The BEST Phal keiki season ever!

[Undergrounder]

I got similar results as kiki-do! I used KeikiGrow Plus and i wish i kiki-didn't. Lots of mutation growths and multiple chimera craziness. But as biker-doc says, that's probably because i did it after the flowers had matured, so that was probably the problem.

[BikerDoc5968]

Unfortunately, the labeling of KeikGrow Plus leads one to believe the time to apply the material about a week to 10 days following the opening of the last flower on the spike but I have found this usually does not produce a keiki but another spike that can look weird, to say the least! So if your desire is to produce keikis, leave the old spike, as long as it stays green, until late spring or warm night time temperatures and then apply the material.


Abstract
Phalaenopsis orchids are among the most valuable
potted flowering crops commercially produced throughout
the world because of their long flower life and ease
of crop scheduling to meet specific market dates.
During commercial production, Phalaenopsis are usually
grown at an air temperature >28
C to inhibit flower
initiation, and a cooler night than day temperature
regimen (e.g. 25/20
C day/night) is used to induce
flowering. However, the specific effect of day and night
temperature on flower initiation has not been well
described, and the reported requirement for a diurnal
temperature fluctuation to elicit flowering is unclear.
Two Phalaenopsis clones were grown in glass greenhouse
compartments with constant temperature set
points of 14, 17, 20, 23, 26, or 29
C and fluctuating
day/night (12 h/12 h) temperatures of 20/14, 23/17, 26/14,
26/20, 29/17, or 29/23
C. The photoperiod was 12 h, and
the maximum irradiance was controlled to <150 mmol
m
2 s
1. After 20 weeks, >80% of plants of both clones
had a visible inflorescence when grown at constant 14,
17, 20, or 23
C and at fluctuating day/night temperatures
of 20/14
C or 23/17
C. None of the plants were
reproductive within 20 weeks when grown at a constant
29
C or at 29/17
C or 29/23
C day/night temperature
regimens. The number of inflorescences per
plant and the number of flower buds on the first inflorescence
were greatest when the average daily temperature
was 14
C or 17
C. These results indicate that
a day/night fluctuation in temperature is not required
for inflorescence initiation in these two Phalaenopsis
clones. Furthermore, the inhibition of flowering when
the day temperature was 29
C and the night temperature
was 17
C or 23
C suggests that a warm day
temperature inhibits flower initiation in Phalaenopsis.

[Sandy4453]

kiki, one thing I noticed with a lot of the buds that grew .... they didn't grow the same, starting out as small nubbins and grew into these strange looking buds. (I'll take pics later of some growing now like this and post later tonight). They opened differently too...almost mutated but in time, they developed .... after the blooming occurred and, a lot of pelorics. My main objective in using the stuff was to get keikis. I didn't apply the solution until all the blooms had fallen or when 1 or 2 were left. I have some Phals that are still putting out sub-spikes and as I mentioned, I suspect all the growth occurring now will compromise the plant's potential, this growing season, don't know though.

Another interesting observation is the plants don't seem to be set back in growing more leaf's! I'm happy.

[mayres]

Nice collage of pics - thanks so much for sharing them. You are the phal "Queen Bee"! :-)

[Sandy4453]

Originally Posted by mayres

Nice collage of pics - thanks so much for sharing them. You are the phal "Queen Bee"! :-)

Coming from you, Mike, I'm flattered but truth be told, I don't hold a candle to what you do with your Phals and all, without any help! But, mucho gracias amigo! (P.S. and this is just a fraction of what's doing on my patio. Yeah, I know...I'm gloating! )

[Sandy4453]

Doc, thanks so much for the 'abstract.'

Here are just a few quick pics of some of the mutant, odd growth that I observed from the KeikiPro. Buds that open and then go on to develop, spikes that grow in odd directions and quite a few here also, that stall. The first pic is of the first flower to bloom after using KP, strange...looks like it's original intention was to be a few flowers.

[Bird Song Farm]

Would anyone mind if I high-jacked this thread with a picture and story about my Phal. Mini Mark 'Holm' that I treated with KeikiPro?
Al

[Sandy4453]

Originally Posted by Bird Song Farm

Would anyone mind if I high-jacked this thread with a picture and story about my Phal. Mini Mark 'Holm' that I treated with KeikiPro?
Al

I wouldn't mind, Al. I'd be very interested to see your results.

Note: Remember for the next time...the instructions recommend using the KikiPro (and I assume it's universal for all these solutions) to use it when the blooms are finished. And another thing to consider is that this stuff may/may not affect the following blooming season. I have more Phals with old spikes still standing because of all the keiki's growing (at least 30 keikis) and this has to play some part in what grows next, I would think? That may be a major bummer. The verdict isn't in on this yet.

[BikerDoc5968]

Me too Me too Me too

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Sandy4453

I wouldn't mind, Al. I'd be very interested to see your results.

Note: Remember for the next time...the instructions recommend using the KikiPro (and I assume it's universal for all these solutions) to use it when the blooms are finished. And another thing to consider is that this stuff may/may not affect the following blooming season. I have more Phals with old spikes still standing because of all the keiki's growing (at least 30 keikis) and this has to play some part in what grows next, I would think? That may be a major bummer. The verdict isn't in on this yet.

I have a phal makes keikis all the time without my help, and that one skipped a blooming. I took off the keiki in March, and normally the plant would have spiked in september, but it didn't. It spiked in september of the following year.

Since I don't want it to bloom only every 2 years, I remove the keikis on the spikes as soon as they appear, or cut off the spikes as soon as blooms are done.