How to save Keikis from a dead Phal Little Zebra

[Piao Liang]

My Phal Little Zebra is dying. I went on holidays and it got root rot. It has several Keikis. I have left several on a stem that is still alive. However, the other stem died and the single Keiki on it started to have limp leaves. I cut it and put it on a pot with sphagnum but not touching the sphagnum in a terrarium with a heating pad.
My questions are:
Do you think they have a chance of survival?
Do you fertilize them? If not, how will they get nutrients?
The last picture is a successful Keiki from a Phal Brother Pico Sweetheart but the mother was in perfect health.
Many thanks for your help!

[ColoradoBirddog]

Hi Piao, I'm sort of in the same boat. I have 2 barely formws keikis, but on cut stems.

Personally, I'd suggest that you leave them on the spike, on the plant, as long as the spike is still green. From what I've read, I might wrap some moss right below the keiki, to try and promote root growth. Keep it in warm, greenhouse conditions.

[Piao Liang]

Hi Colorado Birddog,
Thank you very much for your message. This is what I have been trying to do. I have left the keikis on the green stem. However, I had to cut the other stem with the keiki on it because it (the stem) was dead. The keiki had started to have wrinkled leaves that were becoming limp. I have this keiki in a terrarium with a heat pad. It is not touching the sphagnum on the pot. My question is: since it does not have the mother anymore to provide nutrients, how can I give it nutrients? I read on a post here that somebody was giving the keikis diluted coconut water. Does this work? What other alternatives are there?

Many thanks!

[ColoradoBirddog]

Still waiting on someone more knowledgeable. I did place mine right on top of the moss, I believe I heard that they can get some nutrients that way. But, given the spike tissue death, that may have been a mistake.

I've seen a few things written about the coconut milk use, but haven't tried it. Perhaps I should, it couldn't hurt mine, at this point.

[WaterWitchin]

I would have it either touching the sphag, or at least wetting any root showing when it begins to "silver up" again. High humidity, but air circulation. Would also use KelpMax or something similar a few times.

[Piao Liang]

Be careful with the coconut milk as I have also read that it can promote fungi. I will dilute mine by half with water and will try to filter it with syringe filters.
I have put the root touching the sphag but left the cane. Even if the cane is dead I think it might help. I also put physan 20 to the sphag just in case. I read about the coconut milk in this site. In the advance forum I searched for Keikis and coconut milk.
Do tell me how you are getting on.

[ColoradoBirddog]

I haven't tried the coconut milk yet. Despite the spikes dying, it appears that the keikis are still holding on.

[neophyte]

would coconut water be safer than coconut milk? coconut milk has more dissolved fats (which, i don't know for sure, might promote bacterial/fungal growth??) unlike coconut water, which is pretty much just water, potassium, and some sugar. but maybe the coconut milk's fats are what is so nourishing in the coconut milk. i'm not sure... :P

i agree with WaterWitchin that you should try some kind of root stimulant.

[Piao Liang]

Originally Posted by ColoradoBirddog

I haven't tried the coconut milk yet. Despite the spikes dying, it appears that the keikis are still holding on.

Yes, I think you are right. I would like to know more about coconut milk/water.
ColoradoBirddog: could you please post some pictures of your Keikis? Do they have roots?

[ColoradoBirddog]

One of the keikis completely died, but the other, so far, is still alive.