Double stem Phal...

[julie-pooley]

I have a double stem Phal and one stem has well and truly finished whilst the other is still going really strong. Do I cut the finished one back now or wait until the other one is done too?
Many thanks People

[Lene Th.]

This really depends on the plants condition... If this is a healthy plant, strong leafs and thriving, i would not cut back the steem untill it turns yellow by its self. It may still throw out new blooms on this steem, or meby a keiki. But that depends on the overall health.
If the plant seems weakend by the flowering, i would cut back the steem all the way down.

[BikerDoc5968]

I assume stem=flower spike. There are a ton of thoughts as to what to do with old flower spikes. You can cut the flowerless spike back where the flowers were and see if it will re-flower from the old spike; these "re-flowers" tend to be smaller than a new spike. You can cut the old spike off at the base and next flower season a new spike will grow. It's your plant...you can do as you wish with it. The one thing I think most will agree on is that there really isn't any absolutely correct answer because they all work. So knock yourself out and experiment...you've got 2 spikes!

[lisbert]

I've always read that the flower spike should be cut after the flowers fall off on phals, but when I got my first phal and I didn't know anything about cutting the spike, so I just let it be and it re-flowered (another spike ? grew out of the original spike) with even more beautiful blooms that the original one. Now the flowers have fallen all off again, but I think I am just going to let it be and see what happens.

[BikerDoc5968]

Just an additional thought...what Lene T said about the condition of the plant is very important. If you know you've got a plant with good growth, good root system then re-flowering off an old spike is ok. It takes lots of energy to produce flowers so if your plant is questionable, better to sacrifice the spike if favor of the plant...save the plant...enjoy the next round of flowers. There other thing to consider, and this has happened with some of my phals, is that the spike can get quite long and with many branches at the end and flowers on those branches the plant becomes top heavy and well, you know how gravity works.....for me I cut the spikes before they have a chance to re-flower because with my phals secondary flowers are always smaller...just my opinion

[quiltergal]

I agree with Doc. I have done it both ways but I got much better results cutting the finished spike to the base and allowing the plant to have a vegetative growth cycle. That way it stores up enough energy to really put on a good show next bloom season. One of my plants rewarded me this year with double spikes! Just my .

[priz_m]

Well I guess is a matter of personal choice, I have followed Terri’s advice and cut back the spikes on all my phals EXCEPT for 2 of them which had another one going already (I bought them just as they finished blooming so I am curious as to see what they look like).

Bottom line as long as the spike doesn’t turn brown and dry, you have a chance at it sending out another, but, I may cheat you out of a better display next spring. Your call

[CoolPhrog]

I cut my spent phal spikes with the last flowers fall and allow the plant to go into a growth period as Terri mentioned.

[Eastbourne]

This is an interesting post, as I was going to ask the same question.

I have plants that have 1 year old still flowering stems on. The old stems are now a bit thin and there is only one or two flowers at the top, but they are never the less, still flowering.

Two plants have now grown a side shoot to the original stems and are also flowering, and a couple of the other plants have new stems as well as the year old flowering spike.

Can I ask, where there are new spikes growing, should I cut the old year old spikes down? They are not brown or yellow, but they are a bit wiry now.

[Lene Th.]

Originally Posted by Eastbourne

Can I ask, where there are now spikes growing, should I cut the old year old spikes down? They are not brown or yellow, but they are a bit wiry now.

If the spike is one year old but with opened blooms, i would let the spike stay on till the flowers wiltered, and then cut back the old spike completely to prevent it from developing new buds. Its the growing that takes energy, not the opened flower itself, at least not that mutch...

The point is that as long as the plant has healthy roots and leafs are firm, and the condition are good, then it may have the energy to grow spikes/new buds along with new roots. But it still has to grow new roots and leafs, when the old ones dies, as they eventually will. And with a spike that has been stealing energy for a hole year, this has to be some super-plant if i would alow it to continue flowering on the one-year-old spike after theese one has wiltered.