The Phal abuse ends here.

[orchid-recruit]

You can always buy keiki paste on the internet and use it on an orchid spike, however it may produce more flowers rather than a keiki. I have never heard of a cut spike producing a keiki. The spike works as an umbilical cord and cutting it would seem to cut off the food supply.

[Ordphien]

Originally Posted by orchid-recruit

You can always buy keiki paste on the internet and use it on an orchid spike, however it may produce more flowers rather than a keiki. I have never heard of a cut spike producing a keiki. The spike works as an umbilical cord and cutting it would seem to cut off the food supply.

Every now and again you see posts where a cut some produces a keiki

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[butterfly_muse]

Interesting. That is far too advanced for my blood at the moment, lol! I will just stick to making sure they don't die for now. Thank you, guys!

[Horses&Orchids]

I am pretty new to Orchids and just saved 2 (my first 2) from Walmart and am trying to make sure I do everything right. I bought a bag of the Miracle Grow Orchid mix but it seems rather dense from some of the other medias I've seen in many of the videos I've watched. It doesn't seem to allow the plant to breath enough. Also just looking at the roots near the top of the plant they have begun to look like they are deflating (hope that makes sense) So I'm wondering if I goofed by using that mix and if I need to re-pot them in something else? I also took the advice of some youtube videos and cut the spikes since the flowers were very wilted and falling off. One I cut off an inch above the 2nd node from where it comes out. The other plant seemed to have something popping out just under where the flowers started so I cut it off an inch above that. A week later it seems to have killed whatever was attempting to start as it turned reddish/brown and very woody and is slowly working it's way down the spike. So I was thinking I should just go ahead and cut it down by the plant to let it recover. Any advice would be great! Thanks in advance!

[Ordphien]

At this point cut the spikes all the way.
When you cut like that it starts redirecting its energy into one if the nodes for a second blooming.
Which is great when you have a robust healthy plant.
But right now you want it to concentrate on becoming s robust healthy plant.

Go buy some bark mix. I use a mix of medium grade bark, and sphagnum moss with my phals.
The ratio is usually about 75/25.
The bark is light and coarse and airy and the sphag helps retain moisture.

The miracle gro mix isn't really suited for phals imo... it suffocates the roots.
And it comes loaded with fertiliser. To much of you ask me.

The home improvement stores in my area carry a $5 bag of moss (mosser lee brand) and a $5 bag of medium grade bark (gulber) in the house plant section right next to the miracle gro mix.

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[Horses&Orchids]

Thank you for the info. I have another question in regard to where to cut, should I cut them both right at the plant or above a certain nodule?

[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by Horses&Orchids

Thank you for the info. I have another question in regard to where to cut, should I cut them both right at the plant or above a certain nodule?

I have an orchid that is suffering from root rot. I cut the bad roots and I repotted the orchid. I cut the flowers at the base of the stem because if you cut higher up on the stem, the plant is likely to try to produce a new flower stem from that spot. Cutting it on the base should indicate to the plant to put its effort into root and leaf growth. When you do cut them, make sure you use sterile scissors and put a dab of cinnamon powder on the cuts to prevent fungi from infecting the stem. Be careful with the cinnamon, though, it dries things up, so make sure you don't get it on the roots or leaves.

[Horses&Orchids]

Hi Butterfly,

I did use sterile scissors when trimming each plant by applying rubbing alcohol to my scissors. I was hoping to get another spike of flowers but I guess they might be too weak to do that at this point and the potting mix I think is not helping either. I will cut them and re-pot them in something better and hope I'll get some improvement. The smaller plant has rigid leaves but the bigger one the leaves are rather floppy. I think it's just the potting mix suffocating it. I unfortunately threw away the clear pot one of them came in but was smart enough to keep the second one. So should I re-pot one back in the clear pot it came in? Right now they are both in 6" ceramic pots.

[butterfly_muse]

Originally Posted by Horses&Orchids

Hi Butterfly,

I did use sterile scissors when trimming each plant by applying rubbing alcohol to my scissors. I was hoping to get another spike of flowers but I guess they might be too weak to do that at this point and the potting mix I think is not helping either. I will cut them and re-pot them in something better and hope I'll get some improvement. The smaller plant has rigid leaves but the bigger one the leaves are rather floppy. I think it's just the potting mix suffocating it. I unfortunately threw away the clear pot one of them came in but was smart enough to keep the second one. So should I re-pot one back in the clear pot it came in? Right now they are both in 6" ceramic pots.

That I will leave for someone else. I'm still pretty new to orchids myself. I planted my own in an orchid/charcoal/peat mix that I bought at Lowes and they seem to be rather happy. My one had so few roots that I've actually got it in a really small clear tupperware container that I cut holes in, lol! Repotme.com has some good pots. Ceramic, I know, holds onto moisture, but I think it depends on your medium. I don't know enough to give you a firm answer.

[Horses&Orchids]

Well I took them both out of their pots and sifted the potting mix so that only the big pieces of bark were left. I cut both spikes down at the base of each plant and trimmed of the dead roots. I live in a pretty small town and our Walmart didn't have any bark mix so I went this route as I knew they needed help quick to get out of what they were in. Both drain really nice now so hope that'll do the trick. Thank you all for the help and if there is anything else you think I should do please let me know.