Keiki Paste as Promised!

[BikerDoc5968]

Some time ago, I posted pics Phal Salu Peoker of my Phal Salu Peoker keiki in flower and was asked some questions about "How I did it!" So here it is....

Try to select a phalaenopsis that is past flowering at least a week or two... and even this doesn't guarantee what result you will get!

You will need a scalpel, x-acto knife with a #11 blade or similar sharp cutting tool, toothpick, tweezers and of course the keiki paste. The product I am using came from Canada and is a lanolin based material. Some growth hormone products are liquid-based.




Select your plant. The information that accompanies the product states not to apply to more than three nodes on any one plant.



Make a VERY superficial slit off center! This is VERY important.... DO NOT make your slit in the center!




Using the tip of your cutting tool or the tweezers, very carefully lift the edge of the node cover revealing the node and peel it back; remove it completely.





When I looked at the close-up of this, it appears I may have accidently removed some of the node....not promising!

Take some of the paste with the tooth pick and apply to the node, rubbing it very carefully on the node.




Now the wait begins. In about one to two weeks you should see noticable swelling of the node. At this stage you won't know if you will get another spike or a keiki...



In this case a spike... these are about two months or more old.



If things go the way you want, this will begin to grow and you will see leaves. Unfortunately, I knocked this little guy and the leave fell off but it is growing another and the roots are growing nicely...



This is from the same plant above and it looks like it will be a keiki



After about a year, if you were successful, this is what you should have!

[lostonthebeach]

Howard,
Nice clear information. Thanks Doc.
P.S.
Those are some nice looking keikis.

[nenella]

Excellent! I have never used Keiki paste, your photos & explanation are extremely clear!
If I ever want to do this I know where to come & look! Thank you very much Howard!

[John D.]

I think that I also remember from some instructions that you should put the plant in the dark for a week - 10 days after applying the paste to get more keikis and less spikes.

[kinknstein]

Very informative, thanks for sharing!!

[BikerDoc5968]

Originally Posted by John D.

I think that I also remember from some instructions that you should put the plant in the dark for a week - 10 days after applying the paste to get more keikis and less spikes.

Didn't know that.... not mentioned on my instructions

[snow]

great information HOWARD, AND NICE AND CLEAR PHOTO,S.
btw, where in canada did you purchase the paste?.
thanks so much.

[BikerDoc5968]

this is the vendor from whom I purchased the product.

Plant Hormones Canada

[Louder Than Hell]

Thanks for the show-n-tell, I'm very tempted

[Austin Powers]

I too have applied keiki grow to nodes on two spikes of a noid phal I have. I applied the paste about 1 month ago and now have approx. 1/8 to 1/4 inch growths. I am now wondering if they will turn out to be keikis or new spikes. I had just taken it for granted that they would be keikis, but then the thought occured to me they could be spikes. I guess time will tell.
How long before you could positively identify leaves on the keiki??
I am fertilizing with high N and trying to keep humidity up as suggested in the instructions.