Keiki Paste Works! - Orchid Board

mayres · #1 03-24-2009, 02:16 AM

The first picture is of the phal that started it all for me - first noted at my mom's place in 2003. Every week I would go over to visit it would STILL be blooming!
Since then I have been caring for it during its short non-blooming periods and then taking it back to mom for the "show".
Last year it bloomed from February to December. I brought it home in January, repotted in a 8 inch pot that I could barely fit the roots into, cut the spike half way down, and then decided to apply a little keiki paste to five nodes of the spike. A few weeks later ALL FIVE nodes started showing activity. The following pics are of the plant and all five nodes starting from the top and going down - two obviously subspikes, the bottom one a keiki, and two undecided.

SP2340 · #2 03-24-2009, 07:14 AM

Wow, that's cool! I've never heard of the stuff

playtime8978 · #3 03-24-2009, 07:25 AM

Fantastic, I have looked a the keiki paste and considered getting some but it is very expensive where I saw it so have been put off but with your results maybe I will try some in the not too distant future

Sandy4453 · #4 03-24-2009, 07:54 AM

FANTASTIC! Mike, which brand are you using, Keiki Pro? If I remember correctly, you're supposed to keep the plant in the dark after applying, right? I'm always tempted to buy the stuff but the price being so steep, has always stopped me. I think this would make a great little project with all the spikes that will soon be bare in a few months.

I think I may have to try this.

How is your other Phal doing, the pink one that finally started growing the basal keiki? Knowing you, it's probably flowered already.

mayres · #5 03-24-2009, 11:41 AM

This is going to be hard for some to believe, but I purchased a tube of keiki paste about a year and a half ago for less than $10 INCLUDING SHIPPING. Unfortunately this source is no longer available. However, keep in mind that it takes very little product for each application. My tiny tube is going to last several more years - probably a quarter ounce or so. Those containers that others sell that are 2 oz. (or more) will last you ten years unless you have hundreds of orchids to test it on!
Yes, some claim that if you put the plant in the dark for a few weeks it will increase the probability of keiki vs. subspike. My one attempt at the dark treatment didn't force the issue - so now I just leave them out. 100% of the time I get activity - but you never know if it will be keiki or subspike.

Sandy - the picture I sent you of my show plants INCLUDED THE PLANT that you are noting (basal keiki) - not only did it flower, but it got a BLUE RIBBON at the last show!

Sandy4453 · #6 03-24-2009, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mayres

Sandy - the picture I sent you of my show plants INCLUDED THE PLANT that you are noting (basal keiki) - not only did it flower, but it got a BLUE RIBBON at the last show!

Why didn't you say so? I'm going to start calling you, Modest Mikey!

I just went back and looked at the pic. That plant was the keiki from last year????

You're still using the same mix with mostly coir, right?

mayres · #7 03-25-2009, 01:10 AM

Yep - a mix of coir, perlite, and a little charcoal. At least for my conditions I see no reason to try anything else - yet. Honest - it is one and the same plant - am sooooo happy I saved this one. Here are two flowers from the group - nice thing about taking it to the show was that the breeder was there and he gave me the name (I had lost the name tag several years ago before I documented all my plants in my Access database!). Phal SIO's So Wild

AboutOrchids · #8 03-25-2009, 02:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mayres

... and then decided to apply a little keiki paste to five nodes of the spike. A few weeks later ALL FIVE nodes started showing activity. The following pics are of the plant and all five nodes starting from the top and going down - two obviously subspikes, the bottom one a keiki, and two undecided.

So does the keiki paste promote both keikis and flowering? Or is it usually just one or the other?

mayres · #9 03-25-2009, 11:30 AM

Yes - BOTH.
You never know for certain which you are going to get. There are supposedly "tricks" to change the outcome more to which of the two you are after, but oftentimes the plant is "stubborn" and is only going to give you what it wants. For example the plant that Sandy was referring to previously had a spike that I applied and re-applied to different nodes keiki paste and it would only give me more and more subspikes on subspikes. Eventually I gave up and ended up with a basal keiki. On the other hand I've had plants that I made one application and got the keiki I was looking for immediately.

jkofferdahl · #10 03-25-2009, 11:49 AM

I've used KeikiGrow for 15 or 20 years. It's excellent stuff. I can't count the number of keikis I've been able to give away because of it.