Help me care for/save my Phal Keiki - Orchid Board

ajssbp · #1 08-14-2011, 01:41 PM

Hi Everyone,

I'm hoping that all you experts here will be able to help me. About two years ago, my fiancee bought me my first orchid, a white and purple Phal. It was doing pretty well for about a year, then had several leaves fall off. I successfully brought it back, but then this spring when we were cleaning the plant got moved into direct sunlight for several hours and toasted 2 of the 3 remaining leaves. They quickly withered and died. Down to one leaf, I tried to nurse it back to health, but I evidently did not succeed. The plant did however produce a keiki on the existing stem.

It has been doing ok, it has two little roots each about 5/8 of an inch long. Several times a day I mist them with a mix of water and orchid fertilizer. I just want my little keiki to continue to grow and not wither and die. I have considered sphag and bagging, but it kind of makes me nervous that it will get too hot and get harmed that way. I hope to make a humidity tray this weekend and see if that helps. I have this orchid and my fiancee's orchid in the same north-facing window. Any suggestions or ideas of what I should do (as well as when I should consider potting it) would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

-Adrian

RosieC · #2 08-14-2011, 01:58 PM

Is the mother plant still alive or dead? Is the spike green or dead?

Usually you would not remove a keiki until the roots are at least 3" but if the spike/mother is already dead then I would be inclined to clip the spike either side of the keiki and pot it up in a tiny tiny pot (a yogurt pot or something like that would do, just make sure there are plenty of holes in it).

If it's still got life in the spike then it's probably best to leave it and do as you are doing. Regular misting of the roots will keep it hydrated so it can grow.

ajssbp · #3 08-14-2011, 02:23 PM

The mother plant is dead. If you look at the first picture you can see part of the stalk, it's pretty brown and dessicated.

silken · #4 08-14-2011, 02:32 PM

Yes, it looks like the spike is dead. So it is likely getting no nourishment from being attached to the mother. As RosieC says, I would cut the spike on both sides close to the keiki. Then pot in a teeny pot. Possibly at this time sphagnum would be best. But some people have problems with moss. It will almost be just sitting on top of whatever you put it in, so you may still want to mist its roots daily. I would also lightly mist the leaves, but make sure to get none in the crown. I have found misting the leaves of an ailing Phal really helps when there aren't enough roots to take up adequate moisture. Good luck with it.

RosieC · #5 08-14-2011, 02:49 PM