Phal spike and root question - Orchid Board

ambykay · #1 04-07-2011, 12:00 PM

If my phal has only two small roots and a brown spike with two droopy blooms is it ok to remove the spike so that it can concentrate more on recovering?

FairyInTheFlowers · #2 04-07-2011, 12:25 PM

You should deffinitely remove the spike. By the sounds of it, the spike is already dead. Try to cut it as close to the plant as possible without hurting the plant.

Paul Mc · #3 04-07-2011, 12:30 PM

Be sure your equipment is sterilized and to lightly dust the cut with cinnamon to help prevent opportunistic diseases, viruses and other things. It should be fine. You might want to try some rooting hormone to help speed up the root growth process as well.

khanarabians · #4 05-01-2011, 06:26 AM

Looking through the beginner posts I saw this. I've just cut a spike from one of the Phals I 'rescued' from the garden centre, (reduced price as the buds were dropping). The buds were large but over a month had not opened. I've cut off the spike, sprayed the stump with a little fungus spray as I don't have any cinnamon and am hoping the plant will be happy enough to put more energy into staying healthy. It has a new leaf forming and it has a dark green shoot coming from the side that isn't a spike but looks like it may be a root..??
All my Phals are in clear pots within white ceramic ones so they look good but also get air circulation and a little stability..!!. The pots have an area where there is a rim 3/4 of the way down. The clear pots sit on this rim so the water drains right out the bottom into the space below.
My questions are
1) Have I done right by this plant to have cut the spike
2) Is it OK for the Phals to sit above the drained water
Cheers for any replies
Marion

Paul Mc · #5 05-01-2011, 07:56 AM

In nature, phal's hang either on their side or upside down off of trees and such. As such, they do not like their feet to remain wet so elevating them above any residual water left over after watering is very important. As a side note, due to their natural habitat and growth pattern, they do not like water to rest between their leaves. They are extremely susceptable to crown rot if water stays between their leaves so be sure when you are watering to not get any water on the top-side of the leaves are in the folds of the base.

As for cutting off the buds, your phal should be just fine. One thing to note however is that sometimes buds can take several weeks to open and appear to be doing nothing in the meanwhile. I have had one that has buds for almost two months and it has just now decided to start opening. When I bought it the flowers had all wilted, but under my care it has decided to produce more flowers.

You have not killed it and have probably only helped it to save energy on growing and adapting to your care and environment.

I hope that was helpful.

khanarabians · #6 05-02-2011, 05:19 AM

Thankyou Paul Mc that was really helpful. I do avoid getting water in the crowns as I'm up to speed on the crown rot thing having killed about 4 Orchids before I found out about it..!!. I was hoping the water sitting below the pot would help with humidity for them..??.
I have also put a small electric humidifier/ioniser in the conservatory for them which I run when ever I am at home, the conservatory gets VERY hot during the summer but they all have blinds seperating them from the sunlight and the roof is frosted as well. I've never had them grow so well till they went into the conservatory, it certainly suits them.
I water about once a week or when they appear really dry, I mist two or three times a week and once a month they get either fungus spray or insect spray mixed into the misting water.
Should I mist the flowers or will the water do them damage..??.
Also, I have a Phal with a lovely flower spike that is tiny. The flowers are regular size though but it is potted in a tiny container of moss. Can I repot this into a 12cm pot with bark like all my others or will the repot upset it while in flower..??
Thanks again,
Marion

Paul Mc · #7 05-02-2011, 07:49 AM

Water trays do help to increase humidity, but unless you have many water trays out in the same area it does very little based upon my experimentation. If you have a grouping of several then it would be more beneficial. Typically speaking, no one grows orchids without some sort of water tray beneath to aid with humidity.

I know some people say they do mist their phal's, but a lot of people do not. Again, in nature they do not typically get water on what we consider the top of the leaves. If you are spraying what we consider the underside of the leaves, then that would be fine. Water on the tops of the leaves can cause damage if it sits there.

Usually, repotting does not affect the flowers on phal's. They tend to be a bit hardier for some reason. However, I have repotted a phal or two before and lost the flowers, especially since I moved it from a sphag to bark medium. The change in the medium and wetness of it will cause the phal to need to readjust to the new readiness of water. The roots will have to become accustomed to less water being available. You might consider half sphag and half bark for the time being to help transition the phal to all bark. All of that being said, most people have the most problems going from bark to sphag. I have never lost one yet when moving from sphag to bark. But I also water twice a week for a few months until the phal adjusts to the lower level of water availability.