Quote:
Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit
I usually wait for them to wither before cutting - but that's just my preference. I don't think they 'take' anything from the plant if they aren't blooming, but if the plant were declining I'd be more likely to cut if still green.
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I did just that... when I started noticing a color change in the ends of the spikes, I cut them back. In one case, I cut back two times before the withering stopped. I also applied cinnamon on the wound, which helped close it faster than if left alone. On one phal, the whole spike ended up dying off. And later, I realized why--there was significant root rot. I left the dead spike on, because it helps function as a "handle" when re-potting.
Some folks recommend cutting back to one or two nodes above the base, while others feel it's quite alright to cut higher. I tend to let the plant decide. In one case, the spikes remained healthy after the bloom cycle, and ended up forming new branches and buds from those spikes in the next cycle. After that cycle, the plant decided it wasn't going to use those spikes again and so I cut it back. I like lengthy phals, so I prefer cutting as high as the plant will support.
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