Issue w/ dying phal and attached keiki

[Paul Mc]

Well, the situation grew drastically worse since my last posting. I cleaned up the mother plant and then semi-sphag and bagged it (couldn't completely seal it as the spike with the keiki on it was 2 feet long. I also semi-sphag and bagged up the keiki, and removed it from light to about a 300-400 footcandle warm area.

In two days time both the keiki and the mother's leaves began to wither up like crazy! So, I did some more reading and came to my own conclusions. We'll see if I did the right thing or not, lol...

I cut the keiki off leaving about 4 inches of the spike, and cut the spike off of the mother to about 1 1/2 inches. I figured since both were dying and neither had roots, this wasn't really going to hurt anything at this point. I added a large handful of moss to the small amounts I had used the other day, and ziploced them up in ziploc bags.

I placed the keiki ontop of the sphag, and the mother completely away from the sphag.

I am still unsure what to do about light, as I know you don't them in a lot of light or they will bake in there. I'm thinking my original spot that gets maybe at most 500 footcandles in the morning might be the best spot, but fear that even 500 footcandles of sunlight might be too much.

Wish me luck! It was truly a beautiful phal! BTW, I am trying putting the flower spike in water to see what will happen. I'm not holding much hope for that part though, lol... If it works, it may be the last time I get to see that particular phal (so sad).

[silken]

Have you tried any rooting hormone for the keiki or the mother?

[BobInBonita]

At this point I think you have tried everything that can be tried (except the rooting hormone which I wish I had thought of mentioning earlier).

Best of luck. Sometimes they surprise us with their willingness to live, and other times nothing we do can keep them alive. I hope yours takes the first path.

[Paul Mc]

I hope it takes the first path as well, but if it doesn't I guess that means I have a license to go shopping! I mean, I can't have an empty orchid pot around here, lol...

[BobInBonita]

Now THAT'S making lemonade when you're handed a lemon.

[Paul Mc]

LOL... Making lemonade is my speciality Bob!

BTW, I just bought some rooting hormone. I understand that probably the best application is as First Ray's website has it. Put some in water and soak the base of each plant for about an hour, rinse and then put back in the ziplock bags. Anyone for another suggestion? I bought the K-L-N stuff.

Also, should I open the bag daily, every other day, etc... to release the bad air? Just not sure how often I should do this as I don't want to release the beneficial humidity which doesn't seem to be building in my bags very quickly. Thinking I need to put them some place warmer.

[silken]

that's what I do, soak in rooting hormone for an hour or more, depending on the plant. I don't rinse them but Ray likely knows better than me. I usually have to open the bag a bit or mold can quickly grow, but it likely depends on how wet your moss is and your conditions. Be on the watch for mold. Good luck!

[BobInBonita]

I'd follow FRay's advice - always good.

You don't need to see the humidity. In a closed bag with free water present, it will approach saturation quickly. When you see it, that mean that a temperature drop (even slight) has made some condense out of the air.

Personally, I would go for a temperature that is consistent, so you don't get condensate that can get on the bag. Those drops can then get on the plant and increase the mold chances.

I usually have left the bag open, just a crack. That way I didn't worry about gas exchange or condensate (because the opening will drop the humidity just slightly below saturation.

At some point, it is what it is. Just let it be and check every now and again. If it gets moldy, or whithers, you tried your best. If either one roots, you've just about won the battle - you still have to re-acclimate it to "normal" conditions.

Once again - good luck

[gen218]

going thru the same thing! Wish I knew what I could do! My flower stem from the mother is already dead on one plant and the other is slowly heading the same way

[Wild Orchid]

Originally Posted by brush

You really do have a dilema on your hands Paul . I once had a keiki growing from the spike on a mature phal . It was root bare for quite a long time and I too was afraid I would lose it before it got a chance to grow the roots . So what I did was to dab a drop or two of water with a cotton swab at the base of the keiki two or three times a day for at least a couple of weeks . After awhile a bump appeared around the base where the roots are supposed to come out and grow . You could try that on yours to see if that works before the mother plant expires.

Along the same line, I read some members wrapped strings of moss around keiki's base and kept it moist, which stimulated keiki's root growth. (I'm not sure how exactly you attach moss to the base... )

I also once read a member split a tiny cup on a side and placed a keiki in it, while it was still attached to the mother plant.

Keep us posted, Paul!
Lilia