Keiki “Baby Orchid”

What is a Keiki?

A Keiki in an orchid is basically a new (baby) orchid. The word Keiki is Hawaiian for, “baby.” A Keiki is going to be the same genre as the mother and will be the same color and likeness. It is very common to either have a Basal Keiki or an Apical/Ariel Keiki.

• Basal means it is located at or near the base of an orchid.
• Apical means it grows from the apex of the stem of an orchid….way up high.

As defined above Keiki's can grow in two different locations on an orchid and for two different reasons.

Locations (a Keiki will grow) –

• Apical Keiki – From an existing stalk with its OWN aerial roots (shown above). These grow way up high on already existing orchid bloom stalk.

• Basal Keiki – Along side the existing orchid, growing from its base and SHARING the same root system (shown above).

Reasons (a Keiki will grow) –

• A lot of times an orchid will “save itself” by sprouting a Keiki because it is dying. This happens a lot when crown rot or other types of rot has ruined an orchid.
• A dormant node on an orchid “decides” to sprout a new Keiki in an otherwise completely healthy orchid. This happens when there is a build up of growth hormones at the node.

What should you do with a Keiki?

You will want to do two different things depending in where the Keiki is located.

A. Apical Keiki – If it is sprouting from an existing sprout, way up high (as shown in the first example – under locations) with it's own aerial roots you will want to the following;

1. Wait till it has at least three good size roots
2. Snip it off about 1 or 2 inches down the stalk…don't clip the roots.
3. Repot it NEXT to the existing mother plant for the first year (if it is time to repot the mother then repot both at the same time, in the same pot). After the first year you may place it in its own little pot. We do this because it's the same genre and it helps to keep it in the same mix it grew from to regulate humidity, watering and fertilization.
4. When potting it near its mother, make sure the roots are pushed downward with the small shoot that you have cut off. Roots are not malleable unless wet…so I would recommend soaking them in water before doing this.

It may take months before an Ariel Keiki is ready to be cut off below is a time warp picture of an example.

Note: you can keep the Keiki on the existing mother plant and it will bloom but it may look a bit sloppy because it's dangling in the air and it's not grounded. But if you like that look then by all means keep it!

B. Basal Keiki – If it is sprouting from the root base, along side an existing orchid (as shown in the second example – under location), you will want to do the following;

This case is very different from the above one because the Keiki is SHARING the root system of the mother (it does not have one of its own) and therefore CANNOT be separated! In this case you will want to leave it alone. These Keiki's tend to grow really fast because they are sharing the large, already existing and established, root system of the mother.

In the case of a Basal Keiki growing because the mother plant is dying, again you do nothing. The mother plant will die back/fade away and the Basal Keiki will replace it. How cool is that?!

In the case of a Basal Keiki growing because there was a build up of growth hormones on a healthy orchid, again do nothing. The mother and baby will grow side by side and create an even bigger orchid. Again how cool is that?!

Hope that helps,

Hannah

Please feel free to leave comments or questions

 

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Paphiopedilum Orchids

Paphiopedilum orchids are best known as their pseudonym, “The Lady Slipper.” They are really, really cool and unique as far as orchids go because they have one BIG bloom instead of a bunch of small to medium blooms.

The Lady Slipper is a monopodial orchid meaning it does not have a pseudobulb, like the common Phalaenopsis orchid. Monopodial orchids need to be watered more frequently because without a pseudobulb they do not have a water reserve. I treat my Lady Slipper the way I treat my Phalaenopsis orchids in that I wait for their mix to get dry and then water them. Click on this post to see how I water my orchids.

Lady Slippers also need special mix, which I get from rePotme, that helps them keep moist between watering. I also like to fertilize them in the same way I fertilize my other orchids.

• Spring – production of late blooming and repot when out of bloom
• Summer – production of new root and leaf growth
• Fall – production of new root and leaf growth/potential of new spike
• Winter – production of new spikes and blooms

Hope that helps,

Hannah

Please feel free to leave comments or questions

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Season by Season Guide

This post is going to be a “one stop guide” of everything I do throughout the year with my orchids and what's going on with them during this time. You can click on the various links throughout this post for extra advice on what to do.

