When will my Phalaenopsis stem grow back? - Orchid Board

angel415 · #1 04-29-2008, 12:12 AM

I must admit, I was neglectful this winter - which resulted in an orchid catastrophe. The whole stem dried up, along with parts of the leaves (the leaves due to sun damage), resulting in this:

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...Picture003.jpg

You can kinda see whats left of the stem inside the red circle (its a tiny bit hard to see):
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...cture001cc.jpg

A closer look at the stem (a bit hazy):
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c2...Picture002.jpg

Its made some progress...I repotted it, leaving some roots sticking out. I did cut the dry spots off but not the little black spot on the top left leaf. (Should I?) I mist it daily and give it some filtered light and let it sit on the balcony in the shade. Will my orchid start growing a new stem anytime soon? I posted this exact same question on yahoo answers but didn't really get an answer I was looking for. (They said the stem should start growing by the end of summer/early autumn).

Tips and opinions are greatly appreciated....

Ranchnanny · #2 04-29-2008, 12:45 AM

Hi Angel, Looks like your baby got burnt

from to much sun. It also looks like it is potted in spaghum moss. It that right? I would repot it in a good Phal mix med. bark, perlite and charcoal and I would pot it a bit lower in the pot. Before you repot check the roots really good and cut off any rotted roots. The stem you are talking about looks to me like an old flower spike which won't grow back. What you should be looking for are new roots and any new leaves. You can use some KLN which is a root stimulator. Don't water to much maybe once a week depending on your room temp and how fast the bark dries out. That is how I would handle this orchid and maybe some of the others here on the OB may be able to add some info that this.

with your orchid

TTFN - Sheridan

philoserenus · #3 04-29-2008, 10:55 AM

aside from the toasted leaves, the plant should be able to make a full recovery if u let u grow for a few more seasons and shed some of the old leaves in due good time.

as for the thing you circled, from this distance and blurriness, i believe that is what's left of a previous spike (the flowering stem); as in someone's cut it after it finished blooming. it should be blunt and flat--if so, thatz gonna do nothing.

as for new spikes... hmm, it really depends how strong your plant its after all the major operations (waving scissors, haha). normally if a phal is happy and strong, the phal can pretty much spike whenever, but the next normal time it starts to grow a new spike is probably fall and then flower in winter.

just my two pennies' worth, good luck and welcome to OB

quiltergal · #4 04-29-2008, 04:47 PM

I agree with Sherry & Nic. The only thing I would add is most Phals are blooming right now, so you've probably missed this year's bloom cycle. There are a few summer bloomer but not many. As traumatized as your plant has been I would expect it to skip at least one bloom season maybe two.

In the fall you want to make sure your plant gets cooler temps at night...at least a 10 degree diff between day and night. In a healthy plant that is what triggers blooming.

angel415 · #5 04-30-2008, 09:38 AM

Thanks everybody!! I do believe it was planted in moss ranchnanny - and I did repot it in the charcoal rocky mix.

It was a Valentines gift (with a flowering stem in the shape of a Y) and just feel so horrible that I mistreated it like that. The stem started drying up and looked a little spotted so we decided to cut it off. I've been misting it everyday and telling it how good it looks (it likes to hear that).

I really hope to see a little baby spike sprout from somewhere after this summer..........and if there is, I'll be sure to post a pic!!! My abuse has led me to become an orchid lover. I just recently received 1 more orchid plant for my birthday, but it ended up being TWO!!

This is the beginning of a wonderful life with beautiful blooming orchids<3