I've been lurking for a couple months, but now I really need some
help. A phal that is special to me is in sorry shape. I'm a novice
to orchids, but I'll do my best to explain....

A 2-3 months ago, the phal (which had three good leaves and two
spikes) started looking wilted. I uprooted it and saw the roots were
rotting, so I cut out and removed the decaying roots, leaving a couple
healthy ones. I also cut off one of the spikes, but the other one had
two keikeis (without roots) so I left it attached. I repotted in a
medium bark mix in a glazed pot with holes in the side. The mother
plant put on some new surface root growth. The keikeis got a little
larger (now about a 2" leaf one one, and a 1" leaf on the other, but
still no roots. Now, both the mother plant and the keikeis leaves are
looking soft and wrinkled, and the spike is putting out two side
spikes (not keikeis). I'm "deep" watering once a week, and keeping it
in a difusely sunny bathroom (for the humidity).

My questions:
-Should I cut off the spike with the keikeis to allow the mother plant
to keep all the energy? I'd try to root the keikeis with moss and
rooting hormones.
-Should I uproot the mother plant to see how the roots are?
-Should I leave the spike and keikeis attached to the mother plant and
try to grow keikei roots with moss and rooting hormones?
-Should I just be more patient?

Sorry this is so long. Thank you for your advice!

Pretty please?!?

This phal is special to me because it was a gift from my mother-in-law
at my husband's funeral. Please tell me how to save it so I don't
lose it, too.

Susan

(Susan) wrote in message ...
I've been lurking for a couple months, but now I really need some
help. A phal that is special to me is in sorry shape. I'm a novice
to orchids, but I'll do my best to explain....

A 2-3 months ago, the phal (which had three good leaves and two
spikes) started looking wilted. I uprooted it and saw the roots were
rotting, so I cut out and removed the decaying roots, leaving a couple
healthy ones. I also cut off one of the spikes, but the other one had
two keikeis (without roots) so I left it attached. I repotted in a
medium bark mix in a glazed pot with holes in the side. The mother
plant put on some new surface root growth. The keikeis got a little
larger (now about a 2" leaf one one, and a 1" leaf on the other, but
still no roots. Now, both the mother plant and the keikeis leaves are
looking soft and wrinkled, and the spike is putting out two side
spikes (not keikeis). I'm "deep" watering once a week, and keeping it
in a difusely sunny bathroom (for the humidity).

My questions:
-Should I cut off the spike with the keikeis to allow the mother plant
to keep all the energy? I'd try to root the keikeis with moss and
rooting hormones.
-Should I uproot the mother plant to see how the roots are?
-Should I leave the spike and keikeis attached to the mother plant and
try to grow keikei roots with moss and rooting hormones?
-Should I just be more patient?

Sorry this is so long. Thank you for your advice!

If it's stressed, I'd cut off the spike for sure and probably the
keikis as well. Personally, if I was trying to save a phal that was
in bad shape, I'd pot it in a terracotta clay pot (unglazed) with
loose sphagnum.

deg

On 7 Feb 2004 17:26:54 -0800, (Susan) wrote:

Pretty please?!?

This phal is special to me because it was a gift from my mother-in-law
at my husband's funeral. Please tell me how to save it so I don't
lose it, too.

Susan

(Susan) wrote in message ...
I've been lurking for a couple months, but now I really need some
help. A phal that is special to me is in sorry shape. I'm a novice
to orchids, but I'll do my best to explain....

A 2-3 months ago, the phal (which had three good leaves and two
spikes) started looking wilted. I uprooted it and saw the roots were
rotting, so I cut out and removed the decaying roots, leaving a couple
healthy ones. I also cut off one of the spikes, but the other one had
two keikeis (without roots) so I left it attached. I repotted in a
medium bark mix in a glazed pot with holes in the side. The mother
plant put on some new surface root growth. The keikeis got a little
larger (now about a 2" leaf one one, and a 1" leaf on the other, but
still no roots. Now, both the mother plant and the keikeis leaves are
looking soft and wrinkled, and the spike is putting out two side
spikes (not keikeis). I'm "deep" watering once a week, and keeping it
in a difusely sunny bathroom (for the humidity).

