Who doesn’t like Orchids? These are wonderful plants with beautiful blossoms. There are thousands of varieties of Orchids on this planet.
They are grown indoors fondly. Orchids are not that easy to grow. You need to feel the pulse of these plants to grow them successfully.
Orchids run into many issues in their growing phase. One such issue is Keikis on plants but no sign of new roots. Keikis are babies of the mother plant produced by asexual reproduction.
How long does it take for a Keiki to grow roots?
Keiki takes a good time to grow roots. It should be allowed to grow roots only if you want to plant it. Leave it on the mother plant till it grows two to three leaves/canes.
The Keiki should develop a healthy root system, about 3-inches long. At this point, you can plant this in a separate pot and expect a new plant.
Be patient as it will take from 6 months to a year or more for a Keiki to successfully grow roots and leaves/canes.
Tip: When you see the first root tips, use sphagnum!
How do you stimulate orchid root growth?
Orchids grow roots when the weather is warm enough. Many times you just need to wait till the climate is warm and the Keiki gets established.
Keep watering the plant abundantly. Water just enough so the soil doesn’t dry out. Water is crucial for root growth.
Growth of the plant/plant parts and flowers takes place due to the same hormone. My guess is, it will start growing roots once it stops flowering.
The roots should grow at least 3 inches before you cut them off. You can then replant this Keiki elsewhere and there’s a good possibility that it’ll grow into a new plant.
Tip: You can loosely wrap some moist sphagnum around the base of the Keikis. Sphag and bag works wonders!
Just remember that Orchids are unpredictable. You wouldn’t know what they have in store for you. So, keep caring well for the plant.
Keiki with flowers but no roots?
Sometimes people report to me that their Keiki has blossomed. They say that there’s still no sign of new root growth.
As we all know, Orchids are mysterious plants. They do unexpected things. In this case, the mother plant is doing the work in producing the blossoms.
If the temperature is somewhat low, the Orchids blossom. Orchid blooms also depend on the lighting, so take a look at what your lighting is.
Cutting off the Keiki
You need to cut off the Keiki to plant it in a new pot. This process should be done with a sharp, sterilized knife to prevent any infections.
You should treat the wounds on both, the mother plant and Keiki. This can be done by applying Cinnamon powder to the wounds.
Do not expose the newly potted plant to too much sunlight. The plant may even die. Slowly acclimate the plant to the surrounding conditions.
Happy Gardening 🙂