No, we aren’t keiki-ing or kidding! Nature really can provide two for the price of one. A keiki is an offshoot that forms on a mother plant. The word keiki is derived from the Hawaiian word for baby. So if you are lucky, from time to time, your orchid plants may produce a baby that can grow into a full-sized, flowering orchid. A keiki is just one way that orchids propagate and most commonly occur with dendrobiums, phalaenopsis and epidendrums. This particular type of propagation produces a new plant that will have the same characteristics as the parent plant. So flower color, size and fragrance will be identical. Where Do Keikis Grow? Dendrobium and epidendrum keikis typically develop along the cane. You will notice roots sprouting from the side or tip of the cane, and a new independent cane will form from these roots. On a phalaenopsis, keikis sprout from nodes along a healthy, green flower spike. What Do You Do with Keikis? If you want to replicate the mother plant, allow the keiki to grow until the new plant develops a healthy root system and produces a new cane or multiple leaves. Be patient though, this growth process will take between six months to a year. If you prematurely remove the keiki, it will die. Removing a Keiki Simply use a sterilized cutting tool to remove the keiki taking care not to damage the new roots or the mother plant. Spray or swab the cut location with fungicide to protect the keiki and the mother plant from developing a fungus. If you don’t have fungicide readily available, sprinkle cinnamon from your spice cabinet on the wound. Cinnamon is a natural fungicide. For step-by-step instructions, refer to this American Orchid Society: Removing a Keiki Video. Caring for Your Keiki Plant the baby orchid in fresh potting medium. Stabilize the young plant with a stake and clip. Mist as needed and over time, your plant will grow into an adult-sized orchid. For tips on potting your baby orchid, view this American Orchid Society: Potting a Keiki Video. Happy Blooming with Better-Gro! So you’ve had good luck with Moth Orchids (Phalaenopsis), and you’ve added color to your collection with a few showy Cattleyas. Now you may be looking to expand your collection but are worried that other varieties may be too difficult to grow. After all, most stores primarily sell Dendrobiums, Phalaenopsis and Cattleyas, so they must be the only easy orchids to grow, right? Wrong. The orchid family includes nearly 900 genera, and among those hundreds, there are lots of plants that are quite simple to grow under the same conditions as the most commonly available orchids. Let’s take a look at some additional varieties to add to your collection. Brassavola Nodosa Commonly Known as "Lady of the Night" Not only is the white flower on this orchid quite unique, this hardy plant features a distinctive gardenia-like fragrance that peaks at night fall. Another reason we like this orchid is that when grown under the right conditions, Brassavola nodosa will bloom multiple times throughout the year. Temperature: Grows best in warmer temperatures ranging from 70º to 85º F and likes a slight drop in evening temps. Light: Prefers medium to high filtered light, similar to a Cattleya. Watering: Likes a well-drained potting media, such as Better-Gro ® Special Orchid Mix, or even a cork/driftwood mount so that the roots can air out between waterings. The Brassavola prefers a humid environment, so if you happen to live in a temperate zone, this plant will thrive outdoors. Feeding: Because this orchid will bloom throughout the year, it is recommended that you feed by alternating between our Better-Gro ® Orchid Plus ® and Better-Gro ® Better-Bloom ® plant foods using the recommendations on the label. Oncidium 'Sweet Sugar' This orchid has been nicknamed the "Dancing Lady" due to its striking resemblance to a full-skirted silhouette that closely mimics a dancing lady when the flowers flutter in a gentle breeze. Some even say the flowers look like angels. Although the blossoms are typically just 1" or less in size, don’t be fooled by the tiny size of this plant’s flora. The sprays on this plant easily rival other larger-sized orchid blooms. Temperature: Thrives in day time temperatures ranging from 70º to 85º F. Light: Grows best with bright filtered light. Watering: Oncidiums are equipped to store water in their pseudobulbs which makes them more draught tolerant. Be sure to use a well-drained potting media, such as Better-Gro ® Special Orchid Mix, to allow the plant to dry between waterings and watch for the tell-tale sign that your orchid needs water when you see the pseudobulb start to shrivel. Feeding: We recommend the same plant food routine as listed above for both Oncidiums and Brassavola. Alternate between our Better-Gro ® Orchid Plus ®and Better-Gro ® Better-Bloom ® plant foods using the amounts shown on the label. In addition to this bright yellow color, Oncidiums are available in a variety of colors including red, pink, green, white and brown. Some varieties even have a scent including the 'Sharry Baby' variety that smells like chocolate. Paphiopedilum Maudiae Makuli-Curtisii-Maudiae x Paph. Maudiae 'Napa Valley' HCC/AOS x Sib Don’t be fooled by this exotic looking orchid. Paphiopedilum maudiaes are one of the easiest orchid varieties to grow. Commonly referred to as the "Lady Slipper Orchid" because of the pouch-like lip that resembles the toe of a slipper, flowers on this plant will last up to two months and often bloom one to two times a year. The mottled foliage of the Paphiopedilum maudiae is prettier than most orchid varieties and rivals many indoor houseplants. Temperature: This orchid prefers cooler temperatures than the orchids listed above. The Paphiopedilum maudiae grows best between 65º to 85º F and needs cooler night temperatures to form buds. Light: In a natural setting, this orchid grows on the forest floor. In a greenhouse or outdoor environment, provide filtered light and avoid direct sunlight. Watering: Although the lip of this orchid looks like the ideal vessel to hold water, you should avoid getting water in the pouch as this will cause the flower to rot. Paphiopedilums don't have pseudobulbs like other orchid varieties, so it is important to water regularly. Potting media should remain cool to the touch, but water should flow completely through the pot to avoid root rot. Feeding: Paphiopedilums do not need as much plant food as other orchid varieties. We recommend cutting the strength of your plant food to a quarter or half strength of what is shown on the label. In addition to the white and light green flower shown above, the Paphiopedilum maudiae is also available in a deep eggplant purple. We hope you enjoy experimenting with these additional orchid varieties. They are sure to bring fresh blooms, interesting foliage and diversity to your collection.
