What to do with old spikes

[miakaye]

Just picked up this phal in Kroger this morning for five bucks. I've seen different opinions on whether to cut old flower spikes. What do y'all say? Should I cut them, and if so, where and when? I assume I shouldn't even touch them until after they're completely brown (one is almost 100% done, the other is still green).
By the way, I named this one Gomez. That little lady next to him, who's just about to bloom, is Morticia. She was also a special deal from Kroger (last August).

[Roberta]

The brown spike, certainly is fine to cut. It is definitely done. The green one? Your choice. Sometimes they'll produce a branch with more flowers, or the plant can resorb the green tissue and utilize it. But if you don't want to look at it, no harm in cutting it. I tend to leave green spikes like that just to see what they'll do. But then, I'm not that much into aesthetics, like to observe. Others are more concerned with looks.

If you haven't repotted, probably a good idea... That looks like a very healthy plant and you want to keep it that way, don't wait for signs of bad roots from bad medium, the plant will appreciate fresh medium for fresh air around the roots.

[miakaye]

Thanks, Roberta. I think I'll take your advice and leave the green one alone. And yes, I was planning to do a root cleanup and repot as soon as the medium dries out a bit. They had the poor thing sitting in water.

[Roberta]

Don't be aggressive about trimming roots - If you don't have plenty of good ones, leave the ones that don't look great. What rots first is the spongy coating on the outside of the roots, which you can remove if it is mushy. But the stringy "core" can still transport water, though not as efficiently as a an intact root. It can also help to hold the plant firmly in its new medium - really important that it not wobble. So a bad root isn't as good as a good root, but it is better than "no root". You really don't have to wait for it to dry out - you will be removing the old medium anyway. As for your choice of medium going forward, it depends on your watering practice. Sphagnum moss can be tricky - easy to keep too wet, but if it dries out it sheds water and can be hard to re-wet. It still can be useful if you can't water several times a week. Personally, I prefer medium bark. Needs more frequent watering, but is harder to overwater. Your goal is "humid air", not "wet" around the roots. So whatever you use, needs to be well drained.

[miakaye]

Thank you for the tips. I like to use bark as well. And I'm always pretty cautious when I work on the roots. Thanks!

[MateoinLosAngeles]

The brown spike is done, and you can certainly cut it close to the stem. Preferably with a sharp, disinfected pruner.

The green one is a personal choice. I personally prefer to cut it as secondary spikes don't usually bloom as nicely as the first ones. Cutting it might also tell the plant to focus on growing roots vs. attempting to reproduce. Definitely use sterilize pruners for a clean cut near the stem. Dabbing some cinnamon on the wound will help prevent infections before the wound dries.

This is a good time of the year to get a new phal as they will grow roots and perhaps a new leaf between now and the end of the fall. When you see green tips on the roots you can attempt to repot to a media that fits the care you can provide. If you can care for this plant well with good light, a weak fertilizer routine, and frequent abundant waterings, you should be rewarded with blooms next year. Using a product like Kelpak could help kickstart that root growing and make your life much, much easier.

[miakaye]

Thank you. So I should wait until next fall to start placing this orchid in a cold window at night to stimulate a new spike, correct?

[Roberta]

Definitely... Phals like to be warm. And any temperature drop needs to be gentle. (When I was growing Phals in the house, I didn't give any special treatment at all, the house is just naturally cooler especially at night, when it's colder outside. ) Actually, I found that the big factor for reblooming Phals was light... adding supplemental light from fluorescents for 12 hours a day gave me great reblooming percentage. At that time LEDs weren't available, now they're a better choice - less power consumption, longer life. Plain old white, full spectrum (no need for special grow light especially if there's some natural light too)

[MateoinLosAngeles]

Originally Posted by miakaye

Thank you. So I should wait until next fall to start placing this orchid in a cold window at night to stimulate a new spike, correct?

Phals are warm-growing tropical plants so they should never be near anything cold (ice cubes I'm looking at you).

Scientific studies have suggested that night temperatures are irrelevant, if the day temperature is warm that alone will inhibit spike initiation even if the night time sees a considerable drop in temperature. What Phals need is a simple drop of about 10-15ºF in average temperature that lasts for about two to three weeks to initiate a spike. Some growers also believe increasing light during this time helps. 68ºF seems to be low enough even if the previous average wasn't 10ºF higher. The minimum temp that most people seem to agree a Phal shouldn't go below is 60ºF.

I have Phals placed on a heat mat that are spiking right now without doing anything to induce it. The simple natural temperature variations were enough. I would observe and adjust the placement of the plant based on your own habits. Some people keep the heat on all winter, some prefer to use thick wool at home and only use heat occasionally. So the way that you individually manage your house's temperatures will have an effect.

[miakaye]

Thanks, Mateo & Roberta. In the past, I've had success getting a new spike only when placing the plant in a cool window at night, as the night temp in our home is not much lower than the day temp.
I grow my plants under full-spectrum lights. (There is virtually NO sunlight here in Kentucky during winter.) I've been keeping the lights on for about 12 hours a day. Do y'all think that's too long? (The other phal is about to bloom.)