Phalaenopsis mother plant weak with twin keikis
Hello fellow Orchid enthusiasts,
This is the first of a couple of different threads pertaining to issues I'm having. As I said in my intro post I'm a new hobbyist (and new group member) who's very interested in learning to be more than an amateur. At the moment I struggle to stay consistent in the care of my small collection.
This thread pertains to my Phalaenopsis that I've had for over two years. For over a year now it has twin keikis (they grew from the same node) each with two roots about 8 inches long and three small leaves (one has three roots). For over a month the keikis roots have remained shriveled, they only plump up a bit if I spritz them repeatedly through the day. In the last couple of weeks the leaves have gotten weak and slightly wrinkled. Whereas the mother plant at the same time has gotten much worse. Her leaves are very limp and wrinkled, one of them is mostly yellow. I haven't yet checked the roots but on the surface it has one good 4 inch root.
I believe this occurred because I was afraid to over-water it as I tend to do and have done with this plant before. I've reduced it to this state once before, which was when the keikis started to form, then I repotted it in different medium and a different pot and its leaves returned to good health (firm, no more wrinkles) & the keikis flourished. I plan to repot today. I'm looking for advice with the keikis most especially.
I'm slightly confused as I know that they should be able to survive still attached to the mother and while I'd like to repot them anyways I'm concerned with their roots. The centimeter or so at the end of the root, normally a glossy light green (vs. the greenish-white of the rest of the root) has been reduced to less than half a centimeter and is slightly darker green. As they grew from the same node detaching them is what has kept me nervous about removing them. Yesterday I noticed the smallest amount of growth in the node just below them which I do not want to disturb.
My plan is to cut just below them on the mother spike and to twist one of them off to separate them. But I've been given the advice not to twist but to cut them where there division is. Their roots are hanging straight down. Is it best to curl them up in a smaller pot then or...?
Hopefully I've provided enough detail and not too much. Oh and the mother hasn't flowered in over a year, since the keikis who haven't grown a new leaf in at least 6 months. Six months or so ago was probably the last the mother grew a new leaf. The stem from the last inflorescence shriveled up probably 4 months ago. I've been loath to cut things but I have learned the error in my ways.
This plant has never been fertilized since I've had it and received no treatment other than repotting in a nursery bought Orchid mix of charcoal, lava rock & bark & a ceramic pot with holes (fancy designs) around the sides. I plan to pick up some fertilizer (assuming I can in my area) today as well as check the roots for rot and death and trim them. I'll also remove the yellowed leaf and repot in fresh medium and remove the keikis.
Any advice? All help is greatly appreciated, thank you.
(Next I'll post about my Paphiopedilum & mini Phal, also suffering at my hands! :-()
Lotis
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