Happy Blooming from Better-Gro!
Improper Light Levels The right amount of light is essential for maintaining plant growth and encouraging re-flowering of your orchid. High light levels lead to leaves that are yellowish in color and in some cases can cause scorching of the leaves. This scorching first appears as white patches on uppermost leaves, which eventually turn brown. Extreme cases of scorching can kill the plant! Yellowish leaves caused by high light levels are easily remedied by moving the plant to a slightly shadier spot. Low light levels typically won’t kill your plant, but it is the most common reason people fail to re-bloom their orchids. In this scenario, plant leaves are typically dark green and the plant fails to re-flower during its normal blooming season. The ideal leaf color should be an even, medium-green. Slowly increase the light level over a couple months by introducing the plant to slightly brighter conditions, until the desired leaf color is recognized. In Phalaenopsis, low light levels can also lead to soft, floppy elongated leaves. Most orchid problems are preventable.
There really is no magic to growing orchids successfully; just some preparation and care is all you need. For more information about proper air movement and light levels, watch our video below. Happy Blooming! There are several factors that lead to poor orchid growth. Correctly identifying the source of the problem is key to understanding how to treat it and avoid it in the future. In this post, we’ll discuss the most common issues that arise from improper watering and feeding levels. Overwatering and Underwatering Not too much and not too little - but just the right amount of water will make your orchids very happy. But how do you know how much is just right? Over-watering is the most common problem associated with poorly performing orchids. Symptoms can look very similar to those of under-watered plants because it often rots the roots and therefore prevents them from taking up adequate amounts of water. The first thing to do is to examine the roots of the plant. If the roots are rotted (soft, black and soggy) then chances are the plant is being over-watered. If the potting media is fresh and the pot size is not too large, then you will need to cut back on the frequency of your watering. Also, because the rot is often associated with a bacteria or fungus, you may need to drench the plant or pot with a good fungicide or bactericide. Under-watered plants often exhibit limp or withered leaves and withered stems or bulbs. This happens because the plant is not getting enough water to keep the leaves, bulbs, or stems turgid. If the pot is not too small for the plant and the roots are in good health (white and firm), then this is easily remedied by watering the plant more frequently. Remember that Cattleyas and Dendrobiums like to dry between waterings. Once the potting media dries out, you should water the orchid promptly. Do not let the orchid stay dry for a prolonged period. Also, realize that larger pots tend to stay wet longer than smaller pots. One trick to learn is to lift the pot up when it is ready to be watered and note the weight of the pot. Now, water your plant thoroughly and let it drain for 5 minutes, then lift the pot up and again note the weight. The difference in pot weight is noticeable and, over time, this can be a quick and easy way to tell when your plant requires watering.
It’s hard to believe, but orchids can get sunburned just as easily as humans. Many of us take precautions such as sunscreen, hats and special clothing to avoid the sun’s harmful rays, but what can you to do prevent burns to your plants this summer when the sun’s rays are at their strongest? Orchids need sunlight to grow; however, many varieties prefer indirect sunlight. Whether you keep your orchids indoors or outside, you need to take precautions against sunburn. Indoors Sunlight can be amplified by the windows in your home. Some direct sunlight is okay but prolonged exposure can result in sunspots. Try a north or east facing window to avoid the strength of late afternoon exposure. Additionally, be sure that the leaves of your orchid plant are not directly touching your windows. Outdoors The pattern of the sun changes throughout the year, so areas that may be shaded in winter may be in full sun during the summer. Sun and shade also change seasonally due to fallen leaves or routine tree and shrub pruning.
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