So far, I've actually not snapped off any spikes or sheaths (totally jinxed it now, and I have a Paph that I'm going to photograph tomorrow, a Paph with a tendency to want to tip over...), but I almost threw my entire collection away during spring. I wasn't feeling well, and the chids were suffering various things (pests, malnutrition, fungus - you name it), which made me feel like the worst orchid grower/owner in the world. I'm just glad I didn't go full out drama queen, and only tossed the ones that were actually too far gone to save.

Better to snap spikes than to rot the roots. The plant will flower again, though I completely understand how you feel.
I've snapped my fair share of spikes, and it's usually orchids that's I'm been eagerly anticipating the blooms.... My latest disaster was an in bud Phal that I ordered. The spike survived the shipping, but it didn't survive my unpacking skills.

That happens to me, I was repotting and snapped off half new grow leaf, I was sooo mad at myself but it's growing new leaf. I do have different phal that had a bit of abuse, it fell and leaf cut, roots didn't look good till recently it grew new roots, not a long ago after I put different media potting soil. It will grow, if not. Get other one... You surely got yourself orchid bug :) God bless you and your chid.


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This is so true... It's frustrating when you break off parts of the orchids (I haven't snapped any spikes off, but I've snapped buds off - luckily only on Phals with more buds to spare), but when you rot the roots, it plain sucks. Especially if you manage to kill the orchid in question with said rot as well. Been there, done that (and I have this mysterious feeling that I'm not done killing orchids like this, either). :p

Ouch! Been there, done that. More than once!

Ooo, not fun. It's hard to forgive yourself I know. I've snapped some buds off as well, of course the most developed buds. Had a new plant, bought not in spike, then it showed up with short spike. Under my care it succumbed to some mysterious illness, spike grew all the way into bud when I treated it, divided diseased half and of course the spike died. (Although the remaining division is growing a new growth!) I've also snapped off some leaves and rotted sheaths/buds. Then there's blooms that die quickly... *sigh*...

But maybe now you'll be that much more appreciative when it grows another! Best to you and your plants. Don't be too discouraged.