keiki has no roots

[elbie]

I put a flower spike in a jar awhile ago and was so excited to see leaves. I have never done this before. I have three leaves but no roots. I figured I would just wait and the leaves would come along. Now I notice that the spike above the leaves is turning brown and looks like it is rotting. Can I plant what I have? What should I do?
Thank you in advance.
Elbie

[Louis_W]

Its probably too small to make it. Its best to leave them on the plant until they have a decent root system.

I would plant it with the cane and all (go ahead and cut off the dead part). Plant it so the base of the plant where the roots are starting to grow are in the media. Keep it warm, moist and humid if you can.

[Dimples]

It looks like there may be juuuuust the very beginning of a root tip showing at the base (little green dot, lower right in the picture). The new plant will be drawing the nutrients from the spike to use to grow. LW gave you good advice. I’d be doing the same.

[estación seca]

Next time wait to cut it off until several roots are at least 2"-3" long.

[Ray]

The spike above the keiki is being sucked dry by the keiki so it can live. No rotting is involved.

If that spike with the keiki was removed from the plant and stuck in water, as it appears, that has greatly reduced the likelihood of its survival.

I recommend getting some Kelpak (it's on sale - look in the classifieds here), mixing up a teaspoon in a quart of water and soaking the whole thing in the solution for about 30-60 minutes, then replace the water in the cup with that Kelpak solution.

If there is any chance of growing roots and surviviing, I think that's the best shot.

[elbie]

I should have explained that this did NOT grow on the spike of a plant itself. I had cut off a spike after it had finished flowering and stuck it in some foam in a jar and covered. This showed up a couple of months later.

[Louis_W]

Wow no way!

Id say keep doing what you are doing then. If it has come this far let it keep going and when it has a few roots pot it up

As ray mentioned, dosing it with kelpak will ptobably help a lot too

[elbie]

Thanks for the info. I will let you know what happens.
Elbie

[Waterdog111]

I totally agree with what dimples said. Does look to be the start of a root there and would be a very bad time to upset the momentum.

[elbie]

I have posted a picture of an orchid that I did grow from a keiki. It was the only time one of my orchids produced a keiki. Apparently the soil contained fern spores. I love the way it looks. It blooms constantly; sometimes with multiple stalks.
Elbie