Keikis (baby plants)

[ritacarvalho4]

New member here, with very limited knowledge
So my Phalaenopsis has sprouted these 2 baby plants, and I was wondering when and how should I cut and replant them?
From reading online it seems like that's something you can/should do, right?
I'm just not sure of the practical steps to do it, like where do I cut them and how do I re-plant them if they have no root of their own? They seem healthy and one is already trying to grow a flower stem of its own, but I think they're hurting and sucking too much energy off the mother plant...

[dbarron]

As long as the stems remain alive, they're getting supported by the parent plant. Personally, I'd probably wait for at least 2 roots on the keikis before removing and potting. Of course that assumes you want 2 more copies of your parent plant. The alternative is just remove the stems and them...and into the trash, because I know I don't need 3 identical phals.

[Optimist]

Yes. Taking care of young plants is harder than taking care of an older plant. I think you should keep the plants together until the kiki is "substantial" meaning long roots, and healthy big leaves. It would be optimal if you could "air layer" them by putting the roots of the kiki in medium while still connected, and then in 6 months or a year, separate them. The stem will never be used again. It is like the umbilical cord between a mother and child now. Good luck.

[rbarata]

Hi Rita, neighbour
Welcome to the board.
The standard protocol for your case is to let the keikis be attached to the plant and only remove them when there are roots of 5 cm long.
You can cut the the spike anywhere as long as the keiki is not damaged.in the process.
Then you can pot them in a pot of a proportional size to the keiki The medium can be bark also of a proportional size.
Probably you'll need to water it more frequently than the mother plant as smaller pots dry faster.
Where do you live, if you don't ming asking?

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

[Roberta]

Welcome!

I agree with the advice to not cut the keikis until they have long, healthy roots. Then, it's fine if you still don't cut them... the keikis can bloom while attached to the old spike. And by that time, the original plant could even send up another spike - so that you could get flowers from a new spike of the original plant, and from spikes developing on the keikis as well, making a really nice show. (One strong plant with 3 spikes is more impressive than 1 spike on 1 plant and two weak plants that may or may not survive but won't bloom for at least another year...

[Toadwally]

Definitely worth the wait.