My Phal Orchids..not sure where to cut spike off..any help please?

[onlymemyselfandi]

Hello! Those are my "babies"! I want to take very good care of them so I'd really appreciate any help you could provide me with.

First one:

It's already blooming and it's like that for pretty long time.. i heard you should cut off the spike some time after even if the flower hasnt wilt yet so it will give the plant more strength..should i cut it off yet or not? If yes to which point (nod) should i do it? As you can see in a picture i noticed a nod is kinda wilting..is this normal?









Second:

This is an orchid i bought from a store..it was in a bad condition and thought they would throw it out..felt pitty for it and brought it home, it was blooming and i cut it off after the flowers fell off..then one of the leaves turned yellow n fell off and the old ones arent in a very good condition..It did grow new leaves though! Should i do something about it right now or leave it as it is?







Third:

That's an orchid that we were given as a gift. It's gorgeous! Even when they brought it here some of the blooms were turning yellow (two of them already fell off and i cut the spike off them after that). I'm kinda confused to which nod i should cut off the spike with this one..its full of flowers and as you can see two of its flowers are already ready to fall off










Thanks alot in advance!

[WhiteRabbit]

I generally leave spikes til they are dead. You may, by cutting the spike, encourage a new spike to develop, and it may bloom better - but it may not have any effect on the plant also.
That said, I am soooo not the Phal expert - I'm sure others with more knowledge and experience than myself will have advice for you

[PeaceLoveOrchids]

Personaly I would wait untill the flowers completly fall off to worry about the spike, to induce reblooming, you cut it 3 nods down the stem, then soon new blooms will form if the plant has enough energy. If you don't want a rebloom just let nature take it's course and wait for the stem to turn brown and die then you cut it. Thats my opinion on how to deal with the spike. I am neither an expert by any means but I do have many phals. The wilting nod seems just to be a natural....thing... and doesn't have an effect on the plant. Number two is very strange looking, I'm not sure whats going on there.Sorry for the long reply.

[Cym Ladye]

In phal culture, you are generally safe to cut the spike just above the 2nd growth node from the bottom of the stem, if it is a healthy plant. You are safe doing that for #1 and #3 but because of the poor condition of #2, cut the stem to the base, repot it and wait until it sends up a new spike on its own after growing new leaves.

CL