Yes, that is a new leaf.

Generally phals hang on to their leaves for a very long time before the turn yellow and die, but yes - eventually they do die. Just to be on the safe side, check the underside of the leaf for any possible pest problems - mites, mealies, etc. If you can't find anything, everything is probably OK.

Another possible problem would be the roots. Are they OK? When is the last time you repotted and checked them? If a plant has rotten roots, leaves will also turn yellow and die because there isn't anything to support them.

I don't mean to alarm you, put it's always a good idea to know what's going on inside the pot. Happy roots = happy plant.

Kevin

Orchids tend to sulk for a while with a change in environment.

Growing Phals: Keep it warm(min 16c), and evenly moist. This means let it dry a little between waterings. Always use clear pots, their roots photosynthesize, and you can see when it needs water. Bright light, no direct sun. If the leaves turn red, you are giving it too much light. Feed 1/4 strength 3/4 waterings.

It may take some time to rebloom, depending on the health of the plant.
Mix: Medium orchid bark combined with coconut husk chunks. Add about 30% perlite to this mix to keep it open. Good luck!

Dear aachenelf and fraserv,
Thanks for your help. The underside of the leaf is fine and I reported it a couple weeks ago and there were one or two sections of the roots that were a little discolored and mushy. Since they were small I cut them up to the green part and currently I have seen new roots green roots through the plastic pot. It also starting a new inflo (at least I think that's what the flower stalk is called). I have also been using my moisture meter to help develop a watering schedule and have been fertilizing with a fertilizer called Jack's Classic Boom Booster at the recommended rate for fertilizing every other week. I case your not familiar with the fertilizer it is a 10-30-20 NPK ratio with some other micro nutrients.
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Thanks,
Carl

I would be careful about that advice to never give the plant direct sun and red leaves are bad. Maybe in the deep South or West or anywhere else where sunlight is more intense, but not in the North. When I grew phals, they got lots of morning sun and even spent the summer outdoors with sun in the morning. They grew like mad and bloomed their head off for years. I think one plant was over 10 years old when I finally traded it away.

They also often developed a reddish/purplish tint on some of the leaves - not too much, but some. That was an indication the were getting the upward limits of the amount of sun they needed. Again, not too much, but some.

As has been stated a billion times on this forum, a lot of newcomers to orchids have been led to believe sunlight will kill their plants and they grow them way to shady. They might hang on for years this way, but blooming is sparse if non existent and eventually they croak.

Kevin

Carl, hooray for your new leaf & spike - orchid speak for stalk.

What Kevin said.

Welcome Fraserve. Some or all of your directions may well be options for growers whose zone and growing environment are close to yours or those of your source, depending on whether people are growing in a greenhouse or in the house. Also, some growers prefer a particular Phal medium or combo.

For example, Carl, your one Phal has rebloomed for 4 years in the house in your bark mix under CFLs with no additional light, if I'm understanding your environment. Don't remember if all your pots are clear. By contrast, all my Phals are in the house in straight sphag, with most in black plastic pots. They get several hours of direct E/SE sunlight, supplemented by CFLs.

As for fertilizer, if you're interested, there's a good thread linked below. Of course, as with much in the orchid world, there's no consensus Tomato fertilizer, anyone? :) WC8

Here is a link that might be useful: Orchid fertilizer thread

Dear All,
Again thanks for your help! I have found that the plastic lip at the bottom of the orchid pot I'm using fits perfectly, and snuggly, on top of a glass mason jar. This helps lift it up a little closer to the light and keeps it from sitting in excess water. And it seems the perfect amount of distance from the light. The leaves are all a medium-dark green with just a small thin ring of reddish purple nears the edges.

Also WC8. I don't know if it was a typo on your part or mine but I've only had my orchid for 4 months not 4 years. And my orchid was recently reported in sphagum moss.
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Thanks,
Carl

Carl, from another thread, I'd thought you now had 4 orchids, the oldest being a Phal that had bloomed all 4 years. And I could have misunderstood. WC8

Carl,

Is that a recent picture? I ask because the medium I see in the foreground of the pic above, doesn't look like spagh to me, maybe tree fern?

What you've described seems fairly normal and the plant in the pic looks pretty good to me. I like seeing that tinge of red in most of my phals. Are the root tips red or green? My personal ovbservations have been that you see a lot more red tinge in the leaves when the root tips are reddish???

Bob

I second to Kevin's about orchids like sun. I just visited a friend of mine and noticed one of Sharry Baby I gave to him couple years ago was blooming . The bulb is huuuge and plumped , much larger than mine. I don't have a lot of issue growing orchids, or have orchids bloom, just following what it needs mostly of time. But I have never grown orchids that good comparing to my friend. He said he put the orchids outside in the summer under his large Bradford pear tree. The orchids got morning sun and later afternoon sum directly but got filtered sun in most of day time. He said his other orchids collection seems grow better this way too .

I kept my orchids on the dry side and don't water my orchids very often. But I do spray /mist my orchids, the potting medium, and outside of the pot( clay) twice a day with water. And spray/mist the leaves especially the back side of the leaves with low strength fertilizer every day. This works well for me so far. I have all my orchids bloomed as they are supposed to be, and have my orchids grow new braches as they are supposed to be... But I will move my orchids outside this summer to see if I can make them grow bigger and better.

Dear All,
First of all WC8 I could have easily typed it wrong on the other form but just to be clear I have one orchid, my phal that's in the picture above, that I've had for about three months.
Second of all Bob it could easily be some thing else. When I bought the medium it was packaged as "Orchid Moss" so I just assumed its sphagum moss. It could easily be something else. And the root tips are green (or at least the ones I saw when I reported about a month ago and thought the clear pot).
Third olympia_gardener maybe I'll try sticking it outside when the maples in my yard get more leaves. I too mist the leaves twice a day though I don't do it with fertilizer. How much do you dilute it and what do you use?
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Thanks,
Carl

Carl, yep. At the same time, I was emailing someone w/ those 4 orchids. S

Carl,

It is probably spanish moss of some sort? Be sure to keep a close eye on things, if it is spanish moss it is usually used to help the humidity around hanging/mounted orchids or for decoration on top of potted orchids

Good luck,

Bob