When to attempt to make keikies?

[greenpassion]

Hi all. I recently ordered some keiki paste, and will attempt the operation of making kiekies from my phals. I had thought (from watching utube videos on line) that I should wait until the flowers have just gone by, and then go for the lowest nodes on the spikes to cut the sheath off and apply the paste. But now I just watched another video where this person was doing the sheath thing on a newly spiked phal, and was applying the paste much higher up. I have specifically 2 phals I really want to clone, and have been waiting for the flowers to go by. They both have been in full bloom since January!! Anyway, another problem I'm having is-there are no 'empty' nodes! They are branched spikes and fully loaded with flowers, and there simply are no nodes left to choose from. So not only do I not know WHEN to apply the paste, but where!!

---------- Post added at 09:18 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:32 PM ----------

I should add that the reason there are no noded left to choose from is because everywhere there are nodes there are branches coming out of them.

[WhiteRabbit]

[greenpassion]

I don't remember what it means to be bumped. Has this question gone somewhere else?

[jkofferdahl]

Sonya bumped you because she wasn't sure of an answer and didn't want your question to disappear - the bump put it back on the "active" list.

Are you sure that every single node is branched? The node is the point from which growth will come. I've not seen many spikes that don't have even one non-growing node, though they happen. Look very carefully. You are seeking a small, triangular shape, which looks sort of like a small flap. If you find one, you want to VERY carefully remove the triangular flap and then smear the paste on the tiny nub underneath it.

Without a node you really don't have a potential growth point on the stem from which to start a keiki.

Now, regarding when you first apply the paste - early in the stem growth or after blooms - depends on your purpose. If you are just looking to reproduce the plant then using the paste early in stem development is the way to go. However, the hormones you're adding to the plant's system will encourage vegetative growth rather than flowers. You'll get keikis, though, if that's what you're after. I personally want the flowers.

[greenpassion]

Thank you Phillip. The only node I find is one Down close to the bark mix. And it's flat-empty looking, unlike the nodes in some of my other phals. And honestly, I want to reproduce the plant, but I'd also like flowers! This is a beautiful multi branched double spikes phal with peach colored flowers. It's the one I posted about with flowers that appear to be fading in color intensity. This phal spiked in early December, and is still coming out with buds which are opening. Maybe it's fading because it's tired !