From the keiki to the plant - how long?
 

:waving
Hi everyone
it is only this year when I started to separate keikis from my different dendrobiums and plant them into the pots. It will be month now, and all of them seems to be doing fine, I do not see any leaves falling, any yellowing and I see new leaves growing, so I do consider it as a success so far. My question is, how long does it take for a keiki to become a mature plant? I would love to give some to my friends, but I want to make sure before I do so, they are established and growing, so they won't kill them. Many thanks for some tutorial on this one, totally new experience for me with keikis:D

Some Den keikis can bloom while still very small. What type(s) of Dens?

Most of them is from my heterocarpum, there is few from nobile dendrobium.

---------- Post added at 09:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:40 PM ----------

I am not expecting it to bloom next year, I just wanted to ask when can I say for sure that keiki is established and growing plant. It is only a month now, but I guess by next year spring if they are doing fine, it is all good. Also, one more think, you do also winter dry rest for keikis like this??? or it does not apply to keikis, and you follow regular watering regime???

some hybrid Dendrobium keikis will mature and bloom the next year....my kingianum keikis bloom the following year even while attached to the mother plant; I have dry environment so I don't like to detach the keikis until they really mature.
Do not give rest period to keikis....consider them growing kids who need food and sustenance. They will give you a sign if their leaves fall after the blooms then its time to give it a rest.

Many thanks Bud. We have it pretty humid, but they were really well established anyway, I would say like 6-8inches with 1-3 inches roots for heterocarpum, so I decided to separate. Which I am pretty happy for it now because it seems I might have killed my big heterocarpum - over water - so at least I will have keikis:-) Thanks for tips!!!!

Two years ago, I was advised by two senior members to purchase this very important book:
"Dendrobium And Its Relatives"
by three authors:
Bill Lavarack, Wayne Harris and Geoff Stocker

this book has beautiful pictures and really pertinent practical tips on growing any kind of Dendrobiums.
I never tire of reading it cover to cover ....its on my center table in the living room better than those glossy pricy magazines for my visitors to browse through.

You'll kill me Bud, awesome tip again, hard to find in new condition but I did, and bought:-)))) Many thanks, will go to my collection of other orchid books:-)

that is a very good investment....that book is my reference whenever I have any Dendrobium questions....

Since I was really not successful yet with blooming ANY Dendros, except the regular Home Depot ones, I am truly excited to read this. I did purchase dozens of different Dendrobiums this year and this will for sure help! I just have to laugh to see the PRICES for this book, at most websites USED and running around $35-$80, NEW around $100 and more:-)

I also got that book a couple of years ago. I was happy to find a used one less than $20!

For anyone looking for this book, I found new one on orchidweb.com for only $34.95, bought it yesterday, they shipped today

Bud, I got my book yesterday, wanted to thank you very very much for the tip, it is truly amazing. I was not able to go even sleep, started to read it around midnight and went to sleep after 2am:-) Definitely the book every Dendrobium freak should have:-)))

Hi Tommy, can see a couple of your keiki plantings?
Curious as to what medium you used to pot them.

I have a mother dendrobium which doesn't seem to look good roots wise. There are many keikis growing on top of the mature canes. Wonder when I can pot these soon...

hi Chatbud
I went out and take few pics. Ok, most of them is from my Heterocarpum, there is one that is from Kingianum (that's the one potted in those white light stones, however they are called), and there are 2 from Nobile. Regarding potting mix, I did use both special dendrobium mix I have from my orchid supplier (really made specially for dendros), and also some of them are in Aussie Gold. I did pot them into the smallest possible pots, and tight, and have them all standing on the stones in the bowl with water. There is few new kekis from my anosmum, which I separated this week and mounted on the tree fern piece. The last one is in small tree fern pot, but I must say that one is not probably gonna make it, however the other ones potted both in aussie gold and dendro mix are potted for close to month and they seem perfectly ok:-) Hope you can safe at least kekis (that's what happened to me, I probably killed my big Heterocarpum). Good Luck!

WOW! Thanks so much Tommy. That was quick! The medium all seem to be high quality stuff.
Have to take my hat off you for the love and attention that you shower so lavishly on your orchids! :clap:
They will grow big and strong and bloom for you next year!

Many thanks
I am still in the process of "learning and trying", these are my first ever kekis I did separate and potted. I am very lucky to have great supplier for everything orchid close to my house, and they not only do sell anything you might ever need, but they help you every single time with any issue, question etc. From him I have their special dendro mix. Than aussie gold was suggested to me from another florida seller where I bought my dendrobium nobiles, she is growing them specifically in this mix and she said they are growing like crazy, so I must have tried. Little pricy but will see, so far so good. Bets of luck with your little keki babies and keep us posted how do they do :-)

---------- Post added at 02:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:20 PM ----------

BTW - I always used "keiki" because that's what I've seen on the web and here also, but aftre reading this amazing book Dendrobium and its relatives, these authors use world "keki", instead of keiki, so not sure which one to use now :rofl::biggrin::D:evil: