At What Point do You Throw Keikis Away?

[peeweelovesbooks]

GASP!!! I know!!!


This spring I bought a Dendrobium pierardii in bloom, the thing had 4 canes. Some of the canes had tiny keikis, but I didn't much think about them. I figured they would die off due to stress during the shipping and the plant acclimating to its new environment.

Anyway, the orchid finished blooming, and it has put out 3 new huge growths since then. Additionally, the keikis (3 in all) got as big as the new growths. They had huge root systems also. I discovered when I took them off that they had developed their own mini canes already.

I decided last week to take the keikis off the mother plant, and so instead of having 1 Dendrobium pierardii, now I have 4. I noticed today (while inspecting the mother plant) that the thing has 3 new keikis forming.

Now, while I love the look of the orchid, I don't want my entire collection to be comprised of Dendrobium pierardii. Hence, my question: at what point do you discard keikis?

[Paul Mc]

LOL... You can give them away if you'd like. However, I just found out that many people leave the keiki's on the mother as they will bloom much faster that way. I would say once the keiki's have bloomed, take them off and give them away. Unless the people you give them to are crazy about orchids, they probably won't want to wait for several years to see it bloom for the first time.

[Roly0217]

Maria whenever you plan on throwing keikis away just let me know and I'll take them away from your hands. Just give me a call or send me a PM.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

I wouldn't throw them out until I'm fairly certain that either the mother plant or the first batch of keikis aren't going to die.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Maybe there's a reason why your Den. pierardii is throwing out keikis so readily...

If you think you've got too many, you may also pm me.

[Paul]

For that mtter, why not try tying some of your surplus keikis onto a tree or shrub in your yard? If the plants take off and thrive, then you have some easy to care for yard plants. If they die, no loss.

[peeweelovesbooks]

Originally Posted by King_of_orchid_growing:)

Maybe there's a reason why your Den. pierardii is throwing out keikis so readily...

If you think you've got too many, you may also pm me.

Well, the keikis came with the mother plant; I just didn't think they would grow. I took them off because as I said before the keikis got as big as the new growths that the plant put out, and I didn't realize it but they had small canes ont them already.

I checked the momma today and there's nothing wrong with it; it's putting out new roots everywhere and I see no sign of disease.

The three keikis are growing fast.

hmmmmmm.

[Call_Me_Bob]

send um to me ms maria :P

i would leave them on the mother plant, if you get more though. to have a nice big monster plant

[nenella]

Originally Posted by help;407175t

I would leave them on the mother plant, if you get more though. to have a nice big monster plant

!!!! you'll get a fabulous plant !! and you can always .. in a yr or 2 sell or give bits away; but in between times you get a Fab specimen plant!

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Maybe the keiki response was because it didn't get a proper winter rest, and it wasn't anything you did Maria, idk...

I highly doubt it's because you're growing it too warm, it grows in the low to mid-lands of the subtropics and tropics.

If the roots are good, and there're no signs of disease, the only things I can come up with is a possible winter dormancy issue or that it does it naturally.