To cut dendro keiki or not to cut dendro keiki

[Massica]

This is one of my two lovely dendros below.

At the moment it has two keikis and two new canes. The research I had done told me that I should wait until the keiki roots are a minimum of 2 inches long before removing the keiki and transplanting it. However, I am having a problem in that the keiki roots have stalled at about 1.5 inches and have formed sad looking black tips, which you can see in the closeup shot of the roots.

Additionally, the plant seems exhausted from maintaining this huge keiki, and doesn't seem to have the energy to work on one of the new shoots, and the other keiki, which is puny in comparison now.

So, is it time to cut the apron strings? Also, other than being careful when cutting, treating the wounds, and not watering or sunning the newly transplanted keiki for a while and treating with root hormone to promote root growth, is there anything I need to know about transplanting a keiki? This will be my first one. Right now the mother plant is in coconut chips and that's what I am planning on putting the keiki in. Good idea?

[Ray]

Yes. Snap those puppies off and pot them up.

[unhappykat]

yes time for the plant to go into its own pot, it seems happy but the humidity isnt right to keep the roots growing, thats why the tips are black.

[Joansorchid]

Nice looking keikis.
Joan

[lostonthebeach]

Looks ready to pot up and the coconut chips should be OK.

[cb977]

You've got some lovely roots there!

I once heard from somebody I trust that as long as there is a total of about 4 inches in roots, it's okay to move it out on it's own. It could be two 2" roots or four 1" roots...whatever the case may be, you have plenty there so go right ahead and give that baby a new home

[let_it_grow]

how can you tell the difference between a Den keiki coming from the base and a new spike? Is there a difference?