Spike cutting

[TexasTim]

My vanda has bloomed and now the flowers have fallen off after 4 months. Should I cut the spike off now?

[Nana Trish]

I have a similar question. Have heard all kinds of answers, cut the stem back at the base, just below the top node, cut it only if it is dead (then to where?) and you don't need to cut at all! Very confusing. I have a phal now that I did not cut back the stem, and it seems to be spiking at the tip of the old spike (which has stayed green throughout). I am afraid with this, however, my spike is going to be extremely long and I will need to secure it somehow, which will be more difficult now.

[AussieVanda]

Originally Posted by TexasTim

My vanda has bloomed and now the flowers have fallen off after 4 months. Should I cut the spike off now?

yes.

I use fine/thin bladed garden snips and get in close to the stem as I can and just cut it on a neat angle, being careful not to take out a leaf as I do so. Otherwise is you only have bulky garden snips, just cut as close to the plant as you can to make it look neat.

[Orchid Whisperer]

To cut, or not, depends on the type of plant, whether the plant has the potential to re- bloom on the spike, and whether you want it to re-bloom.

For Vandas, there is no potential to re-bloom, so you can cut the spike. This is more of a 'good grooming/neat appearance' issue, rather than a plant health issue. Same goes go most plants in the Cattleya and Oncidium alliances.

For Phalaenopsis and some Tolumnia ("equitant Oncidiums"), the spikes can re-bloom. If you want them to re-bloom, cut the spike just below the lowest flower as the spike is fading. Or, you can skip cutting and the spike may still re-bloom. Most of the time, I cut the whole spike of to let the plant conserve energy for the next bloom cycle.

[Nana Trish]

If you cut the spike all the way back to the base, will it grow to a good length before blooming again, or will you just have blooms low to the plant?

[No-Pro-mwa]

Originally Posted by Nana Trish

If you cut the spike all the way back to the base, will it grow to a good length before blooming again, or will you just have blooms low to the plant?

If you cut it off back to the base it will not bloom again but will hopefully after a rest start a new spike. If you want to try and get it to branch you cut it off by a node just back as far as the first bloom started. I hope that's the right wording. There will be a node then the next one would have been the first bloom, cute it there.

[Nana Trish]

Thank you, Shannon....very good to know!