Keiki paste
ConnyNL (The Netherlands, 8b)
7 years ago
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halocline
6 years agoRelated Discussions
Growing Phals from Phals
Comments (14)I've done the keiki paste on cut stems of phals, and also (once) on a stem still attached to the mother plant. Stem still attached-- keiki formed, but the mother plant went downhill and the keiki followed. I wasn't sure whether trying to get a keiki caused this, but never tried again with an attached stem. Cut off stems in a vase of water. You get the best results with 1. Do it in spring. Keikis started under plant lights in winter did start, but never seemed to have as much strength and eventually died off under a barrage of experiments to stimulate growth. 2. Big thick strong spikes off a strong plant form bigger stronger keikis better. Thin mewling spikes off a small plant don't take. 3. Do the uppermost two undeveloped nodes on a stem, max. The bottom ones develop slower, weaker, and are lost to rot as the stem goes. Trying for more than two per stem probably robbed the top nodes of needed strength. 4. I covered the paste-node in a baggie, blew in it, and put the stem in a glass in a sunny west window. Every so often, I would blow in the baggie again to keep air in it. The top node forms the keiki first, even in a basement under lights, why I decided they need light. In the sunny window, strong little keikis formed pretty readily-- maybe six weeks. Even in a window with sun hitting the whole stem, the top node forms a keiki first. I took the baggie off when the keiki looked "strong"-- what can I say, the leaves are either turgid and tuff looking, or they're pathetic, or you're not sure yet. 5. You have to keep cutting the stem at the bottom as it starts to rot, just as you would a flower stem in water. Full disclosure: The keiikis made this way were strong and beautiful, and wonderful to see them form and grow. BUT I never got roots because... I had made up to four nodes per stem, leaving only a couple of inches untreated at the bottom. As I said, the bottom nodes had the weakest keikis. As the stem rotted up, and the bottom keikis formed, the growth of the top ones seemed to slow and turn glacial when the keikiswere about 1/2 to 3/4". There were no roots or root nubs. I began to trealize one sut stem, however thick and healthy has only so much nourishment in it, and can't get more. I decided the bottom keikis on the stem were inhibiting the growth of the others. I think I was right about that, but I made a fatal error trying to correct it-- I cut the stem into pieces, each piece with one keiki on it. I (wrongly) thought this would help the stronger ones along. Instead, the cut pieces were too small once the rot began at the bottom, and I had to throw out the whole experiment a few weeks later as the two-inch pieces rotted away. Putting the small pieces on a bed of damp sphag instead of in water didn't help either. If you try it, do it in a sunny window in spring, and do no more than two keikis per stem on a thick, strong spike. PS I also tried a technique I read about, cutting the stem into two inch pieces and laying flat on damp sphag. This did not work for me-- got only rot and mold, and that in a short while. Probably kept the sphag too wet, but not sure. I am thinking of trying again this March, with thick stems of a favorite, and one treated node per stem. If I get all the way to roots with it, I'll definitely post about it....See MoreNode culture/ Propagation
Comments (14)To be honest, I have only done the theory part of this. Since the first post, I have spent every night researching the different methods of in vitro propagation. So while I have no real world experience, I have done tons & TONS of research & gotten lots of tips & tricks from those who are experts. So I am more than happy to pass on that knowledge, but just remember I myself have not successfully made these things happen. First, I think that using the Keiki Pro method will probably just work on plants like Phals & Oncidiums that have the nodes at the segments of the stems. Vandas (at least those in my collection) do not have those nodes at the segments. Lotte sent me a photo of Chiloschista that they removed the node coverings & placed into the sterile medium. I am planning to experiment with both the sphagnum moss & sterile in vitro methods when I eventually get my Chilos to bloom. I have really taken an interest in Meristem propagation of my Vandas, That involves removing root tips or shoot tips, placing them in a media with hormones that stimulate multiplication of the callus cells. These masses of PLBs (protocom like bodies) are then divides & placed into other flasks where they are placed on a medium that will allow for root development. I have read that meristemmed orchids do not necessarily mature quicker than seed propagated plants, but you can produce carbon copies of the adult plant much more quickly with this method! I have also read that Phals. will be ready for first blooming within a year of coming out of the flask when you use the in vitro node method! Again, I have not done these things myself, so I would encourage you to spend some time on the web or at the library reading about the methods available to you! As for Super Thrive. It is not a hormone; it is a concentration of vitamins that helps to make your plant healthier. It will not stimulate Keikis to grow like one of the hormone products (kind of like Centrum. It is a multivitamin that gives your body a boost, but it will not remove the blemishes from your hand. You need special product that has been designed to remove the blemish.) Get the Keiki Pro, it is an awesome product! Much better than the powder stuff! I hope this has answered your questions, if not, let me know... I just got back in from a run & my mind is not all here just yet =0) -Ray-...See MoreAre these keikis?
