"Sleepy" keikis: Can I wake them, or cut my losses (literally)

[NikolaAnne]

I'm wondering, I initiated two stem keikis on a Phal over 18 months ago.

The buds swelled, turned "Mitten" shaped and then pretty much stopped. Almost no more growing.

They and the spikes they are on have stayed green, and they have changed very very slightly in the last 18 months or so, but they aren't going anywhere. The Orchid itself is very healthy, and is actually in bloom again right now.

Are there any techniques to re-start their growth (sphagnum ball wrapping with rooting hormone???), or shall I give up, cut them off and have done.

Thoughts?

[LizB88]

I have never had a phal with keikis before, any how my is that keep in mind that Orchids are slow, slow growers, and if the plant send another flowering spike, the energy that was going to be spent growing the keikis, was spent in the flowers.
My guess is that you could cut the flowers and let the energy go back to the spike with the keikis and wait some more for them to develop.
Or if the wait is to much for you then you can cut them and then let the plant do what ever it wants, give you flowers or keikis in its own time.
Then again you could give it some kelp and see if that promotes root growth on them.

-Liz-

[bil]

Unless you particularly want another identical orchid, why bother?

Unless it's for the experience?

[NikolaAnne]

It was basically to see if I could - It's a not that spectacular NoID.

And it was when I only had 5 orchids...