Quick background on orchids to help explain the seasons –

Orchids grow in nature at a different rate than orchids sold in stores. This is because stores buy orchids from nurseries which have a controlled environment which “forces” orchids into bloom by speeding up natural cues synthetically. They do this by giving them year round light, temperature and humidity that is controlled by indoor nursery environments.

• In nature orchids normally bloom once (for an extended period of months), usually in the Fall through early Spring. Their “nature” cue to bloom is the cool weather in the Fall.
• Normally in the Summer months leading up to Fall, orchids will be in their “active growth phase” which is when they grow new leaves and new roots. Orchids prepare for Fall blooms by storing up energy in new growth (almost like if you were to eat super healthy for a few months before a big race) which is why I give my orchids extra fertilizer at this time. Their “nature” cue at this time is the warm Summer months.

Nothing is wrong with nurseries “forcing” orchids into a cycle. But later on this post, when I explain that my orchids are on a certain cycle it may be confusing to you because your orchid may be on a different cycle. This may because you bought an orchid that was forced into bloom by a nursery or it may be because you live in a different climate. Once you have had your orchids for over a year they will catch up to a natural cycle.

My main goal is to make this easy for you! So if you have just received an orchid and it does not match up with the cycle below… then wait. I do this all the time with newly acquired orchids. I wait for their blooms to fall off. I then repot them and watch as they match up the next year.

Note: Occasionally I have repotted orchids and sadly they have not rebloomed. The are various reasons for this. Click on this post to see why.

Orchid Calendar Overview

Summer

Most of my orchids, that I have not recently bought or received, have been out of bloom for months. At this time they are preparing for their fall spikes (which become blooms) by shedding old leaves and growing both new leaves and roots. This is their natural energy cycle and is called their “active growth phase.” Many people panic when they see their bottom orchid leaves turning yellow and falling off but there is no need to worry because this is natural. When their leaves turn yellow you can either cut them off or they will shed naturally and seal themselves off.

At this time it is super hot, where I live, and I want to make sure that my orchids are not getting too dry or too hot! I regulate their heat exposure by placing them on humidity trays, misting them and placing a fan near them. Be especially careful of heat if you have your orchids outside.

• I make sure they are properly watered.
• I place them on humidity trays, some of which I have made on my own.
• I mist them.
• I make sure they get extra fertilizer.
• I also have a fan in the room that keeps them cool on really hot days.
• I repot any newly acquired orchids as soon as they go out of bloom.
• I am also looking for and treat pest, fungus and rot.

Fall

At this time my orchids are preparing to shoot out new spikes. Spikes are the little shoot that are often confused with roots which become the blooms we all love. Spikes look like little “mittens” at first :)

Naturally orchid spikes do not typically grow up, like we see in stores, which is why we need to stake and clip them. It does not hurt an orchid to stake it. This process is done because we think the orchids look “prettier” this way and this makes it easier to place multiple orchids together, on humidity tray, because they are not crowding each other.

If you store your orchids indoors, like I do, then you may have to give your orchids the “Fall Cue” by cracking a window near them for a week or two. This is because when we heat our homes, orchids do not notice that it's cold outside and don't know that it's time to start growing spikes/shoots.

I have prepared for this time by buying stakes and clips.

As the new spikes grow I stake and clip them with different size stakes. If you wait till the spike is longer, you may break it because when it's small it's super malleable and easily manipulated in the direction you want it to grow.

• I have cut back on my fertilizer at this time.
• I continue to water properly, but less than the Summer because they are drying out slower.
• I continue to have my orchids on humidity trays.
• I mist them.
• I repot any newly acquired orchids as soon as they go out of bloom.
• I am also looking for and treat pest, fungus and rot.
• I also take notes, comparing them to last year, keeping track of when I see the first spike appear.

Winter

At this time I am watching my orchids bloom with much anticipation! Most of my orchids have shot out spikes by November and have been staked. Now I am watching them grow, some of them are blooming while others are producing more and more buds. This is a really fun time!

Some orchids experience “bud blast,” which is super annoying. This is when an orchid has a bloom bud that is about to open and instead it shrivels up, turns yellow and dies! Click here for my post on this.

• I continue to cut back on my fertilizer at this time.
• I water properly, but less than I would in the Spring/Summer months because they are drying out less.
• I have my orchids on humidity trays.
• I mist them.
• I repot any newly acquired orchids as soon as they go out of bloom.
• I am also looking for and treat pest, fungus and rot.
• I take notes on the first bloom time and how many blooms.

SPRING

At this time my orchids have begun to shed their blooms. Orchids do this naturally – the blooms will shrivel and fall off one by one. Orchids have worked hard to produce these blooms as all of their energy is going to the shoot and its blooms. Eventually, when all the blooms have fallen, you will want to cut back their shoots in order to conserve their energy.

Not only do you want to cut back their shoots but you will want to repot them in premium mix. Even the best mix breaks down over time and giving them fresh new mix will help them prepare for their new leaf and root growth. This is also a great time to look at their roots, cut off dead ones and look for any rot.

Your orchid may need to be moved to a bigger pot at this time. Orchids like to be potted snugly but they do not like to be smothered!

Once the blooms have fallen the orchids begins their “active growth phase.” This phase is when they grow new roots and leaves. Without new and healthy root and leaf growth your orchid will not bloom next year. It's an energy cycle. It would be the same as a kid growing strong bones in preparation for a growth spurt, which is why we increase fertilization in the Spring and Summer months.

They will also shed their bottom leaves as new leaf growth appears. You have the option to let the orchid shed its leaf naturally (it will seal itself off) or cut it off. Click on this post for more information on this.

At this time, if you want, you have the option to move your orchid outside. You just need to make sure they do not get too hot. Do not put them in full sun – orchids like dapple shade. Also if you put them outside you will need to take extra care to make sure they don't dry out or get scorched.

• I make sure they are properly watered.
• I place them on humidity trays, some of which I have made on my own.
• I mist them.
• I make sure they get extra of fertilizer.
• I repot my orchids as soon as they go out of bloom.
• I also take notes on them to see when they drop their blooms, what their roots look like, and if I moved their pot size.
• I am also looking for and treating pest, fungus and rot.

Hope that helps,

Hannah

Feel free to leave comments or questions.

 

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Dyed Orchids

Orchid naturally bloom in the most beautiful colors! Which is why injecting orchids, or any other plant, with dye may be one of the worst crimes to plants EVER! I don’t understand why anyone (mostly florist and orchid sellers) would take an already gorgeous plant and dye it? What makes me so frustrated is that as orchid consumers (and mostly beginners) we are buying these orchids without knowing they are dyed. We see a pretty orchid and buy it for someone or ourselves and then are left with the consequences of some experienced grower that is knowingly selling them. If you own one and stumble upon this post – I want you to know that this is not your fault!!

The most common color orchids are dyed is blue. There are naturally blooming blue orchids… but they are really hard to find. Below is an example of a DYED blue orchid.

This “blue” orchid is really pretty but is basically poisoned! I explain this below…

The reason I am posting this at all, is that I had a really sweet girl email me, on my blog, the following question;

“I got a died blue orchid and all the leaves fell off and now it’s seeping liquid out of all the nodes. It is still in bloom but what do I do?”

Below our pictures she sent me of her dyed blue orchid…

Pic of beautiful orchid leaves that fell off

Pic of the dye on the bottom of orchid leaf… Can you see it – at the bottom?

Pic of dyed liquid seeping out of orchid nodes

To be honest….I had no idea what was going on with this orchid. I am normally pretty good and answering questions from viewers (based on all the helpful advice I have gotten) but this one stumped me. First, I did not understand how every leaf could fall of an orchid and it could still be alive! Second, I have NEVER seen liquid seeping out of orchid nodes!

