Advice: Should I sacrifice my phal. keiki?

[new_keiki]

Hi all, I need all your advices/opinions/thoughts desparately!?

I bought this phal 1.5 yrs ago. Soon after it arrived home all the buds dropped. I then cut the spike between the last flower and node. Thankfully this is a healthy plant, and the spike remained green the whole time. Since then the plant not only grew new roots and leaves, I also got another bloom and keiki from the same spike. I planted the keiki, and cut back the spike another node, and now that same old spike grows another keiki!? But I noticed the old leaves wrinkled and soften (not yellow yet), and the new keiki and the new leave (from the crown) grow very slowly. It finally dawned on me that this plant is probably very very stressed. Now my question is, should I sacrifice the keiki (it doesn't have its own roots yet) by cutting the whole spike to the base so that the poor plant can recover??? Or should I leave it alone? What should I do?

Thank you all!?

sw

You've already gotten one keiki from the plant. If it's your desire to get another one, leave it alone. But if the mother plant is what you want, then sacrifice the keiki to save the mother, if it's not too late.

[mayres]

Have you checked the roots on the mother plant? The keiki may not be the problem at all. If you have root rot issues those are going to have to be addressed regardless of what you do with the keiki.

[berkeleysgr8]

I agree that it sounds like there is a problem with the roots on the mother plant. On a healthy plant, a keiki should not be too much of a stressor. Let us know what you choose to do!

[kid a]

ok, this is what I would do but I'm not sure if it would be what you would do. Anyways, I would,as everyone else suggested check the mother's roots if you haven't already. (I just got a tub of rooting hormone so I'm wondering about all the situations to try it.) Ok, with that said after checking that out and take care of that if there is an issue. If there is an issue with the mothers roots I would try to fix that before removing it and then get to the rooting hormone. I would, using either powder or liquid, apply some rooting hormone to the keiki (the mother to if its got root issues) and wait to see what happens. If things don't improve, before the leaves of the mother yellow remove that keiki and apply hormone and put in sphag. I dunno if that advice is right but it sounds like it would be a good thing to try.

[LTerrieM]

This was a similar situation happened that also happened to me and I decided I wanted it all. Old plant, Keiki, you know, as many orchids as I could have. Ha Ha Ha, Like a crazed maniac I cut them apart and I nurtured them better than I nurtured my children. Whal-la!!!! Two Orchids!!!!
It's all about your relationship to those babies!!!! Go for It !! T.

[LTerrieM]

It was almost like all the life was going to the baby............. Limp leaves, shriveling...it was not such a scientific venture T

[new_keiki]

Hi all,

I have to say, I was surprised to see this thread again The subject keiki was left and it was cut off just 2 months ago - it stayed with mom for more than a year. I put it on the east windowsill, and its growth surprises me. It now has 1 leaf and 5 active roots growing. Its sibling that was cut off last spring, remains a plastic plant until recently. Meanwhile, the mom throw another spike with 2 flowers. So all in all, the phal family is quite happy this spring. Thanks for all your advice!

[berkeleysgr8]

Ooops... I was home with a cold today and looking at posts. I failed to notice that this was an old post when I responded to it! Oh well... at least now we know the outcome!

[kid a]

And oops on me too :-) I hadn't noticed the original post date as I was reading like the little engine that could chugged.