Hello, my Phal orchid has a spent flower, and I have some keiki paste. Do I cut off the spent nodes above the dormant node that I will be applying the paste to? Or do I keep it
it is supposed to be used to grow plantlets from a stem that no longer has flowersIs the keiki paste used on existing plantlets or is it supposed to grow them?
If you already have a plantlet, that has roots and leaves at least 6cm long, just cut it off the stem with sterile secateurs and replant it.
If you have a spent flower stem, cut it off at the base once the stem has died (lost the greenness). Then place the plant in a dark place for a month to simulate dormancy. Once returned in to the light, resume watering using an orchid fertiliser and it will usually send up another flowering stem.
alright that makes senseRight, I've never tried it but I would probably leave it on (avoids risk of infection from cutting) until the keiki is formed, then remove it when you seperate the plantlet?
I hope it produces a plantlet! i have two phals so maybe one of them willFor a spent flower stem the best thing to do is wait for the stem to dry out. Sometimes they don't dryout and will grow new side shorts with new flowers. Some orchids never produce a plantlet on the flower stem. or at least my orchids have never done it. You could try applying the paste after the flower falls off while the stems still green but I don't know if that will stimulate a toe plant to produce a plantlet.