"Jeff Layman" wrote
I've had a Keiki on one of my phals for around a year. The roots are around
20cm long, so I guess I can pot it up. I was wondering about leaving it on
the original plant to see if I could get a Keiki on a Keiki in a few years!

A friend bought us a flowering phal from M&S a couple of years ago. It had
three flower spikes, somewhat unusually. But a few months ago the leaves
started going black and have all gone, leaving a hard stump. It is still
flowering on one spike, but will it produce new leaves from the stump or
maybe elsewhere? Or not at all, for that matter, and pass on...


IME once all the leaves have gone the plant is dead. It's usually caused by
water being left in the crown of the plant overnight (or for any long time).
I am always very careful to dry any water that I may get in/on the crown of
the plant when watering. I do however wipe the leaves with a damp cloth to
keep them clean of dust.

The best way to water these orchids or any other for that matter is to place
the pot in a bucket with water level with the rim of the pot and leave it
there for, say, an hour to soak. Drain it well. Then place back in it's
growing place. The water should be rain water at room temperature of course
and should contain fertilizer at the appropriate strength with an occasional
watering with plain water. Always best to water in the morning so the plants
have time to dry before night.

--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK