My first keiki

[pikevi]

While watering the orchids today I noticed this Phal has developed a keiki.

I am very excited since this is my first. I did not see an roots and I hope root development would follow soon.

This orchid is very healthy and is not starving for anything as far as I know.In fact it is growing roots all over. If anything too much light could be the only concern. But after reading the advice mayres gave to another member I moved it away to a lesser exposed area about a week or so ago.

Could it be anything other other than a keiki?

[fred]

awesome pikevi

you are the proud owner of a keiki

congrantulations and good growing the plant looks great

[pikevi]

Thanks, fred.

This has been a good plant and is coming out with its 10th leaf .

I have a few with 8-10 leaves each.

[gerneveyn]

Congratulations and good growing. If I remember right, my phal keikis develooped roots after having two leaves that were a couple inches long. After the roots began to grow on the keiki, I sprayed the backside of the leaves with worm tea, and more roots grew.

[pikevi]

first root(s) on keiki

[sandra]

Now that's fun pikevi. Lucky you although luck followed here because of your good growing. Last week I was wishing for a keiki on my favorite phal...now, I'm hoping to save the phal which I just found out has only one good root left.

[pikevi]

Thanks sandra.

I am sorry to hear about your Phal. I hope it will survive. I am sure you can save it with one root and with some leaves still intact. It has happened to me with some rescued Phals from local boutiques.

Best of luck.

[sandra]

pikevi, without taking away from this celebration of your new keiki, would you mind if I deviate for just a moment here and ask you what you did to save your plant? Pretty please...

[pikevi]

I just followed the various advice given in here( may be a little variation).

Some of the Phals were in really bad shape: dried up media, droopy leves, rotted and /or dried up rooots. What I did was to take them out of the pots , got rid of aall the materials, trimmed the roots as close to the base as possible, washed them in Safer's soap, washed them again in fresh water, and potted them in new pots with a little sphagnum moss (to wrap the base) and used my own mix of bark,coconut husk (main),sphagnum moss and a little peat.

Right after potting I sprayed a little fertilizer (Schultz 19:31:17).

May be the only thing I did a bit differently is to keep the media moist ALL the time.

I will try and get a photo of one that is gradually coming back to life (took about 2 months, I think).

I took Cynthia's advice of throwing out the old mix ( I actually use discarded mix in other tropical plants like hibiscus,banana, anthurium etc.

[pikevi]

sandra: here are two photos of one of the orchids that required TLC. The photos were taken just now. If you look closely there are still some wrinkles at the tip of the leaves ( NOT on the new one).

The bottom most leaf on the left is still yellowed and damaged but it is hanging in there. The lowest leaf on the right seems to have changed greener, The new leaf on top seems normal.

The leaves are twisted and furrowed because they regained the turgidity without being straightened/flattened out from the shape they were in originally. May be I will find some contraption to straighten them out as I get more experience.

You could see the new healthy roots in the second photo.

[linda_shel]

Congratulations.

[pikevi]

Hello linda_shel.

Thank you and welcome to the forum.

[sandra]

WOW pikevi, you've made me feel hopeful here. That plant looks strong and healthy. Maybe I'll have the same good fortune. I went back to the nursery today and the grower told me to keep mine in Hydroton (clay pellets) and nothing else. I originally put some coir mix on top but he told me nothing but the pellets until root growth begins. While I was there, I put in an order for a couple of Harlequins Phals white/burgendy and a yellow/burgendy....can't wait. After all my experimenting, I've decided that I'm sticking with bark mix (plus added stuff) for safe measure. I've come full circle on finding out what works for me. I'm exhausted from all of this.

Thanks for taking these pics for my viewing pikevi. I'm totally encouraged and flattered

[pikevi]

You are welcome,sandra.

I am sticking with the bark mix for now too;at least until I get a reasonably good understanding of orchids' requirements.

I have found that Phals are remarkably resilient. I am not sure if I can identify the ones that I had potted without a single root which are growing normally. Some of them even had extensive infestation with mealy bugs.

[I always quarantine the new arrivals]

Good luck with yours. I am sure that it will survive.

[adespo]

I'm glad to see the pics of the phals. I too was just give six sick phals but I haven't had time to repot. Is it okay it I wrap moist spag around the root (yes singular I had to cut almost all of the base away) and bag it until I can get to more pots and mix. Also I generally use the mix that you buy in a bag for orchids is this okay I haven't experimented very much with anything else. Thanks for any advice.

[pikevi]

adespo: I have never 'bagged' any orchids. Sphagnum moss will not hurt in any way. I don't use much of it for Phals. But wrapping 'rootless' Phals in them have produced some good results for me.It may have been just coincidence. I am sorry I cannot be definitive in my reply since I have very little experience. I am always willing to try

I have bought some commercial mixes (Schultz is one , I think) but I was not happy with them. It seems they have more gravel, stones and rocks in them.

Unless someone suggests otherwise you could go on with your plan. My only suggestion is that you consider making your own mix.

Good luck.

[adespo]

Thanks for the advice what do you use as a mix? Does it vary a lot according to what the orchid is?

[pikevi]

Yes, it does.

Please check the threads here for your needs. I used to have a standard mix but following the advice of many members I vary the contents of the mix according to the type of orchid that is to be potted in it.

I use mainly coconut husk chips with bark, charcoal, perlite, coir and spaghnum moss.