Best way to keep Phal. healthy? Should I cut broken stem? - Orchid Board

madscientist01 · #1 08-05-2008, 11:12 AM

Help! I received an orchid (It says Phal. Pisgah Daffodil 'Coral' on the tag) last fall while it was already blooming beautifully. I'll be the first to say I don't know anything about growing orchids. After it stopped blooming, I didn't really do anything except give it sun and water of course.

9 mo. later the leaves still look dark green and pretty healthy, but I broke one of the two 12in. stems (is this what is called a spike?) during a move. It broke a few inches from the top. Now I keep reading about cutting spikes to keep the plant healthy, and I am so confused -- should I just cut it all the way off to the base of the plant?? Cut them both? Will it bloom if I don't? How long would it take to grow back? Right now it seems healthy, I see something green and new growing from the base of the plant but judging from pictures here, it is a root and not a spike. Recently one of the leaves turned yellow and fell off, but I think this is normal as the others look fine.

I just want my plant to look nice and bloom again. I appreciate any advice you can give to a complete beginner!

Swamper · #2 08-05-2008, 11:42 AM

If it's an old spike , where the flowers were growing from, just cut it off. I hate to have you cut anything that Im not 100% sure of what you are talking about, but anything broken that I can think of...I would cut. Can you post a pic?

madscientist01 · #3 08-08-2008, 11:13 AM

Attached are some pictures I took. Any help is greatly appreciated!

Swamper · #4 08-08-2008, 11:27 AM

That looks pretty great actually. I don't see anything broken. I do see the spike you must be refering to.. I don't cut those. A lot of people do. If you like it leave it if not cut it off. It won't make much differrence. I belive its just a preference thing.
No it will not bloom from that same spike. You'll get new spike for that.
That is a root growing, which is always a great sight.
The leaf issue was normal.
What you have done so far looks great, keep it up. I hope you're not so confused anymore?

Lene Th. · #5 08-08-2008, 11:38 AM

This is a very healthy looking phal.

I would cut of the old spikes all the way down, and close the wound with some cinnamon, this to give the phal time to rest, and make it use the energy to produce new leafs and roots. I know many would say that it is not nessesary, that it may still throw out a bloom or two from the old spike... But i tend to cut the old spikes anyway, for the reasons i mentioned abowe.

Are the chid potted in moss alone, by the way?
Most people say that this medium is not the best for a newbee, but it looks like you have done a good job .

The next thing you should look for, is a new leaf and more new roots. The Phals tend to grow at least one new leaf, often bigger than the old, before it starts on the new spike.

RosieC · #6 08-08-2008, 03:37 PM

My mum read something about getting a Phal to start growing a spike but neither she nor I are experts and I've no idea if the experts here think there is anything in it.

What she read is summarised as follows...

A Phal needs a high enough temperature differential between night and day to prompt it to produce a spike. If it is hot in the day and cold at night it is more likely to produce a spike than if it is roughly the same temperature all the time.

Now what she has read kind of matches with what I have seen. In our house in the winter we do not have any heating on BUT in the day time we do AND my Phals are on a windowledge right above a radiator. This means they get very warm in the day but then cool down a lot at night. The Phal that I have had several years has reliably spiked every spring after being in these conditions over the winter. This was more by chance than judgment as Mum only told me what she had read this year, I had actually been worried they would be too warm over the radiator.

I was suprised a few weeks ago of course when one of my new ones and this older one both started spiking now in the summer. Generally our conditions in the summer are such that there is NOT such a big difference in temperature (inside an insulated house anyway) between night and day. So the theory Mum read may be complete nonsense... but then both started almost on the same day and that sort of indicates some sort of enviromental condition... maybe ... maybe not...

Ross · #7 08-08-2008, 03:44 PM

For what it's worth, I'm one of the ones that preferres to cut flower spikes off for lots of reasons, cheifest of which is the plant needs the energy to regrow. You won't probably get new full spikes unless the plant grows a leaf or two. The flowers on the new spikes will be bigger and fuller than if you had kept the old spike hoping for new side shoots. It's your call, but the health of the plant is worth more than the extra flowers, to me. I think the "moss" on top can go. It's there for decor only and keeps from seeing how dry the medium is. It's actually not moss, but a lichen called "Spanish Moss".

madscientist01 · #8 08-08-2008, 07:00 PM

True, I think the top is Spanish Moss and I probably don't need it, but I didn't see any reason to take it off. Otherwise, it apparently came planted in New Zealand Sphagnum Moss.

I'm a little confused about the whole "spiking" process. So if I didn't cut off the 2 spikes it already has, would it just keep sprouting new spikes from the base of the plant? Or they branch off from the top of old spikes?

Also, is it ok to cut the spikes off at any time? It's been probably 8 months since it stopped flowering. The pamphlet says "Season: Spring, Winter" so I guess that means I should be looking for it to spike/bloom then...?

caseydoll · #9 08-08-2008, 07:04 PM

Probably repotting wouldn't hurt either if it hasn't been done since you received it.

Also, welcome to OB!

Ross · #10 08-08-2008, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madscientist01

Otherwise, it apparently came planted in New Zealand Sphagnum Moss.

I'm a little confused about the whole "spiking" process. So if I didn't cut off the 2 spikes it already has, would it just keep sprouting new spikes from the base of the plant? Or they branch off from the top of old spikes?

Also, is it ok to cut the spikes off at any time? It's been probably 8 months since it stopped flowering. The pamphlet says "Season: Spring, Winter" so I guess that means I should be looking for it to spike/bloom then...?

1) Sphadnum is really hard for most folks to control. It's way too easy to overwater. Like Caseydoll suggests, maybe bark might suit your watering?

2) Some Phals, and certain other orchids, sprout out more flower spikes from the primary spike as the blossoms drop off. This is attractive to some folks (stretches out the bloom period) but many of us feel the extra energy going into flowers draws away from the growths it should be putting out. We cut off the spike right down at the bottom.

3) Yes, anytime the flowers have fallen off.