How to work with Moth growing second stem

[HiOrcDen]

I have this Moth Orchid, which I believe is the correct term, for the ubiquitous Phalaenopsis with large white flowers and tiger striped center.

They arrived in spike, and by now all the flowers have withered. I haven't cut them off.

A second stem is growing really fast, and starting to spike.

Will the first stem regrow flowers, if I do nothing? Will it rebloom if I cut off the withered flowers at the stem? Will I have to use keiki paste to make it rebloom?

Or is the only the option to the original stem with wilted flowers, is to try and make keikis, and cut it apart to propagate it?

Ideally I would like to try and make a specimen with this one. So which of the methods I've mentioned should I use?

Will the first stem rebloom if I do nothing? Or do I have to cut the dead flowers off? Or do I have to use keiki paste to reflower?

Does the fact of the second stem spiking quickly, have any impact upon the method for the first stem, with the wilted flowers?

[camille1585]

If left to its own devices, what happens with a spent spike largely depends on genetics. For some Phals the spike then goes dormant for a while (a couple weeks, or months, or up to a year), for many others the spent spike eventually dies and dries up. Knowing this, you have a couple options :

A) - do nothing and let the plant decide how to direct its energy.
B) - Prune the spike down to a node, this generally encourages that node to wake up and make a secondary spike.
C) - apply keiki paste and you will either get a keiki or blooms.
D) - remove the spent spike entirely.

If your goal is to build up a large healthy plant, then I would remove the spent spike. Note sure what you mean by specimen though, when talking about Phals? When commercial growers want to produce very large Phals with multiple spikes they keep the average temperature, both day and night, above the threshold where spiking is triggered (fairly warm, around 27°C I think). Once the plant has bulked up enough they then apply the cool down. The quality of the cool down along with the light intensity during spiking will also strongly influence bloom count.

At a hobbyist level, good consistent care throughout the year that meets all the plants needs will help the plants grow larger with time and increase the chance of multiple spikes. Plants grown in optimal conditions (warm and humid) tend to grow more leaves per year and hold on to more leaves at once.

Personally I prefer to let the plant decide what it will do with the old spike, and* cut it off only when it's dry. Occasionally I cut it off before if I think the plant is struggling and needs to focus on vegetative growth. Other people like encouraging side spikes through pruning. In the end, it's completely up to you.

[dbarron]

This is purely opinion. I don't find 2nd spikes usually as aesthetic because they're shorter, the flowers may be less perfect (or deformed). I'd simply cut if off, but that's like Camille said and only my opinion.

[tmoney]

we try and take the naturalist approach with our orchids and do as little augmentation and human intervention as possible. we don’t even cut dead stems. so, our opinion is to leave it alone and let the plant do what it will.

only an opinion.

and not to burst your bubble, but it is a rare home grower that can make phals bloom like you find in the grocery stores. most of us can only approach an approximation of that standard. best of luck!

and meh, unless you want to make keikis for some reason, i personally would also forgo any paste application....most unnatural