What to do with this phal??

[takeiteasy]

This phal is at least 42" plus. New growth. It blooms often but not many flowers on each stem.
It has many keiki.
But I would like to see more flowers.
Just want to do the right thing for the plant. What should I do?? cut it back? Or?
Thank you

[WhiteRabbit]

How much light and fertilizer does it get?

[RJSquirrel]

wekk uh hmm you are arent getting flowers bec the plants spending its time trying to grow plants. Cut it off and plant the kiekis and wait for a new spike to grow...while your at it repot the plant in some fresh mix give it a good start. put the roots into a plastic pot with some moss and wrap em up snugly but dont strangle the roots. water when it gets dry. and good luck...too much fertilizer and not enough light will cause this as missus wabbit is saying

[takeiteasy]

Thank you so much. I wasn't for sure what to do with it.

[WhiteRabbit]

More light, less fert is something to try. I can't say positively that it will help, but too little light can keep a plant from blooming, as can too much fert - which can also be responsible for crazy growth.

Also, are you using any hormone products?

[takeiteasy]

Hi
Thank you
No, I dont use hormone products. What are they. Im still learning

[WhiteRabbit]

Ah, OK. I asked because I suppose it might be possible that too much hormone product could result in many keikis / poor blooming.

KLN is an example of a plant supplement containing hormones. Over use of such products can have interesting consequences.

[james mickelso]

This plant is doing what it does in it's natural habitat. It continues to bloom from the old spike (why put out the energy to grow a new spike if it has the old one? Right?) which is where it also grows new plants. Phals are bred and grown commercially to put on lots of flowers for us. It is not natural. Once it has produced lots of flowers for us, if the flower spike is left on, the plant will produce more side spikes but fewer flowers. If left on longer it will also start to grow keikis. Cut off the old spikes, fertilize every other watering with a very weak fertilizer and give it warmth and a medium light level. The next flowering will be a good one.

[RosieC]

You never get as many flowers from existing spikes, they tend to only produce a few more at a time.

I would cut off the spikes, let it rest 6-12 months (however long it wants to) and then when it's ready it will start a new spike. New spikes are far more likely to have a big flush of blooms at once.

You will likely not get as many as when you bought it... however if well cared for you may, I have one at the moment with probably at least double the number of flowers it had when it was bought and others have had many years tend to produce a similar number to they did when I bought them.

I always cut the spikes down and let them start again from scratch.

As others have said, the keikis will take some energy to grow. They don't have roots yet so if you cut them off now they will probably not survive on their own. It's your choice if you want to leave the parts of the spikes with them on, but if you are trying to get more flowers it will be best to take them off.

As Sonya said too high nitrogen can inhibit flowering however I would guess your problem here is as James has said, that you are letting it flower off the existing spikes. What fertilizer are you using, how often and at what concentration?