I was Sooooo happy!!! - Orchid Board

Jkelee · #1 03-12-2009, 05:50 PM

This past Sunday while working on my chid hotel adding more lattice,
I broke a couple of small side spikes off of a Phal momma's spike.
I took them in the house and put them in water right away. Just curious if it would work.
To my surprise, no wilt, no brown, nothing! Just kept on smiling!
Even the unopened buds that were there when I broke the lil spikes off, are even opening!!
I had no idea that I can cut/break off a phal spike, and put her in water!! And she'd be fine!!

I wish I'd known that a couple of months ago.
I was an orchid nursery, my heart broke when I saw a huge pile of CUT white phal spikes!
I didn't get why they'd cut them off!
So pretty, just lying there. Murder I tell ya!
I wish I'd known what I do now, and I'd taken them home and put in a beautiful vase!

WhiteRabbit · #2 03-12-2009, 05:55 PM

YAY!
thats awesome!
lovely blooms also

charmbutterfly · #3 03-12-2009, 05:56 PM

Oh nooooo why would they cut the beautiful spikes! I would have taken them home to put in a vase too!! With some KLN or Superthrive of course!

Yours look very pretty!

camille1585 · #4 03-12-2009, 06:07 PM

Thanks for sharing, that is something really nice to know! I had no idea that phal buds would actually open in a cup of water. I'll have to remember that next time I stupidly snap a spike (hope that never happens again!)

As for cutting the spikes off, that was at a commercial grower right? I think the reason they might do that is to get more spikes more quickly on unsold plants. Maybe he found no buyer for those, the blooms are too far along, so they cut them, get more spikes fast, then sell.
Just my

, I don't know if that is economically viable to continue cultivation of unsold plants. Unless they got an order for cut flowers....

caseydoll · #5 03-12-2009, 06:09 PM

That's so cool! I never would of thought that the buds would of opened up like that either! So sad about all those beautiful white phals. I wonder why they did that? Your blooms are just gorgeous btw!

(..._...) · #6 03-12-2009, 07:28 PM

Phal blooms last quite a long time in water. I broke one off a few weeks back and it lasted about two weeks.

fieldsofgold · #7 03-12-2009, 07:52 PM

you have pretty blooms

i love the pink radiating from the center.

I have a similar Phal like yours (in my avatar), Long Pride Amy.

Those cut spikes are sad to look at because they take so long to grow. But it's still pretty and kind of a reminder that they WILL come back. Oh gosh... can you hear the song the circle of lifeeeee (hah!)

Jkelee · #8 03-12-2009, 08:25 PM

Thanks everyone!!! I love that phal too

The spikes broke on 3/8, so I'll see how long these flowers last. As they are sitting on my desk at work in that lil A/W minnie mug.

I'm going to baby and baby them there, in front of me ALL day long

Talk sweet lil things to them for 9 hrs a day!!

And yes, that grower that cut the white phals, was a commercial grower. I wish I would've know they'de survive in water!

mehitabel · #9 03-13-2009, 06:09 PM

Nice tip about saving phal stems.

What a lovely phal. Looks a lot like Nobby's Amy, one of my most favorites.

That stack of cut white flowers-- they are beautiful, with fat buds and all. Maybe they were cutting them for bride's bouquets, and forgot them or they weren't perfect enough?