So I asked my orchid guru at Garden Heights Nursery, Barb Giblin. The following is what she said in a nut shell –

This is a technique some of the growers have come up with to make the plants sell better because they look so different. We haven’t seen evidence that it hurts the plants (until NOW), but the reality is that the blue color will not reappear in future blooms. The flowers will return to their natural white color in the future. No special care is needed, but try to avoid getting the dye on you! It is hard to wash off apparently (which is a strange thought because if it’s hard to wash off, then how is it good for an orchid?).

She said whatever they dyed it with, they either used too much or it was toxic. This is probably the cause of the leaves falling off (leaves typically fall off if an orchid if it is over watered and/or if water pools at the top of leaves and it rotted) and the reason it’s seeping liquid. The plant is literally expelling extra toxic dye in an attempt to save itself!!

She said there is hope for these plant if you want it to try to revive it.

Do this;

• Cut the blooming stem off, at its base. This will save its energy.
• Repot it immediately in straight charcoal to pull all the toxics out of the crown and roots. If you don’t have charcoal then repot it normal orchid mix.

I hope this post helps if you are in a similar predicament and if not maybe it will discourage you from buying dyed plants in the future. If you want a blue plant then buy a naturally blooming blue plant (like a Hydrangea) please don’t knowingly buy one that has been basically poisoned!

Please feel free to leave comments or questions.

Hannah

 

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Monopodial vs. Sympodial

What's the difference between monopodial and sympodial orchids?

Monopodial Orchids

Monopodial orchids grow as a single upright “stem” with one leaf following another on opposite sides of the center. Monopodial orchids are repotted in the center of the pot as they will grow straight up. Common monopodial orchids are Phalaenopsis (shown above), Paphiopedilums, and Vanda (shown below).

• Orchids with this characteristic pattern of growth do not contain water reservoirs (no pseudobulbs) apart from their leaves and thick roots, thus should be watered just as the medium in which they are potted in dries out completely.
• At the base of monopodial orchids are small nodes that lie dormant, often for a very long time. Occasionally, however, monopodial orchids will multiply by starting a new shoots at the base of the plant and in this way develop into sizable specimen plants. The new plant is called a “basal keiki.”

Sympodial Orchids

Sympodial growth is defined as an orchid that does not grow from a single vertical stem but from a stem that is more or less horizontal. They have the appearance of looking like flower bulbs but they are not. Their real function is to store water. These kind of orchids can go for prolong durations without water until the medium dries out because they store water in their pseudobulbs.

• Sympodial orchids grow new pseudobulbs from the base of the previous pseudobulb and over time develop multiple growth leads along a single horizontal stem. This horizontal stem is called the rhizome. From the rhizome roots will grow. Most orchid genera are sympodial such as the Cattleya, Cymbidium, Dendrobium and Oncidium.
• A pseudobulb refers to and individual “shoot” of a sympodial orchid which has a chunky base to hold water topped with leaves. Sometimes the pseudobulb is small and the leaves are long (as in Cymbidiums, shown at above, 1st pic above). Sometimes the pseudobulbs are long and thick (they look like leaf canes) and the leaves are small (as in Dendrobiums, shown above, 2nd pic above). Bloom spikes usually come from where the outermost leaf meets the pseudobulb. To assist in anchoring a sympodial orchid in the pot, a clip can be placed across the pot and between the pseudobulbs to secure.

Here is a helpful picture that further explains the difference

Photo copyright, American Orchid Society newsletter

 

Hope that Helps,

Hannah

Please feel free to leave comments or questions.

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Orchid Blooms: Bud Blast

Why are my orchid blooms shriveling and falling off BEFORE they bloom?

A few days ago my orchid that I repotted last year was about to bloom! It had four little buds and they were growing super fast. The first bloom opened halfway and quickly died! And then the next bud turned yellow and FELL OFF! I was so frustrated!! So I did some research and found this was called, “bud blast.”

Here is a picture of bud blast…

Here is a normal healthy picture of buds…

 

Bud blast IS anytime a developing orchid bud starts to look shrunken, wilted and/or dry. Bud blast is NOT when an already bloomed flower naturally falls off. Bud blast is extremely frustrating because you are waiting so patiently for your bud to open and then it turns yellow and/or wilts and then falls off. So why does this happen?

