cutting an old spike

[rehric00]

My phal is just about to drop its last few flowers. I am anxious to get this thing repotted. Should I cut the spike all the way off at the base of the plant? Or I have heard of people cutting below or above the nodes... I am not sure where to cut those at... I have just heard you can get them to rebloom sometimes if you dont cut the whole spike off, I just dont know where to cut it.

Thanks!!

[tuvoc]

I'd cut it off at the base, especially if you're going to repot. It will give it a chance to re establish, and bloom much better next season.

Kim

[Zoi2]

I agree, I'd cut it off at the base and let it devote it's energy to the repotting and blooming next year.
Joann

[Orchid126]

If it's desired to get another flush of bloom, the spike can be cut just above the second node. Sometimes the buds blast, so this is plan B for at least some bloom. But you said you had flowers.
Therefore, Kim and Joann gave you good advice about cutting the spike all the way down and let it gather strength for the next flush of bloom.

[Paul Mc]

One note for future reference, while it might be a good idea to cut the phal spike once it has finished blooming, the general recommendation is to not cut it until it has turned brown and dried. The reason for this is that some phal's (and hybrids or NOID's that come from them) will rebloom off of the old stems.

Wasn't sure if you knew that or not, but thought I might throw that out there.

[scy]

If you do not cut it and it does rebloom on its own, how does it affect next year's bloom? Will the flowers be smaller than if if the stem was just cut to the base right away?

Originally Posted by Paul Mc

One note for future reference, while it might be a good idea to cut the phal spike once it has finished blooming, the general recommendation is to not cut it until it has turned brown and dried. The reason for this is that some phal's (and hybrids or NOID's that come from them) will rebloom off of the old stems.

Wasn't sure if you knew that or not, but thought I might throw that out there.

[Zoi2]

Next years blooms will depend on the care and health of the plant.
It has been my experience that the blooms you get by cutting above a node are not as numerous or as nice as the first round. I cut the spike all the way down after the first flowering.
Joann

[Paul Mc]

That I can't answer very well. I would think that Zoi2's answer is probably accurate. I have two that the stems did not die back on last year, and both of their flowers are the same size. One does not have as many blooms, the other has a lot of blooms.

It was an experiment as one of them kept producing blooms (two more rounds) throughout the year on the old spikes.

Then I learned that some species will repeat bloom off of the old spike.

[Orchid126]

Then again, some phals have been known to stay in bloom for months and months.