How to Remove a Basal Keiki From Dying Mother Plant..

by Michelle Wheeler
(Ithaca, NY, USA)

Hi- I have a Phal. orchid, which started to get brown spots very soon after I purchased it over a year ago. The spots started on the underside of one leaf, slowly got worse, making their way to the tops of the leaf, and then began on the bottom of the next leaf. I did cut off the first leaf, before it spread, which did not help. They continued to progress, until most of the leaves were covered. To my surprise, the plant put out two beautiful flower spikes this year. It continues to grow new green leaves, but each one soon becomes infected. Eventually the leaves started to turn yellow and fall off. I spent hours searching for the cause and a cure, but have not found anything online that looks quite the same. I took a shot and sprayed the plant with physan 20, but that did not make a difference. Now, there are two basal keikis growing. can I save the plant? And if not, an i save the babies before they get infected too? Thank you in advance!