Phalenopsis growing roots from spike

[Drommen]

Dear all,

I have a Phalenopsis which is growing leaves, roots and a new flower spike from the top of the original spike.

I have many of these orchids and this is the first time I have witnessed this.
Do I cut this from the base of the new roots and re-pot this new development?
If not, please let me know what I should do.

Many thanks,

Kind regards,

Harket

[panam]

Congratulations, Harket, on the great growing ... and welcome to the forum!

How long are the roots? You'll want them to get pretty established before you decide to remove the keiki (baby) from the mother plant.

[Drommen]

Hi,

Thank you for the quick response. The keiki has three roots. One is about six inches, another is three inches and the last is two inches long.
I did try to post an image earlier. I will try again. I spray the roots and leaves daily.
The spike coming from the keiki looks as if it will bloom within the next couple of weeks.

Thank again,

Kind regards,

Harket

[tucker85]

Congratulations, you have a keiki (baby phal) growing on that spike. Don't be in a hurry to cut it off. If you allow it to stay on the plant to get larger and more mature it will have a better chance of surviving. I always want a keiki to have more than one root and at least one root that's three inches or longer. I've left keikis in place on a spike for up to two years.

[Drommen]

Hi,
Thank you very much. I will let it remain. When should I consider removing it. I was thinking about removing it to mount on some wood. A good idea or not?...
It has three roots and two very healthy leaves with a new spike about to flower.

I can manage it in its current state.

I see that you are a senior member, so may I ask a couple more questions please?

I have a lady's slipper and a Miltonopsis which I bought last summer from a garden centre. Neither have flowered since. I have observed the growing instructions and have a couple of books about growing orchids. Despite m efforts in the last year, feeding and watering them when required, neither have flowered.
Do you have any recommendations please?

Many thanks,

Harket.

[OrchidAddict]

Congrats on your new baby!!

[OrchidAddict]

Drommen, you're fertilizing your paphs, right? They need to achieve a lot of new growth before they'll send out a flower, and each new growth needs to be mature. So there is naturally some waiting involved while the plant builds up its next growth.

I'm going to assume you're fertilizing with a typical orchid fertilizer, which is high in nitrogen. This is great for helping to build up the leaf growth necessary to support a bloom, but since nitrogen only encourages leaf growth and not flower production, you may be shooting yourself in the proverbial foot by continuing to fertilize with high-nitrogen.

If you're pretty sure your new growth is mature, I'd suggest switching to a low-nitrogen, "blossom-boosting" fertilizer. This will let the plant use its energy to make flowers, not just more leaves. With high-nitrogen, you're basically telling it to "grow, grow, grow more leaves!!" LOL

You can try the same thing with your miltoniopsis and see if it works.

[Drommen]

Hi,

Thank you. I have been using orchid grow. I do have orchid blossom, so I will switch to that. I tended to use blossom when the orchids looked as if they were going to go into bloom.

Thanks again.

H.