The Orchid Garden

Quirky orchid plants

Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Two of my orchid plants seem to be doing rather quirky things.  Probably normal for them, but new for me. The second is a paph.  I guess I overwatered it because it wasn’t doing very well and when I looked at the roots they were all rotten. None left.  So I wrapped the base in some spagnum moss and tied it with a couple of threads.  I layed this moss in some potting mixture and kept it slightly moist.  The plant has only two leaves, but they are doing well.  It has also sprouted two tiny, two leafed babies at it’s base. Should I just let it grow like that and separate them when they grow larger? Debra Berry

This sounds like the normal growth pattern for a Paph.  Paph’s are not monopial like phals, which keep growing straight up.  Rather they grow sideways more like a Cattleya, growing only so far strait up then sending a new growth out the side.  I hope your paph recovers from the root rot,  they are great plants.                                 -Joe

Response:

One is a phal that I bought in bloom.  After the blooms died I cut the spikes back a node and it rebloomed.  I repeated this again, but this time it developed 3 Keikeis (I think that’s right).

What is this mysterious thing?  I think I want my plants to have it but I have no idea what it is…

Response:

: : One is a phal that I bought in bloom.  After the blooms died I cut : the spikes back a node and it rebloomed.  I repeated this again, but : this time it developed 3 Keikeis (I think that’s right).

: What is this mysterious thing?  I think I want my plants to have it : but I have : no idea what it is… "Keiki" in the Hawaiian word for baby or child, so the phal is growing a baby phal from the spike. Lori Coulson — …Or do you still wait for me, Dream Giver…      Just around the riverbend?            Pocahontas

Response:

Debra, Don’t remove the Phalaenopsis keiki until it has roots.  It will probably happen by itself, but you might want to try Jim Brasch’s Keiki-Root. The Paphiopedilum has responded to its stress by creating new growth. Let them grow and bloom without dividing the clump…they’ll do much better than "singles." In all cases, good roots = good plants = good flowering.  The Phal seems to be OK, but the Paph obviously needed to be repotted, or, at least watered less. — Ray Barkalow – First Rays Orchids   On-line List and Order Form:     http://www.firstrays.com

Response:

Two of my orchid plants seem to be doing rather quirky things.  Probably normal for them, but new for me. One is a phal that I bought in bloom.  After the blooms died I cut the spikes back a node and it rebloomed.  I repeated this again, but this time it developed 3 Keikeis (I think that’s right).  I cut off the two smaller ones so that the growth would concentrate on the larger one.  It is now a couple of inches large and has bloomed itself with a single flower….which opened upside down.  Looks pretty strange.  Anyway, I wonder how to treat the keikei.  Does a plant produce those because it needs to be put into a larger pot?  The Keikei hasn’t produced any roots at this point.  When do I remove it from the parent plant and how do I encourage root growth on it? The second is a paph.  I guess I overwatered it because it wasn’t doing very well and when I looked at the roots they were all rotten. None left.  So I wrapped the base in some spagnum moss and tied it with a couple of threads.  I layed this moss in some potting mixture and kept it slightly moist.  The plant has only two leaves, but they are doing well.  It has also sprouted two tiny, two leafed babies at it’s base. Should I just let it grow like that and separate them when they grow larger? I am fairly new at orchids, having only had them for about 1 1/2 years. I’ve transplanted a few with new potting mixture, but I’m not sure how I can tell when they should be transplanted into a larger pot….and where can I get plastic pots for orchids?  The nurseries in my area don’t seem to carry any other than those decorative plastic pots, which I doubt have good enough drainage. I’d appreciate any advise you experienced orchid growers can give me about my two quirky orchids and also about the potting question. Thanks! Debra Berry

Response:

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