Question
QUESTION: yesterday, a cherished orchid was blown over by the wind.  The "stalk" was broken in half just above the flower spike.  The portion of the plant above the break has 3 or 4, 1 inch roots on it.  This orchid belonged to my mother and I don't want to loose it.  What can I use to seal the wounds and help both portions of the plant survive?

ANSWER: Ramona, let's first address the plant that was growing on the flower spike. Since that plant has roots, you can pot it in a separate pot.  Obtain, if you don't already have it, a small bag of orchid potting mix and soak a small portion of it in water for 15 minutes to an hour.  Let it drain while you are preparing the new plant (which is called a keiki).  Cut the old flower spike off at the break.  Next, remove the new plant where it attaches to the old flower spike so as to avoid any damage to its roots.  Find a plastic pot that is the right size for the keiki and its roots and pour in the damp potting mix.  Be sure to leave the base of the new leaves even with the top of the potting mix. Place the repotted keiki in its pot next to the mother plant.  Mother nature will heal the wounds and you need do nothing.  The mother plant should be fine. This would be a good time to repot it as well using the new potting mix.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much for your quick response to my question.  Unfortunately the part of the plant that broke of is not a keiki.  It is actually the top half of one very large orchid.  The orchid has approximately 20 leaves growing in succession on a "stalk" per se.  When the wind blew the pot over, it snapped the actual plant in half.  The flower spike is intact still attached to the lower half of the plant.  The top half of the plant where the apical meristem is is the portion that I am concerned about attempting to root and the open wound on the lower portion of the plant may become diseased with the gaping wound.

Answer
Thank you for the clarification. I would smear sulphur powder (or other antifungal agent) on the open wound just as a preventative against fungus infection.  As long as the top portion has some roots, you can pot it up separately (and be sure to support it well by tying it to some bamboo sticks so it doesn't move).  The bottom portion of the plant from which the flower spike arose can be left in its pot and may generate additional growths-- perhaps on the old flower spike. Phalaenopsis may generate new growth at nodes or even from elsewhere on the plant-- anyplace there is a node will have meristematic tissue from which new growth can emerge. Cut back on the watering until you see new growth emerging.  It may take  month or more for the plant to generate new growth.