Phal spike (Again)

[CClia]

I'm new to the forum so Hello everyone.

This question may had asked but since I don't have time to go through all the forum, please help.

I have a very strong healthy phal. There were two big tall flower spikes and I only cut just below the last flower last time. I left the spikes with the hope that they may rebloom from the old spikes. However, now I discover a brand new spike came up from the base. No new spike from the two old spike yet.

Should I cut the two old spike off to the base so the plan can save energy for the new spike which just came up from the base?

Thanks
CC

[silken]

I would cut the old spikes.

[tucker85]

It's really up to you. It won't hurt the plant either way. Apparently your phal wants to bloom some more so if you leave the old spikes there's always the possibility that the plant may branch off one of the old spikes and bloom some more. But if that doesn't happen I would cut off the old spikes when the new one matures and gets ready to bloom.

[CClia]

Thank you all for your quick response. Anyone else have either cut or not cut idea?
CC

[glengary54]

cc - If your plant is otherwise healthy, leaving the old spikes will do no harm to your plant. One word of caution, Phals bloom and then grow new leaves, if a plant is forced to constantly bloom it has no time or way to replenish it's self. So again, if the plant is a mature healthy plant with good roots, leave them on, if the plant is a smaller young plant, I would cut them off.

[CClia]

Thank you Glen,
I think I would leave them on for now and see. It's a huge mature plan. After the last bloom, it already grows 2 more leaves. So now the plan has total of 6 big leaves.

I will ask a lot more questions...:-)

You are all very helpful.

Thanks

[RosieC]

Welcome to Orchid Board.

I agree with the advise above, however I tend to cut them anyway for asthetic reasons.

[cythaenopsis]

When I first took ownership of my first phal, I did not prune it after the flowering cycle. The spikes remained fine and healthy up through the next cycle, where new shoots emerged and flowered, double the number of flowers than before. However, after the 2nd flowering cycle, the spike ends started to discolor. It eventually became clear that pruning was a good idea. Now, in this cycle, new spikes are forming off of the main spike that I'd pruned.

This same pattern repeated with my 2nd phal that I acquired earlier this year. The spike ends (that look like "mittens") remained green and healthy through the months that followed after the blooming, and now they're shooting forth with new growth. There's also a lower node on the main spike that is starting to swell, that may send forth another spike. So, I suggest taking the same tact, letting the plant tell you what it needs.

[Bud]

Welcome and Hello ! Sit back, relax and read postings from our members where you can glean precious knowledge on how to care for your orchids based on their wealth of experience...post pictures of your plants and also put your grow zone and location in the USA on your profile so we can help you even more.

[Cpt Skip]

Any pictures of a new flower spike? I think I have one on my Phal which looks healthy. There is a shoot coming out from the crown and I was wondering if I need to train it vertically or does that happen naturally?