft and mushy, it is due to too much water but if the roots are dry and shriveled looking then it is not enough water.  The bad news is that once either condition has happened, there is not much you can do to revive those roots.  If there are still some good firm leaves along with some firm live roots, you may be able to bring it back to good health.  But leave the crinkly leaf on until it falls off on its own.  

If there are few, if any, live roots left, place the entire plant into a large ziploc baggie along with a little moistened moss or paper towel then close it.  Place it in a warm shady place for 2 to 3 weeks, open the bag and check to see if it is still alive and possibly a new leaf or root is growing.  Be patient as this process can take upwards of several months.  

But, if there are more than a few live roots left, you can try putting it into a smaller pot size and care for it along with your other orchids.  With fewer roots there is not a need for lots of potting media around them which would then tend to stay wet for too long.  

As for the keiki or baby phal growing on the stem, if you go the baggie route I'd suggest cutting the entire stem off.  But, if you go the smaller pot route, you can leave it on and watch it grow until it has roots over 2 inches long when you can take it off and put it in its own little pot.  You will be a "mother" again!  (grin)  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.