Roots growing from top of plant??

[Deb]

Hello, I've had my Orchid plant for about 18 months now, it flowered really well for a while but in the last 6 months I have only had one white flower which has now gone. The plant itself is full of Green leaves and looks really happy. In the last 3 months I have had 6 roots start growing from the top, these are strong looking healthy ( I think ) white/greyish coloured. They are now about 6 inches long.
Various people have told me I must snap them off and repot them so yesterday I went to a garden centre and bought a pot and some cutting compost ( as advised by the man in the garden centre )
My problem is the conflicting info I see on various sites about doing this. I dont want to kill the plant or the healthy roots and to be honest I have no idea what I am doing????
Can anybody help????

[Brooke]

What type orchid is it?

Brooke

[orchids4me]

Ditto to what Brooke asked...... If you post I think its 6 times you can post a pic of it if you don't know what it is that will help us to help you in that way.

[digitalgate]

I believe you are talking about Dendrobium? If it is then it would be good for you to pot the small keiki up.

[Deb]

This is it, I have no idea what it is called as it was a present??

[orchids4me]

That is a Phal. For short. Or Phalaenopsis.
In the forum section there's info you can read there for its culture/care looks like you got that going fine for you though. Its a matter of preference they can stay attached and grow that way or can be cut and potted up in a bark media or check out mayers thread under media in the forum section and Ron also has a thread with a different type of media or you can use a bark mix for them.
Have you been misting/spritzing water on the plant in the mornings? Or are those roots only collecting moisture from the air? If air, I'd recommend spritzing so they get use to taking in water that way gradually before potting them up if you are leaning toward that.
I think katrina has a pic of a friends with massive keikis (what thos are called on your olf flower spikes) and lmartiny has one with a couple keikis on hers and is keeping that way for now.

[sunshine]

Your phal has keiki's (babies)This is how you get new plants to repot and give away or keep.I also have dens that are doing this. You can repot in a bark mix, not potting soil or leave them just the way they are and have a very nice chid with lots of pretty blooms. I think your den looks great just the way it is

[orchids4me]

Originally Posted by sunshine

Your den has keiki's (babies)This is how you get new plants to repot and give away or keep.I have dens and all of mine are doing this. You can repot in a bark mix, not potting soil or leave them just the way they are and have a very nice chid with lots of pretty blooms. I think your den looks great just the way it is

Is that a Den sunshine? It looks like a large leafed Phal. To me. I have a hard cane Den and cut my spikes when it was done. I will go look again at the pics

[orchids4me]

Ok sunshine make up your mind lol you changed your post. Digitalgate was guessing before a pic was posted. So you agree its a large Phal. Then?

[sunshine]

Originally Posted by orchids4me

Is that a Den sunshine? It looks like a large leafed Phal. To me. I have a hard cane Den and cut my spikes when it was done. I will go look again at the pics

That is a phal. I looked at the pic real quick and called it a den by accident. I do have some dens that are throwing keiki's. The spikes you cut on your den I hope were just the flowering spikes that finished blooming.

[orchids4me]

Originally Posted by sunshine

That is a phal. I looked at the pic real quick and called it a den by accident. I do have some dens that are throwing keiki's. The spikes you cut on your den I hope were just the flowering spikes that finished blooming.

Yes just the old flowering spikes are what I cut. There was a old one that was removed before I bought it that indicated to me that's how it suppose to be done. Left about 1/4 to aprox 1/2 of it above its cain. Sound about right?? Please tell me I didn't do it wrong.... I did it about 3 weeks ago and it seems to be ok.
Thanks
Emmaye

[sunshine]

Originally Posted by orchids4me

Yes just the old flowering spikes are what I cut. There was a old one that was removed before I bought it that indicated to me that's how it suppose to be done. Left about 1/4 to aprox 1/2 of it above its cain. Sound about right?? Please tell me I didn't do it wrong.... I did it about 3 weeks ago and it seems to be ok.
Thanks
Emmaye

sounds about right.

[Deb]

Thank you everyone
So there is no right or wrong thing to do? Maybe I should snap one off and plant it to see what happens? I am nervous of doing it though, seems silly I know! So the man in the garden centre has sold me the wrong stuff then? At the time I said to him I need the 'bark type' stuff and he said no I need seed and cutting compost! He looked about 12 and I really didnt want him to advise me but I couldnt find anyone else LOL.
If I leave it as it is will I get new stems that will flower? It doesnt look hopeful that I will get any more flowers off the rest of the plant to be honest as the stems that I cut back seem to be slighlty brown at the tips.
Sorry for waffling but I have already managed to kill one very expensive Bonsai Tree so I am trying my best to not make any mistakes with this.

[Deb]

Oh and no I havent been spraying any water at all on it, I water it about once every 2 weeks, it is a big pot so I put about 1/2 a pint of water in it and put a plate underneath to collect what comes out the bottom which isnt alot but it doesnt keep all the water.

[orchids4me]

Hi deb,
Yes he sold you the wrong stuff, no snap off lol sterilized clippers or scissors, if you smole always was your hands before handling you orchids. After you cut it put cinnamon powder on both cuts baby and parent so it doesn't get any infections. Orchids are sensitive to fungal viral infections. Also make sure you flush water through pot to leech out salts build up especially after fertilizing you can put a dish under but after all the water has dripped out wet bottoms will cause root rot orchids are not watered like normal house plants.
Hope this helps. Oh spritz in mornings lightly for humidity help and the baby's to adapt to more moisture so their roots will adapt better to being watered and take moisture/water that way right now they are getting what ever they can from the air as far as moisture. Try to not get the plant crowns to wet if you water the whole plant that way stick paper towel corner twisted to get excess water out of leaf crevices and crown before night fall. Misting early should evaporate and be absorbed and make sure good air flow (small fan in area the roots need air flow and helps prevent fungal problems orchids are prone to without it.)
I know sounds like a lot but is realy easy becomes second nature in no time.
Emmaye