I know NOTHING

[Mountaineer370]

Welcome to the Orchid Board! It sounds like your plants are very happy and healthy, but stick around and you will learn a lot here about how to keep them that way.

[VONDI]

I have no root that I can see- the leaf just keeps getting bigger and bigger... Right now there is a short stem with the leaf on the end. Will it look like the ones curling through the bark substrate?

You all are great. Somebody up above said you were 'know it alls' And I am SO thankful you are.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

You can get to 5 posts by replying to other people's messages. Then you should be able to post photos.

It's harder to post photos from a phone than a desktop/laptop, but it can be done. Tapatalk doesn't work. You have to access Orchid Board through a browser window.

Write your message. Below the message box click the grey button Go Advanced and then scroll down to Manage Attachments. A new tab opens up. Browse for your photo or photos. (There is a size limit so don't send 3MB photos!) Upload. Now click the grey Post Message button.

[Dollythehun]

The roots will come eventually.

[greenpassion]

Welcome Vondi! Joining the OB is an excellent move on your part. Once your keiki gets long enough roots, you can carefully cut if from the mom's stake, leaving a half inch or so of stake attatched to it. I have successfully started spike kiekies by taking the cut spike and keiki and planting it a small clear pot, like a 2" pot with moist moss. Make sure the roots and the cut end are in the moss. If you have a heat mat, place this baby on that. Some people prefer to have the keiki planted in the same pot with mom, but I personally do not have experience doing it that way. There are others who I've read have bent the spike to where the keiki is on contact with the same medium as mom (right next to her) and fixed it there with a clip. That said, I have 4 phals, now adults, that are kiekies I've taken from the 'mom' plants. Another thing I do is get a spray bottle, put a few drops of Kelp Max in it, and mist the moss when it seems to need moisture. Good luck!

[VONDI]

In another forum they were discussing pots. Is there a website that sells Orchid potting materials, I mean potting systems and the substrate or medium or whatever you call it that we plant them in? My orchids both have a coarse bark medium that they seem to do well in. I'd like to pot the baby in something similar.
If there is a website could you post it?

[estación seca]

Orchid potting material is bulky and expensive to ship. If you can get something suitable locally, you will be much better off.

Different orchids may do better in different media. Some people try to match the medium to the plant, and have different kinds of plants in different media. Other people use one medium for everything.

That said, unless you live in a large metro are with a lot of gardeners, you won't be able to find anything for potting orchids. Orchid bark is almost unavailable in metro Phoenix, the 5th largest city in the US, and what there is comes in 1-quart (liter) bags.

I have not bought orchid potting medium online. Our orchid society has arranged a group order of Kiwi Bark from Sunset Valley Orchids. This is a very hard, long-lasting bark that comes in different sizes. I have also read of people ordering different mixes from Repotme.com, and from Kelley's Corners. Your distance to the vendor will have a large effect on shipping charges, so pay attention to that.

I use quite a bit of clay balls sold in hydroponics shops for my orchids. I am more and more preferring this to large bark. This product is called LECA for Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate. Anywhere with a lot of pot smokers is going to have hydroponics shops.

Other people use large gravel, volcanic cinders and even wine corks, depending on the plant. Wine corks are supposed to be good for plants that really need a lot of air at the roots, such as Brassavolas and species bifoliate Cattleyas.

[VONDI]

Hmmm. I foresee a problem...I live in central NM. If Phoenix has no supplies I seriously doubt that Albuquerque will.
I can get cedar chips or pine bark chips or wood chips (probably pine) Any chance of using one of those?

[Dollythehun]

I suppose someone will object but I really like repotme.com mixes. Their shipping is free and they frequently run sales ( although they are still not cheap).

[VONDI]

Thanks. I'll check them out...I don't plan to go into big time orchid growing, but I DO want to take good care of the two I have. I really enjoy them!