Will cutting baby leaves encourage root growth?

[Kingianum]

Hi all,

I saw a video on YouTube saying that cutting baby leaves on an Orchid encourages root growth. Is this true or a myth? My Phalaenopsis has three baby leaves, feeling redundant and out of place. Should I cut them or keep them?

[greenpassion]

Umm, never heard of that before. I'd think there are better ways to encourage root growth besides cutting plant parts. Try Kelpmax. You won't have to wait long for new and also improved root growth. You can get it at First Rays. Just google it

[WhiteRabbit]

Hmm... I've never heard that either ... the small leaves at the bottom there, are old leaves - Please never cut newly growing leaves from the top of your Phal! Leaves generate food for the plant through photosynthesis, so cutting off healthy leaves isn't something I would expect to be beneficial.

[Roberta]

Whoever gave that advice about cutting leaves must have been smoking something... hopefully not their orchids. Don't ever cut healthy green leaves - at whatever size, they feed the plant through photosynthesis, as WhiteRabbit said. And that is only a good thing. Healthy plants will grow healthy roots.

[Kingianum]

Thanks all for the helpful suggestions! Will certainly keep the leaves and look up Kelpmax.

[estación seca]

I can't believe the stupid nonsense spread on YouTube. There is probably useful information available too, but a beginner is not able to separate the few ponies from the wagons full of manure.

Trying to force plants to grow roots by chopping leaves is in the manure category.

I might watch videos posted by people with years of experience.

[Optimist]

Whoever said that is full of mashed potatoes.

[greenpassion]

Or worse!

[rbarata]

There is probably useful information available too, but a beginner is not able to separate the few ponies from the wagons full of manure.

Trying to force plants to grow roots by chopping leaves is in the manure category.

Trying to force plants to grow roots by chopping leaves is in the manure category.

Here's some reliable orchid chanels at youtube:

Astrid

Gardening at Douentza

Brads Greenhouse & Gardening

MissOrchidGirl

AuSable Botanicals

ChadwickOrchids

There are more...maybe someone can post others.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by rbarata

Here's some reliable orchid chanels at youtube:

Astrid

Gardening at Douentza

Brads Greenhouse & Gardening

MissOrchidGirl

AuSable Botanicals

There are more...maybe someone can post others.

I would skip Miss Orchid Girl . . . a lot of 'my plants have Fusarium' nonsense there.

Astrid used to be on this form a few years ago, I've not looked up what she has posted on YouTube.. Ok, just looked that up, not useful. More about her than about orchids.