Phal kieki on spike-advice needed

[jkofferdahl]

First, congratulations! Keikis are wonderful gifts from our plants.

I'm going a third direction (in the third response). I'd leave the spikes on the Mother but cut the spike from the keiki. Each spike takes about the same amount of energy to develop as does a leaf. That's fine as the Mother is nice and healthy. But the keiki needs the energy for roots and leaves right now, which are going to be a secondary thing while it tries to spike.

As others have said, it needs enough root to survive on its own. 3-4 inches is a minimum. Letting it get a little more is fine.

[Sandy4453]

Thanks Jackie, brush and jkofferdahl.

Originally Posted by jkofferdahl

But the keiki needs the energy for roots and leaves right now, which are going to be a secondary thing while it tries to spike.

I've been very tempted to cut the spike for these reasons, jkofferdah. I'm not at all reluctant in cutting it off and I'm getting braver now after reading this, that I should probably get the scissors ready. That one root is not enough and hopefully will begin growing more, quicker without that spike. If this weren't my first kieki off a spike, I might do what brush suggested and just let mother nature do it's thing but since it's taken me forever to get this kieki, I believe intervention is what's needed, here.

Thanks again!

[quiltergal]

I agree with JK, cut the Keiki spike and leave the rest alone.