I have a phalaenopsis that the growth point rotted and it still had 2 flower stalks, so I put on some kiki paste and waited. I now have 17 kikis of various sizes. Some are still way too small but others are now 4 - 5 inch leaf span with three or four roots from 2 to 5 inches long. At what point is it safe to start separating the kikis from the main plant? There is no rush for me to do this but if it would help the smaller kikis to grow by removing the largest ones, I would like to try. I don't know what the variety is (grocery store special) but it is one that I really like and don't want to loose. It is a smaller variety with the main plant having a leaf span of 8-10 inches max. The photos are not good but they may help. Any suggestions?

That's a lot of nice keikis! I am amazed how well this worked.
I have never done something like that on Phals, so I hope others will chime in here. But if that were my plant I would probably separate the ones with the best roots already and pot them up. See how they do and follow up slowly with the others. Something like that.

I've salvaged keikis with roots of 1 inch in length so I think you are safe to take several of those now. I like to start new keikis off in moss, then graduate bark. Just keep an eye on them.

Jim

Thanks I was hoping it was safe to do it now. I don't use moss as I've never had good results with it. It's reaaallllllly dry (10 % humidity) in my apartment this time of year. What about shredded coconut fibre? I've used it with other plants but not with my orchids. I usually use the chunks for the orchids but I see where that might not hold enough moisture for the small plants. If it's mixed with some larger particles of something to increase the drainage a bit would that work?

I love Coconut fiber! I use it all the time for all sorts of Orchids! I take a piece, pull it bit apart and wrap it very loosely around roots, or simply use it to anchor an Orchid in a pot.

Holy Cow! I've never seen so many keikeis! I was told to let the roots get an inch to two inches long before cutting the
baby off the stem. I wrapped a little bit of moss around the early roots to get mine started. It was a window sill plant in
a dry environment that only got watered once a week. It took 4 or 5 years for the baby to get to blooming age.
Nice job growing these, Brian!

I'd like to know what the "kiki paste" is that you used on that plant! Is it a commercial product available readily?

Love to try that, and you sure did a great job with it! You're obviously misting, and keeping it very happy, all those keikis look very healthy.

Just thought I throw this in here - keiki means baby or child in Hawai. ( not kiki....)

The hormone I used is called "Keiki Grow Plus" and as far as I know it is still available, at least the web site is still up. It's very easy to use and as you can see gives great results. I also used Keiki Root to stimulate root production. Sorry Ursula spelling has never been a strong point of mine. In school I usually got extra marks just for spelling my name right.
Here's the link to the web site.

http://www.orchidmall.com/horm...

Wow, that's an eye opener. I had no idea.

Jim

Hoo boy! Fertility drugs for orchids. That one of yours is a double Octomom, Brian.

On the other hand, I do have a couple of really super vigorous Phals I wouldn't mind propagating . . . there are my Scots ancestors nudging me again!

I had heard of the hormone but had never tried it till this phal. started to rot. I tracked down the maker ( lives not far from me) put the paste on the eyes that afternoon and in a few short days I could already see growth. You get enough hormone paste in a bottle to last a very long time as you don't need to put much on. Saved this one and I'm planning on another when the flowers die off.

Brian, just an idea, from looking at your original pictures again. Since you have so many, I'd be inclined to try mounting a few of those keikis on a totem. Phals grow on the trunks of trees in nature, with their crowns facing down. The flower stems hang gracefully and the flowers face upwards when they are mounted like that. You can hang them on a wall, or just use as a hanging plant.

They will take more misting, and watering that way, though. If you go away, you'd need to put it where a sprinkler or mister would hit it. But it looks like you must be doing a great job of that anyway, given all those healthy roots on the keikis. Biggest problem most people have with Phals is overwatering them, or crown rot from water sitting in the leaves. Mounting essentially makes that impossible.

I use the coco fiber liner for hanging baskets that you can buy at HD or Lowe's and just staple or tie it to a piece of wood - firewood would work, I'd think!

I'm going to get me some of that keiki paste! I love propagating plants.