Comments (23)archades, I'm going to jump in here and offer a suggestion or two. I am going to suggest that your keiki paste, whatever it is, apparently has your orchid plants so confused that they don't know what to produce on the nodes of those bloom spikes. The three photos above this show flower spike nodes that have what appears to be undifferentiated tissue growths. The process has probably changed since I was actively involved in tissue culturing orchids, but we would take these growth buds and put them in a jar with a liquid nutrient solution, and place the jar on a rotating wheel. The tissue in the jar would only grow into undifferentiated tissue.....meaning no roots, or leaves, just more green tissue. When the "blobs" of tissue got large enough, they would be removed and carefully picked apart, and placed into more jars and returned to the wheel. A few times like this and you would have literally hundreds or thousands of these pieces of tissue. When we had enough to produce the number of plants we needed/wanted, we would take about 25 pieces and place them in jars with sterile jelled nutrient, seal them and put them on a shelf under lights. As soon as the plants became stationary, they would recognize up and down, and begin to produce roots that would grow down, and leaves that would grow up.....all these little plants would be exact genetic copies of the parent plant.... Clones. I would suggest stopping the keiki paste, and let the things on the bloom spikes grow.....When enough of the hormones have worked their way out of the plants system, perhaps these things will decide to either be plants...kiekies, or more bloom spikes. Its just a suggestion. As for being impatient.....If you can't get past that, perhaps another kind of plant may be worth considering......Orchids: from pollination to seed harvest = about a year, from seed to bloom = at least 7 years when I was in the business. If you can find a source of Phals. fully grown in 3 inch pots, with good growth you can expect blooms in from 1 to 2 years. They just don't grow fast. Hope this helps. Bill...See MoreHi! Looking for blog post a way back. On growing basics.
Comments (2)Just looking for a short summary on how to take care of Adeniums for beginners. I gave this web site address but there is a lot to read for newbies. Do you know of any quick info on here that would help them? Thanks...See Moreunknown Lovely
6 years agolast modified: 6 years ago
Agartta
6 years ago
Elena
6 years agounknown Lovely
6 years ago
Halfway There
6 years agoMy experience with using Keiki paste on a mature adenium is a bust. I've tried to take a similar before and after photo for comparison, The left side is before, the right side is after. It's hard to compare because it's in bloom in the after pic and was leafed out in the before pic. I added paste to the main center vertical stem and to the horizontal branch above the yellow circle. Nothing grew. No new branches sprouted. However, the area in the yellow circles, where I did not put any paste it sprouted 8 new branches. It wasn't my intention but it will fill in that blank space nicely. I wonder if the hormone getting into the tissue overall had anything to do with it. I cannot be sure.
Halfway There
6 years agoHalfway There
6 years agoThis one had no nodes sprout or branching. Zero. It's been 7 months since I put paste on both and the paste is still so thick and sticky, there is no mistaking where I put it.
Shang FL09
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoHalfway There
6 years ago
Peter Newcastle Aust spider mite breeder
6 years agoShang FL09
6 years ago
Carol love_the_yard (Zone 9A Jacksonville, FL)
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoWhat happened to the fingers with which you applied the paste?
Carol in Jacksonville, FLPeter Newcastle Aust spider mite breeder
6 years agoShang FL09
6 years agoShang FL09
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoPeter Newcastle Aust spider mite breeder
6 years agothanks for the link but i got a bit inpatient and found a suppler in australia
they claim this is the original aust $20.00 + $3.00 p&h i will give it ago.i have a couple of ideas franken twins & two seedlings came out with out leaves it may help them along.
Hyn Patty, Western NC Mountains (USA)
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoAgartta
6 years agoPeter Newcastle Aust spider mite breeder
6 years agoAgartta
6 years agoShang FL09
6 years agoHere is a before and after photo. Not much action, bit it appeared to make my plant put out some leaves.
Hyn Patty, Western NC Mountains (USA)
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoShang FL09
6 years agolast modified: 6 years agoHonestly, I have no clue what going on with this little one. All the siblings have 6-8 true leaves while it still holding on to the first two leaves. After I applied the paste, the swelling begins and now what appears to be small leaves. Here is the photo of it and the other seedlings all planted as the same time.here is a very close up look. It appeared the new branch broke the skin and come out from the inside.
Hyn Patty, Western NC Mountains (USA)
6 years ago
Stephane (Texas-8a)
6 years agoAgartta
6 years agohalocline
6 years agoFirst off, this was a graft attempt; that didn't take. Secondly, I can't remember if I applied Keiki Paste or not. In any case; this is what happened.
Strange.Rob
Manda
6 years agoJon
6 years agohalocline
6 years agoManda
6 years agohalocline
6 years agoThis is the first one I experimented with, a Swazicum from seeds I got from Rick (R. Charles). These are all swazicums,, for some reason they seemed to just stop growing
#2
More to come...Rob
Manda
6 years agohalocline
6 years ago
Forest Avery
6 years agohalocline
6 years agoForest Avery
6 years agohalocline
6 years agohalocline
6 years agoUpdate 7/14 2017 - Here are some pics of the continued growth from previous post.
(Roger obesum)
(3 branches in front)
I accidentally hit the plant w/ my camera in this next one.
Aaand I knocked it over.
But, I got the shot.
I got some close ups between the two larger branches (above & below). There's even a little bit of new growth sprouting out in there.
Rob
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