Cutting flower spike to spur root growth?
 

This comes from Miss Orchid Girl on Youtube, she mentions cutting the flower spike close to the stem helps the plant redirect its energy to grow more roots. However, she doesn't cite where she gets the information from.

I wonder how much of this is true. For example, I have an old plant putting out a spike now that I adopted recently. I much rather have this plant acclimate to my environment and care than put out flowers. If the spike cutting technique is true, I'd rather cut it, let the plant keep growing roots and leaves and hope for a better and healthier blooming next year.

However, cutting the spike alone seems inconclusive as I understand the plant would need the additional heat and light to "understand" that it's time to put out roots.

Any tips on whether this is a myth or truth and whether this can actually help with root growth in absence of higher temperatures and light?

Plants do what their metabolism/biology and environmental conditions tell them to do. If they aren’t physically capable of growing something, they won’t do it. If your plant is growing a spike then it’s currently capable of supporting it. If you cut the spike off, maybe it’ll switch to growing roots, maybe it’s a determined bloomer and it will try to put out another spike. Give it the conditions it needs to grow well and let it do its thing. Roots will come when the plant chooses.

Mateo - read this: Support the Reserves

Sorry I'm new to this board. I hope this is okay , What kind of Orchid is it?

I believe MLA was asking in reference to phals, but the same idea of energy use applies to other types of orchids and non-orchid plants. Some orchids only grow roots at specific times during their growth cycle, so cutting the spike wouldn’t have an impact on their root growth even if the myth was true for phals. Phals will happily grow roots and leaves all year if conditions are suitable.

This notion is silly. Many plants have persistent flower stems that last a long time and continue to photosynthesize. They're beneficial to the plant.

The Eulophia macra I discussed in this thread dropped its last flowers in May. The stalk still looks as healthy as it did in February. I'm not going to remove it until it dies.