Potting my keiki

[new_keiki]

Hello all,

I need help on my new baby! I potted my keiki when it had 3 leaves and 3 roots of about 3 inches long each. I noticed some whitish stuff at all the root tips (I had it in a clear pot). At first I thought it's vapor but it's not. It has a plastiky feel and it's not slimy at all. Is this normal? I had it potted for almost a month but the newest leave didn't seem to grow much - I read that as a new plant it grows a lot slower than when it's still on the stem but I just don't know if this is normal speed, or if I'm killing it!? Otherwise the rest of the roots appear to be green, and my leaves have red dots. By the way, is it true that the clear pot should be inside another pot i.e. not have it exposed? I really appreciate you help and thanks very much!?

new_keiki

[gerneveyn]

I don't know what the white stuff could be. I grow my phals in clear pots without outer pots. Some use outer pots to discourage algae growth in semi-hydro media, but I don't think it's absolutely necessary. I've seen dark pink spots on the under sides of leaves and root tips that are actively growing. Your plant sounds healthy, though.

[mayres]

With phals, if the leaves are showing some very tiny red dots that give the entire leaf or a portion of it a slight red cast it usually means that you are pushing the amount of light the plant can tolerate - as long as you don't go across the imaginary line of excess light intensity you should be OK. Baby keiki's from phals can appear to be in almost suspended animation for many months - especially if you are keeping them on the cool side. It talkes awhile for them to get readjusted - aclimate to the fact that they are now "on their own". So far I have only removed one phal keiki and it took 18 months to grow enought to give me a single flower on a small spike (I probably should have removed the spike to encourage it to put its energy into the plant). It is just now another year later and the plant is now looking like a typical sized young plant that you would purchase with 4-5 leaves and I'm looking forward to a normal sized spike with 5-6 flowers - will see in the next few months! I will second the comment made about clear pots - I have some and they appear to work just fine with no ill effects as well, but many will suggest placing in another outer pot as you have noted. In nature phals grow on trees and their roots are exposed to the atmosphere and actually can be quite green. Being contained in a pot, where there is no air movement inside, there is that potential for algae to form if growing conditions encourage it. Either place in a solid outer pot or keep a close eye on it and see what develops (or hopefully doesn't develop). Be patient - baby's will grow up - but they are slow....mike

[trybalpnoy]

i did the ziplock/moss method in getting keikis to grow on their own. anyone know how long i should keep them there until i can repot them?

[mayres]

As soon as you have roots a 1.5-2 inches long I'd pot them up if it were mine.