Question re: spikes

[butterfly_muse]

Evening everyone! I have a couple phals that I bought on clearance that were out of bloom but that had new bloom stems forming. I bought one of them about a month and a half ago, and the other back around mother's day. I was wondering how long they take to actually bloom or turn into something? Each one has just kind of sat there looking exactly the same doing absolutely nothing, despite that they're getting light, humidity, fertilizer, etc. Is there something I'm doing wrong? Are they just slow? Are they supposed to have done something by now? Does it take a long time? O_O;

I am also wondering whether bloom spikes can get sunburned? When I first moved, I had all of my phals in a west facing window and a bunch of them got burned. This evening while I was watering my group, I noticed that at the base of the spike on one of them where I saw a couple of burned leaves, the spike itself was black. But only on the base. I am not sure whether it's rot or burn, and whether or not that will affect the plant's growth?

I have attached pictures. Sorry for the poor quality, I was in the bathroom taking pictures by the bath tub with my phone, heh. Any thoughts?

[Silje]

Yeah...My experience is that they can do that for quite some time. Just sit there and do nothing, I mean.

That spike is obviously still alive and this plant could decide to start growing buds, but I think it's very difficult to make any kind of predictions on how and when that's going to happen.

Personally, I run out of patience with old spikes like this. I cut them off and put the plant out in the greenhouse and let it stay there until it has grown a whole new spike and is opening the first flowers.

But as a comparison, I have left old spikes on some of the plants and some of them have been waiting around long enough to flower at the same time as the new spike. Phals flower 1-2 times per year with me, normally.

I think everything on a plant can get sunburn, but the good news is that it's seldom fatal,unless the plant gets an infection of some sort in the burnt tissue area.

[Discus]

I wonder if those terminal buds need the same triggers as new spikes (a period of colder weather) to trigger further development?

I'm also from the "chop the spike off when it's done" school, so I've never really seen these do much at all.

[Silje]

Discus, I've read somewhere...*searching for the link* that one can put nodes from green spikes into agar like normal flasking and that they will propagate new plants from the nodes.

Lotte & Thomas Orchids

Have you tried it? My first attempt (and only so far) was a bit of a scramble and I did not worry too much about contamination etc. So, obviously, the flasks got contaminated. But I'm definitely trying this again. I seem to have a steady supply of 'unused' nodes to experiment with.

[Discus]

Silje - No, I have not tried that method; there are certainly protocols for tissue culture from stem nodes (including adverts for labs that do this); I seem to recall they've also had some (one) report of a much simpler protocol working on a stem, but that may have been a fluke.

I imagine those phalaenopsis that are more prone to producing keikis on spikes anyway will be more likely to be successful; keiki paste is another experiment you can perhaps try, with a rather higher chance of success.

[Cintirella]

I've seen You Tube videos ( in Spanish ) that after blooming, cut the spike, cultivate them and sure enough, KEIKIS form.

---------- Post added at 09:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:06 AM ----------

One of my first Orchids from last year, gave me Keikis this year instead of flowers. Mature stems, if you don't cut after blooming may give you babies next time around. They are slow plants so patience is key.

[jesscorine]

Originally Posted by butterfly_muse

Evening everyone! I have a couple phals that I bought on clearance that were out of bloom but that had new bloom stems forming. I bought one of them about a month and a half ago, and the other back around mother's day. I was wondering how long they take to actually bloom or turn into something? Each one has just kind of sat there looking exactly the same doing absolutely nothing, despite that they're getting light, humidity, fertilizer, etc. Is there something I'm doing wrong? Are they just slow? Are they supposed to have done something by now? Does it take a long time? O_O;

I am also wondering whether bloom spikes can get sunburned? When I first moved, I had all of my phals in a west facing window and a bunch of them got burned. This evening while I was watering my group, I noticed that at the base of the spike on one of them where I saw a couple of burned leaves, the spike itself was black. But only on the base. I am not sure whether it's rot or burn, and whether or not that will affect the plant's growth?

I have attached pictures. Sorry for the poor quality, I was in the bathroom taking pictures by the bath tub with my phone, heh. Any thoughts?

One of mine that had a secondary-spike that just finally started growing. It didn't do anything for a month or two and now it is getting longer and the buds are pushing out of the spike. Totally random and I suspect it's not predictable unless you're monitoring exact conditions at all times. I'm trying to leave them alone

[butterfly_muse]

Okay, great, thank you guys! Sorry, I don't know why but my email alerts got shoved into my spam folder? So I'm just catching up. That is good to know. I think the second spike on that one that isn't doing anything at all...I might cut that one. Maybe that will give the plant some more energy and food to stick toward the spike that actually does have buds on it.

I am still new to 'chids so I would be too afraid to try to propagate for a looooooong while hahaha!

[Island Girl]

Originally Posted by Discus

I wonder if those terminal buds need the same triggers as new spikes (a period of colder weather) to trigger further development?

I'm also from the "chop the spike off when it's done" school, so I've never really seen these do much at all.

I've never thought about it, b/c I'm from the same school of thought as u on this, (cutting spikes when they're done), but it would make sense that they would need the cool weather to trigger the further development... That's an interesting thought... We should test that!