Keiki Pro?

[Mallardman]

So I was at an Orchid store today and after buying a plant the manager gave me a product called Keiki Pro apparently this product is supposed to cause growth in non-active nodes in all genrea's producing a Keiki or a flowering spike naturally I'm suspicious of this and I'm wondering if anyone has used this product and if so has it worked?

[kmarch]

I'm suspicious of that claim. It sounds very exaggerated to me. First of all not all genera keiki (really the only commonly grown orchids that do are Phals and some Dendrobium) and not all genera flower in the same manner. What do they suggest to induce flowering in a cattleya, spread the paste on the sheath? What about a Paph, stuff it down the crown? I know several members have successfully used it on Phal inflorescence nodes to induce keikis and I seem to recall some got some secondary flower spikes. Maybe it could be used on a Cattleya rhizome to get it to branch. I wouldnt' be keen to try it on my catts.

Has anyone else on the forum ever used keiki paste to get catts to branch?

[patticake]

I've never used it, but a few have on their Phal spikes, and gotten keiki growth.

[fred]

How often can one use KeikiPro
After using keiki-boost...
KeikiPro

this sounds more like a sales pitch Quote] Keiki Pro apparently this product is supposed to cause growth in non-active nodes in all genrea's producing a Keiki
the product may have been given to you but I am with Kevin on this one
Quote kmarch] I'm suspicious of that claim.

[digitalgate]

sound like a show for Mythbuster.

[jay]

Didn't Mayres use this on a Phal to get a keiki last year some time?

[mehitabel]

Keiki paste is a cell growth stimulator, and it definitely works. The developer claims to have used it successfully on phals and vandas-- monopodials: orchids that grow from a single stem.

Some people have used it successfully on catts to stimulate dormant growth "eyes" on old, desiccated backbulbs-- the kind that are so dried up the eye is sunken. I haven't done that myself, tho.

I have used it on dormant nodes both of cut phal flower spikes and those still on a plant. I usually got a tiny keiki in a month or so. To support a keiki, you need a thick spike from a big healthy plant. A thin spike from a young or unhealthy plant might sprout a keiki, but can't keep it going.

I got tired of the whole thing waiting for the keikis on the cut stems to make roots. This takes a while, more than a month, and if it's a cut stem it's hard to supply the needed nutrition for the keiki to get big enough.

On a plant, I tried only one. The plant was healthy, and one I didn't care about. It made a keiki, but the whole plant went downhill. Even tho that may not have been from the keiki, I was afraid to try on another plant.

I would also recommend making the experiment in spring, when the growth juices are flowing, and it's easier to keep orchids thriving.

I'm pretty sure smaller phal vendors use it, because many of them offer one or two keikis from time to time of prize plants in their personal collections.

I'd say try it and see for yourself what happens, since it was given you.

[iluvorchids]

I found this thread in an attempt to get my cattleya to grow some roots. It's been like this for a couple of months (no roots)

Today I bought a root stimulant from a hydroponics store. I've put the bottom of my cattleya in a ziploc bag with a moist paper towel (my attempt to keep it moist) I've also covered the rest of the plant with a bag. I keep this plant in a sunny room but away from the sun.

Any ideas? Is this going to be a goner?

[bearded orchid]

I've purchased some of this myself and had mixed results. Thus far I've had one Phal produce a keiki and another produce two new inflorescence branches. I have a couple Catts that I've tried it on too but they haven't really responded readily. However, one did begin to produce several roots but that could be attributed to some KLN that I used a few months prior or just plain old coincidence.

They say to directly apply one drop to individual nodes (Phals and Dends I assume) and to apply as a spray for general use (Catts and other varieties?) Dunno, it's hit or miss really. I applied it to all the dormant nodes on both Phal spikes but only three of the ten actually responded, whereas the rest just shriveled up.

[DesertRayne]

I used keiki-pro on some of my phals and several did actually sprout keikis or flower spikes. I put some on some of my aunt's orchids too, and when I visited her a couple months later I saw some keikis. One of the orchids was a phal, and the other had canes (definitely wasn't a phal or catt). The phal had like two basal keikis (it didn't have spikes to use keiki pro on). The cane one had a keiki near the bottom of the cane.

I believe it works, but I think whether you get flowers or a keiki depends on timing or some other factor.

I once put keiki pro directly on a phal root nub once, and the root was shriveled a day or so later.

mehitabel is right in saying that you need a strong healthy plant. I tried keiki pro on two dying orchids as a last ditch effort to save them and they started new growth things on their nodes where it was applied but then both plants died (too much energy to make them maybe).

Hehe, I went overboard when I got my bottle of keiki pro last year, and I just started orchids last summer. I would probably still use it every now and then if I didn't leave the bottle at my aunt's house.

[DesertRayne]

Originally Posted by iluvorchids

I found this thread in an attempt to get my cattleya to grow some roots. It's been like this for a couple of months (no roots)

Today I bought a root stimulant from a hydroponics store. I've put the bottom of my cattleya in a ziploc bag with a moist paper towel (my attempt to keep it moist) I've also covered the rest of the plant with a bag. I keep this plant in a sunny room but away from the sun.

Any ideas? Is this going to be a goner?

It might be okay as long as your plant doesn't directly touch the moist paper towel. I'm not too familiar with sphag and bag method, but is your bag completely sealed? Maybe you should let the bag air out every now and then for gas exchange and air circulation. Would it grow faster if it was shady and warm or bright and warm? If it was too bright I might worry about accidentally steam cooking it (but I live in the desert, so maybe that's more of a realistic worry for me, lol).

I heard from other people with rootless catts to just let it sit out dry, since catts can handle a little bit of drought anyway. It'll root in search of water and in the meantime will be supported by the nutrients stored in its bulbs. I think some root hormone would help too.

[iluvorchids]

I'm just worried because it's been this way for a couple of months and the canes are shriveled. How long can the plant support this?

I've staked the catt, placed it on top of some moist medium and then the whole plant into a terrarium. It's in a bright sunny room (east window, so it's morning light), but away from the window. I'll occassionally mist with this root stimulant, i don't know if it'll work. Maybe mist with liquid seaweed as well.

I thought I was doing everything I should. Just don't want to lose my only catt.

[bearded orchid]

Originally Posted by iluvorchids

I found this thread in an attempt to get my cattleya to grow some roots. It's been like this for a couple of months (no roots)

Today I bought a root stimulant from a hydroponics store. I've put the bottom of my cattleya in a ziploc bag with a moist paper towel (my attempt to keep it moist) I've also covered the rest of the plant with a bag. I keep this plant in a sunny room but away from the sun.

Any ideas? Is this going to be a goner?

I haven't had much success with sphag-n-bag... Most of what I tried ended up worse off than before. Perhaps Dyna-Gro KLN?

I purchased a very young Catt from my local Lowes (only two small growths and two one inch roots that were partly dead. I soaked it in some KLN Dyna-Gro rooting hormone and repotted/secured it in a shallow orchid pot with a bark, charcoal, perilite blend and just watered it normally alternating watering with a .25 strength KLN mix. It's doing great now and has several new roots and a third growth.

[iluvorchids]

Good to know. Stay tuned. We'll see if my efforts pay off.