staking

[philoserenus]

i see a lot people do stake their paphs and phrags when they start to develop, but my question is: it appears that u guys just stake by shoving it into the mix... but doesnt that dmg roots? or is there a trick to it?

 

[likespaphs]

yup. you could damage some roots, but hopefully, the plant has many roots and can take it in stride...

 

[SlipperFan]

If you wiggle it in carefully, the stake will more than likely push the roots aside.

 

[Ernie]

I'm a wiggler like Dot most of the time. You can use wire instead and bend it to clip onto the pot edge though.

 

[philoserenus]

wiggle or wire eh? hmm, i guess the options are only so, haha. how do u guys feel about not staking at all. im gonna thing these guys have evolved strong enough of a spike to hold the flowers in nature... rite?

 

[NYEric]

You should stake the spikes so the plant doesn't have to expend the energy into holding itself up and can you the energy on the flowers.

 

[kentuckiense]

You should stake the spikes so the plant doesn't have to expend the energy into holding itself up and can you the energy on the flowers.

Are you serious?

 

[NYEric]

Yeppers, that's one of the benefits of staking, think about it.

 

[Candace]

Staking is done for aesthetics. It's also done to protect the spike from being knocked around and damaged by dunces like myself. Occasionally the flowers can become so large and heavy they can actually bend or break the spike. I see a lot of this in the large cattleyas that are bred for size of bloom and phals.

 

[NYEric]

So, am I incorrect? :viking:

 

[kentuckiense]

Yeppers, that's one of the benefits of staking, think about it.

I am thinking about it. I just think it is a stretch to say that staking makes the plant use more energy for bloom production.

Do you know how much energy a plant uses to support a spike?

If the plant is saving energy by being staked, how do you know that energy is being directed to the blooms?

While your statement may in fact be true, I don't think it's safe to conclude anything at this point, especially with so many factors combining to influence the result.

 

[NYEric]

OK. I've seen it many times w/ tomato and other plants but to satisfy [your] curiosity, why don't you try it. Take a sample of plants in spike and stke some and compare flower production. Now I know tomatoes aren't orchids but I'm convinced the plant will produce more/better flowers if staked.

 

[kentuckiense]

Take a sample of plants in spike and stke some and compare flower production. Now I know tomatoes aren't orchids but I'm convinced the plant will produce more/better flowers if staked.

For meaningful results, I would need dozens upon dozens of genetic clones all growing in the exact same conditions. No thanks.

 

[NYEric]

Like I said, I've seen it w/ acres of tomatoes.

 

[kentuckiense]

Probably because they will literally fall over if you don't stake them. In addition, tomatoes have been cultivated by humans in the Andean highlands since time immemorial. The Paphs and Phrags we grow are, at most, a few generations removed from the wild. It's like comparing... tomatoes and orchids.

 

[bwester]

In my opinion, if the plant isnt strong enough to support its own flower it should be tossed. I never stake them except for photos

 

[philoserenus]

so itz gotten down to natural selection eh?... i never expected that my simple staking question could become this whole debate...

 

[kentuckiense]

Sorry about the detour. Stake if you like that aesthetic of very upright blooms.

 

[Heather]

I've been told at my society's show table I should stake, but I just don't like to unless for travel. In fact, I stake for travel and then unstake for the show table!

 

[Corbin]

Tomatoes, before man got into breading for size were probably the size of a golf ball if that big. Now you can find tomatoes the size of softballs. They taste like c..p but they are big. But are the vines three or four times as big around. No, but you don't sell the vine. Orchids, at least some of them are also being bred for larger and larger flowers but I would bet, though I do not know for sure since I have not been in to orchids very long, you don't see stalk size increasing at the same rate as the flowers. So I would suggest that the staking of the flowers will have to be considered on a individual basis.