Stem Cutting (multiple stems)

[NCOrchids]

I have 2 Phals with green stems. One of them has two separate green stems and the other has a single stem with 3 branches off of it. How should these stems be trimmed? They finished blooming in May and the stems have remained green. There is a small green node on the single stem with 3 branches, but the node has not changed/grown since May. Thanks for your help!

[neophyte]

phals naturally bloom during the winter, so they will stay quiescent for a while. the action will start in december!

if you want, you can leave the stems (commonly known as spikes) as they are. since they're still green, they have a chance of "activating" during the winter and producing more buds. if you cut them, make sure you use sterile equipment - disinfect with alcohol, bleach, or running them through an open flame. cut right above a node/bract. some people like to put cinnamon on the cut spikes, probably to encourage desiccation of the spike and prevent fungal/bacterial growth (it's essential a cheaper fungicide). i don't think it's necessary to put anything at all if you don't want to. in the winter (december or maybe january of next year), a new spike will start to grow from the base of the plant!

[Ray]

Or you could remove them altogether, cutting as close to the base as possible.

Personally, I recommend against shortening spikes to a node - for me it's leave it or lose it. A partial trim can sometimes stimulate a plant into further branching out of season, but the flowers tend to be fewer and smaller, suggesting the plant really doesn't have the reserves built up sufficiently.

[neophyte]

you are right Ray. NCOrchids, if you would like the previous spikes to re-bloom (which, as Ray said, tends to produce a sparser display), shorten to a higher node. if not, cut near the base.