Keiki hormone products - question for experienced users - timing for use on Phals?

[Catt Mandu]

I have KeikiGrow Plus lanolin-based paste from Plant Hormones Canada. The paste is viable, and I have recently used it to stimulate another spike on a Phal.

Unfortunately, I have not been too successful at using this product to actually produce a keiki.

I have a Phal that I would like to propagate - P. ELEGANT DEBORAH (Syn. Taida Pearl) that is currently in bloom. Last bud opened maybe 2 or 3 weeks ago.

My understanding (from reading on the internet) is that stimulation of the nodes closest to the flowers have a better chance of producing a spike, while nodes further down on the stem have a better chance of producing a keiki (if this is incorrect, please let me know). Also, I've heard that allowing too many nodes to develop keikis can stress the plant; best to limit it to 2 or 3 keikis and provide ample water and adequate fertilizer while the keikis are growing.

Here is my main question: How old should the spike be before I attempt to induce keiki formation? Should I do now while in full bloom? Wait until some flowers drop? Wait until all flowers drop?

Opinions appreciated - especially from folks that have succeeded in using hormone products to produce keikis.

[arwan]

Hi i would suggest doing it after all the blooms have fallen off and the plant is starting to grow new leaves and roots. I did once when the plant is in bloom but it gives more flower spike instead of a keiki. I think temperature also plays an important part in inducing keiki growth, i would suggest doing it when the temperature is high and when plant starts giving vegetative growth. I'm also waiting for the weather to warm up so i can use some growth hormone on my phals. All the best!!
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[Catt Mandu]

Thank you arwan - that is helpful!

I am also curious regarding other people's experience with hormone products to produce keikis or new growths, with Phals, but also with other plants. I have successfully used on Cattleya alliance back bulbs to induce old "eyes" into growing. Has anyone else used successfully on plants other than Phals?

[chemist]

I used it on all stages, and all the time was getting spikes
Someone says light level should be lower than normal to induce keiki.

[Carolla]

My one attempt so far was on a Phal that had dropped the flowers (recently) and got a spike. I just put some on another Phal whose flowers have been off for months, but the stem remained green, we'll see what happens!

[phalspital]

We've been talking about this hormone to produce keikis in other threads...please search the site. Timing is everything.

[Yug]

I read somewhere that for keiki's give it less light, and more light for another inflorescence.

[PaphMadMan]

The only way I have used keiki paste is to kick-start dormant eyes in Catts and Oncids, and it definitely works, both eyes on older back-bulbs and getting extra eyes to pop on lead pseudobulbs. The plant needs to be healthy enough to do what you are pushing, so it won't necessarily revive a nearly dead back-bulb. And it isn't likely to make eyes on active pseudobulbs start out of season, but if you time it right just ahead of the normal start of growth you can usually get 2-3 eyes going at once instead of 1, or eyes on the second and third bulb back to start too - if the plant is healthy and vigorous in the first place.

For keiki paste on Phals I can only speak from theoretical knowledge and received wisdom, but from 40+ years growing orchids and listening to other experienced growers, a botany related degree and experience working with plant hormones in a plant tissue culture lab, here's the theory. If a plant has been triggered to be in flowering mode, as in a fresh spike or one just finishing flowering, you will probably trigger more flowers. If a spike is still green a few weeks or longer after the last flowers are gone and shows no signs of branch spikes then you have a good chance of making keikis. I would use the lowest nodes on the spike, and put the keiki paste on several nodes. Not all may start so you want as many chances as possible, and it is not true that producing keikis stresses a healthy plant. As soon as they have a leaf they are contributing to overall plant strength so as long as the roots are healthy, fertilizer is adequate and the plant gets general good care many keikis just means a healthy actively growing plant. Growth is good. It may slow down growth of the main plant or delay the next flowering cycle. That doesn't mean the plant is stressed, just that it has redirected resources the way you asked it to.

[Catt Mandu]

PaphMadMan, and others, thanks for the helpful replies! I've gotten some conflicting advice, but generally the advice seems to coalesce around waiting until flowering is completely done, no new spikes starting, plant vegetative growth starting, and keeping light levels low. The plant is still blooming so I'll have to wait until buds drop and no new spikes are forming.
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