Beginner's baby on the way.
 

:hello
I'm new in OB ( although I' ve been following your posts for the last months) and rather new in orchid world too.( only ten months old orchid grower). I have a small collection of 5 phals, one cym, one catleya and one dendrobium and we are doing pretty much fine till now. All of my phals are either blooming or ready to bloom, which make me feel like a proud mom.:)
Well, patience never was one of my virtues, so since an unusual new growth is forming on one of my phal's stem , I completely lost my mind. I think it's a keiki but I'm not sure if it is, I have never see one alive. I know that time will give me the answer but....you know how beginner's impatience is :blushing:
I tried to upload a photo but the thread was denied. Can anyone help me with this please?

Hello Dorita
Welcome to OB.
Once you are able to post Pictures ( i think you have to post 5 Times before you can do that ) we will be able to tell if it is a Baby or not.

I have to post 5 times.Ok. Let's see.

---------- Post added at 08:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:12 PM ----------

Well in my third post I have to tell you something about this plant. It's my mothers gift for my birthday.

Thats nice of your Mother to get you hooked on orchids :)

It was in bloom when it came at home. (Two stems).The flowers withered after one month and immediately it started a second blooming period which lasted 3 1/2 months.

Thats great-you are doing it right then.

30 days later new roots came up, plus a new leaf on the crown and new growth on both stems.

So do we have 5 yet? :)
try posting a picture now and see if it will work

One of them I 'm sure it's a new branch, there is no doubt about that. But the other one..... Well after the fifth post we 'll see. I hope:)

---------- Post added at 08:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:26 PM ----------

I still can't post a photo.This is the message I get
"Post denied. New posts are limited by number of URLs it may contain and checked if it doesn't contain forbidden words."

Try the section on OB where it says how to post Pictures-have a look , it will tell you how to.
Or ask RosieC

I use Imageshack to upload. I think it's ok

---------- Post added at 08:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:38 PM ----------

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/9909/dsc00497zf.jpg

Uploaded with ImageShack.us
I did it at last.

That looks like a Keikei to me.But i hope someone else will see this and confirm it. So if we are right-leave it on the Mother Plant till it gets some Roots of its own, about 3-4 inches-opps- Metric-about 7.5 to 10 cm.Then you can removed from the Mom and pot it up in its own little Pot.

Ok. I was going to do exactly that anyway but I have a question. Is it normal for a phal to grow a new branch, new roots, a new leaf and a keiki at the same time? It hasn't stop growing "something" for the last 9 months. I fear that is going to be exhausted. Is there anything else I can do for her?

Maybe it is just happy with the Spot it is growing in?
I dont know if this is normal- I had a phal flowering for a year and a half.I almost lost it-some flower them selfs to death.When i seen that the leafs started to die-one by one-I finally cut the Flower Stem off.re-potted it and then i did not let it flower for 2 Years-it made spikes anyways-but i cut them off-so this year -it has 4 good leafs again i let it make the Flowers-but i will keep an Eye on it-3 Months and then i will cut the flower Stem again. But if yours looks healhty- just let it do its growing-but if you see it decline-then you will have too maybe cut the Flower Stem too and let it rest.

Hello and welcome to the board. Phals don't have a 'rest' period so they grow all year round.
I think the best you can do is stop worrying! :)

A really good advice I think. I'll enjoy the new baby coming.