If you experience bud blast, in an orchid you just bought, this is probably not a result of anything you're doing. The most commons trigger of bud blast is a change in environment. Orchids are naturally grown in a jungle environment. This environment is reproduced, here in the states, in green houses and the shock of changing this environment can be upsetting to them (click here on how to create a jungle environment in your house).

As your new orchid is adjusting to its new environment it may drop some of its buds. This has happened to me quite a few times. Bringing a plant home from a nursery or greenhouse is a MAJOR change in environment. Even the car ride home, if the car is really hot or cold, may shock your orchid. And just think of the massive change in environment if you had an orchid shipped to you!

Unfortunately once bud blast begins to happen, there is little you can do for that single bud. It can't be revived….but you can stop the rest of your orchid buds from experiencing bud blast by figuring out what is causing bud blast on your plant and then adjusting their environment (And don't be concerned about your whole orchid dying…it's just the bloom…not the whole orchid).

There are other reasons why your orchids may experience bud blast. Any major change in the orchid's environment can shock your orchid, like moving orchids around your house. For instance let's say you want to change windows and the new window is over a heat vent or near a really drafty cold window, this may shock them. Orchids are pretty durable but they don't like major changes in air temperature, light and water. You must stay consistent in where you place them. Find a good spot and keep them there.

Here are the most common reasons for bud blast….outside of bringing them home.

1. Temperature change

* Too high: Your orchid may get too hot in direct sunlight. It also may get too hot if it is placed close to a heating vent.

* Too low: There may be a sudden drop in temperature that makes the buds experience “frost.” For example being too close to a drafty window or too close to an air conditioning vent.

2. Light

* Too much: orchids can get too much light. They need dappled shade and can experience “sunburn” in lots of direct light. A good way to tell this is to feel their leaves and if they are warm to the touch, they are in too direct of light.

* Too little: orchids need light. Many people keep orchids in offices or places in their house where there is no indirect light from a window…this will stunt their growth.

3. Water:

* Not enough: If an orchid has been too dry between watering it will withdraw moisture from the buds killing them.

* Too much…. The worst thing you can do is give an orchid too much water. Orchids are not normal houseplants! Click on the this link to see why.

4. Dry air, particularly from nearby air conditioners or heating vents. This follows up on the temperature point but what I mean here is that orchids need humidity. Click this post to see how to create humidity trays.

5. Being too close to fruit or other ripening plant matter – as plants age (and decay) they release ethylene gas, which causes the nearby orchid blooms to age and decay as well, or just shrivel. So be careful with orchids in your kitchen.

6. Repotting an orchid while in bloom will cause bud blast because the orchids is getting use to the new environment.

If you are having trouble with your orchid not blooming at all, click here.

Hope that Helps,

Hannah

Feel free to leave comments or questions.

 

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Orchid Blooms

Orchids are gorgeous and once you get the chance to watch one that is about to bloom, you will know how exciting it is! You will get a chance to see it, day to day, slowly open and the final product is amazing!!

Orchid blooms are initially sealed, protectively, with three sepals (as shown in the picture above). Sepals are the outer covering of the bud and are normally green (sometimes they are a dark maroon color) and then change color upon blooming.

As the bud slowly opens the sepals fold back to show the inner petals of your orchid. Inside the three sepals are three petals. These three petals are not all the same size. There are two large petals on the top left and right and a smaller petal at the bottom forming a lip. This bottom petal is special in that it forms a unique “lip” shape and often has a lot of different colors on it.

• Below is an illustration of a Phalaenopsis sepals and petals.

Notes:

Orchid blooms take time to open. Be patient when waiting for them to bloom and never force them to open!

A common yet frustrating experience is called “bud blast,” which is when you are waiting for you buds to open and instead they shrivel, turn yellow, and fall off. Click on the above link for my post on this subject.

When changing from one potting mix to another your orchids may change color from one year to the next. Many times I bought a pink or yellow orchid and the next year it bloomed white. This is normal and is due to different nutrients in the soil.

Hope that Helps,

Hannah

Please free to leave comment or questions.

 

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