Cattley keiki - Orchid Board

Zoi2 · #1 07-06-2009, 12:22 AM

I've never had a keiki on a catt and I don't know what to do with it. The first pic is June 14, the second one is today. Any suggestions?

This is on C. Hawaiian var x B. nodosa 'Mas Mejor'. (I don't know if this cross has been named)
Joann

snow · #2 07-06-2009, 03:44 AM

that is really amazing. why mess with it?
i would let it get a little bigger before detaching it.

Zoi2 · #3 07-06-2009, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snow

that is really amazing. why mess with it?
i would let it get a little bigger before detaching it.

Thanks Snow, the roots are a bit over 2 inches now, how long should I wait before detaching it?
Joann

treefrog · #4 07-06-2009, 01:15 PM

You should wait for it to have a few more growths before removing it.
Math

PitcherASAMD · #5 07-06-2009, 02:40 PM

I read somewhere on the OB that the rule for removing keiki's is the "Rule of 3's". 3 leaves, with at least 3 roots that are 3 inches long...That said I have yet to get a keiki.....Best of luck to ya though

Cookiemonster · #6 07-06-2009, 02:51 PM

Wow, you see something new everyday! Thats really cool, I would wait as long as you could before detaching, I recommend a spray on the roots with some water hinted with kln, that might speed up root growth and possibly another lead !!

Zoi2 · #7 07-06-2009, 05:12 PM

Thanks guys for the info. I'll just let the little guy be and spray the roots with KNL.

Joann

Junebug · #8 07-06-2009, 07:54 PM

That's just too cute. Orchids never cease to amaze us. Good luck with your baby.

catwalker808 · #9 07-07-2009, 12:30 AM

Zoi2. No you don't want to promote that kind of keiki growth. In your first photo, it looks like the base of the leaf, where it attaches to the cane has been damaged. This is also where the flower spike normally emerges. When the latent flower spike was damaged, it converted to a keiki. The reaction of the plant was to send out a keiki from a location which is not normal. I have seen this happen to other plants which have their flowering disrupted in some way. Sometimes the damage is physical and sometimes application of fertilizer at the wrong time will disrupt flowering and induce keikis. The keiki itself should be ok once it gets big enough with enough roots.

You don't want to induce this type of keiki on a Brassavola. They produce enough lateral growths for easy divisions if you desire.

Zoi2 · #10 07-07-2009, 11:44 PM

Catwalker808 thank you for the explaination, I had no idea why it grew the keiki, I've never had it happen to a catt before. The keiki is forming on last years flower spike. I don't remember any damage to it, but there was a small black spot that I treated with Gentian Violet (I got a bit messy with it) a couple of months ago. I could have screwed up with the fertilizer.
You aren't kidding about the lateral growths for easy divisions...I've divided this guy 3 times.

Joann