Disaster

[Allen Robins]

Was taking my one and only Phalenopsis out to the greenhouse for some warmth and bumped its new shoot. Needless to say I have not been a happy man all day. What do I do know? Wait and see if another shoot grows? cut the main stem back again?...all information would be appreciated.......AL

[berniep]

G'Day Al

Good excuse to buy another one to keep it company.

Cheers
Bernie

[Greybeard]

Drats, don't you hate it when we get clumsy Well, what I would do is put some cinamon on the wound and as long as the spike is still green see if it branches. Phals love to show off flowers so you might get lucky but if the spike starts to die off then cut it near the main stem Oh, and like Bernie said go buy another one or two or three That will make you feel lots better

[Dendian]

OUCH!

Give it good Phal Culture - and it will probably send out a sub-spike from that little node right next to where its attached to the stake, mine usually do. Oh, and definitely pick up another one - you can't have just ONE Phal - they like FRIENDS!

[otis 226]

Not the end of the world, by any means, AL. Since the plant didn't have to put any energy into those first blooms, it will more than likely sub spike as others have said, from below the broken portion.
After you've been doing this a while, real heartache is waiting weeks or maybe months for a 1st time bloom and having the bud blast just before opening! That's happened to me twice in my short career!
But as others have said, with Phals, you can't just grow one..Get her some friends, mate! And,
Good Growing,
Tony

[Musika]

Originally Posted by berniep

G'Day Al

Good excuse to buy another one to keep it company.

Cheers
Bernie

Hahahaha thats what I tell my Boy friend all the time. He just rolls his eys, and says I have 7 already and do NOT need anymore. Then he told me okay fine for your birthday I will buy you new one or four! LOL

As to the spike!! I would leave it be and hope a new one starts really soon. I have cut the spikes down on some of my phals and left them alone on others. I like ones with the spike left alone more then cutting it back. But thats just me... and I'm new so what do I know.

[Daethen]

Musika, I have almost 160. Tell him when you get over a hundred then you are starting to get to the point where you may have a fair amount but still no where near enough!

[Musika]

Originally Posted by Daethen

Musika, I have almost 160. Tell him when you get over a hundred then you are starting to get to the point where you may have a fair amount but still no where near enough!

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH! I told him what you said and I think he just pooped his pants!! He said we are all crazy!!!

[Allen Robins]

Thanks for all the sympathy posts people....and yes, there are a couple more little phals on their way. The point is, as greybeard said , how can you be so clumsy? It was as if I had performed an amputation!

So, I dont have to trim back the main shoot? just let nature take its course! Regards.......AL

[Allen Robins]

Originally Posted by otis 226

Not the end of the world, by any means, AL. Since the plant didn't have to put any energy into those first blooms, it will more than likely sub spike as others have said, from below the broken portion.
After you've been doing this a while, real heartache is waiting weeks or maybe months for a 1st time bloom and having the bud blast just before opening! That's happened to me twice in my short career!
But as others have said, with Phals, you can't just grow one..Get her some friends, mate! And,
Good Growing,
Tony

Tony...whats a "bud blast"? does the bud drop prior to opening?....AL

[beezermommy]

Been there...done that...it quite possibly will send out shoots from the broken spike. Good luck!

[katrina]

Originally Posted by Daethen

Musika, I have almost 160. Tell him when you get over a hundred then you are starting to get to the point where you may have a fair amount but still no where near enough!

Really...is there EVER truly enough? If it weren't for those pesky problems of space and time...I would have many, many, many more.

Musika -- show that boyfriend of yours the GrowSpace thread and then watch how quickly he changes his tune about your 7 plants. He'll thank you for having 7....rather than the 700. LOL!

[jayfar]

Originally Posted by Allen Robins

Thanks for all the sympathy posts people....and yes, there are a couple more little phals on their way. The point is, as greybeard said , how can you be so clumsy? It was as if I had performed an amputation!

So, I dont have to trim back the main shoot? just let nature take its course! Regards.......AL

Good odds you'll get sub-spike at the next node down. That's what happened for me within a week or two after I committed a similar act of clumsiness last year. I recall reading something about hormones being involved. Basically, IIRC, the growing tip sends a hormone down the inflorescence that suppresses development at the nodes below. When that tip is knocked off, the lack of the hormone from it allows the node below to develop a new branch.

[Anton]

It happens, I have blasphemed more than once, especially after waiting for 3 years for a first flowering and due to misfortune, clumsiness, or stupidity knocked a bud /s off, and had to wait a full year for the next flowering season.

These things will happen more than once in your orchid growing career.

I have inadvertently broken new bulbs off Catts trying to remove the flower sheath which had moisture in it and started to rot.

You remove these sheaths to protect the new growing bulb from rotting......... but usually NOT from the grower.

[otis 226]

Originally Posted by Allen Robins

Tony...whats a "bud blast"? does the bud drop prior to opening?....AL

Yes Al, exactly. There can be any number of causes. Sometimes if enviornmental conditions are changed while the plant is in bud, it'll just drop the bud before opening. Too cold, too hot..Lot of reasons.
I just remembered a few weeks ago I was being clumsy and heavy handed with a little mini catt that had about a 1 inch new growth on it and I knocked it right off. It'll happen now and again, if you handle them at all. But they're resilient and usually bounce back. They grow in spite of us, not because of us!
Tony

[Allen Robins]

Well said Tony and others...well, a little fella turned up in the post today...."Shining Fairy" He/she can keep the amputee company..hope theres no more drama.......dont know if I am posting this in the right section, but here goes.For some time I have used aluminium stakes from our electricity provider. In this case ETSA, in Other states, SEQEB, whatever, I think you get the drift. I go to town and purchase the overhead power line pieces that have been replaced. Usually charged by the kilo.As the photos show, cut to length, one end in vice, other end in drill and slowly rotate until straight.Not only good for cymbidiums but other plants as well. The big plus is it wont rust and can be reused.To date it hasnt been detrimental to our plants,..........Regards.......AL

[syndywindy]

Been there done it a few times, sad to say. You get so po'd at yourself for doing it, but at that point whats done is done and you focus on giving it good care so it will respike. Thankfully I've only broken 2 spikes, but new growths? I have done more damage to new gowths by sticking my big mitts into the plant poking around. Now I tie my hands to my sides and just let things be. As for bud blast, I think that is even more frustrating. You know you are giving good culture because it is setting buds and then for no good reason; they shrivel up and die. I have a Masdevalia andreetaeana which since January has produced at least 10 buds, all of which blasted. I changed it's location, putting it in a cooler spot, abit more light and it again has 5 buds going with one looking like it is further along than the others that blasted. So keeping my fingers crossed that I may finally see a bloom or two from this one.

[zaeem]

I hope it will shoot another sideways spike.So cheerup,you have to wait longer for bloom.

[orchids4me]

Originally Posted by Musika

HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH! I told him what you said and I think he just pooped his pants!! He said we are all crazy!!!

Should I send him pics of my collection??? but wait... Members on here even have more than I do..... I'm in the hundreds but others have more... so what happens after pooping ones self if none left to with higher #'s ?

[Musika]

Originally Posted by orchids4me

Should I send him pics of my collection??? but wait... Members on here even have more than I do..... I'm in the hundreds but others have more... so what happens after pooping ones self if none left to with higher #'s ?

Haaaaaaaaa! He said stop picking on him!