My questions:
-Should I cut off the spike with the keikeis to allow the mother plant
to keep all the energy? I'd try to root the keikeis with moss and
rooting hormones.
-Should I uproot the mother plant to see how the roots are?
-Should I leave the spike and keikeis attached to the mother plant and
try to grow keikei roots with moss and rooting hormones?
-Should I just be more patient?

Sorry this is so long. Thank you for your advice!

If it's stressed, I'd cut off the spike for sure and probably the
keikis as well. Personally, if I was trying to save a phal that was
in bad shape, I'd pot it in a terracotta clay pot (unglazed) with
loose sphagnum.

deg

On 7 Feb 2004 17:26:54 -0800, (Susan) wrote:

Pretty please?!?

This phal is special to me because it was a gift from my mother-in-law
at my husband's funeral. Please tell me how to save it so I don't
lose it, too.

Susan

(Susan) wrote in message ...
I've been lurking for a couple months, but now I really need some
help. A phal that is special to me is in sorry shape. I'm a novice
to orchids, but I'll do my best to explain....

A 2-3 months ago, the phal (which had three good leaves and two
spikes) started looking wilted. I uprooted it and saw the roots were
rotting, so I cut out and removed the decaying roots, leaving a couple
healthy ones. I also cut off one of the spikes, but the other one had
two keikeis (without roots) so I left it attached. I repotted in a
medium bark mix in a glazed pot with holes in the side. The mother
plant put on some new surface root growth. The keikeis got a little
larger (now about a 2" leaf one one, and a 1" leaf on the other, but
still no roots. Now, both the mother plant and the keikeis leaves are
looking soft and wrinkled, and the spike is putting out two side
spikes (not keikeis). I'm "deep" watering once a week, and keeping it
in a difusely sunny bathroom (for the humidity).

My questions:
-Should I cut off the spike with the keikeis to allow the mother plant
to keep all the energy? I'd try to root the keikeis with moss and
rooting hormones.
-Should I uproot the mother plant to see how the roots are?
-Should I leave the spike and keikeis attached to the mother plant and
try to grow keikei roots with moss and rooting hormones?
-Should I just be more patient?

Sorry this is so long. Thank you for your advice!

Thanks for your help!

Dewitt wrote in message . ..
If it's stressed, I'd cut off the spike for sure and probably the
keikis as well. Personally, if I was trying to save a phal that was
in bad shape, I'd pot it in a terracotta clay pot (unglazed) with
loose sphagnum.

deg

On 7 Feb 2004 17:26:54 -0800, (Susan) wrote:

Pretty please?!?

This phal is special to me because it was a gift from my mother-in-law
at my husband's funeral. Please tell me how to save it so I don't
lose it, too.

Susan

(Susan) wrote in message ...
I've been lurking for a couple months, but now I really need some
help. A phal that is special to me is in sorry shape. I'm a novice
to orchids, but I'll do my best to explain....

A 2-3 months ago, the phal (which had three good leaves and two
spikes) started looking wilted. I uprooted it and saw the roots were
rotting, so I cut out and removed the decaying roots, leaving a couple
healthy ones. I also cut off one of the spikes, but the other one had
two keikeis (without roots) so I left it attached. I repotted in a
medium bark mix in a glazed pot with holes in the side. The mother
plant put on some new surface root growth. The keikeis got a little
larger (now about a 2" leaf one one, and a 1" leaf on the other, but
still no roots. Now, both the mother plant and the keikeis leaves are
looking soft and wrinkled, and the spike is putting out two side
spikes (not keikeis). I'm "deep" watering once a week, and keeping it
in a difusely sunny bathroom (for the humidity).

My questions:
-Should I cut off the spike with the keikeis to allow the mother plant
to keep all the energy? I'd try to root the keikeis with moss and
rooting hormones.
-Should I uproot the mother plant to see how the roots are?
-Should I leave the spike and keikeis attached to the mother plant and
try to grow keikei roots with moss and rooting hormones?
-Should I just be more patient?

Sorry this is so long. Thank you for your advice!