Cut off spike in water

[fredi*frogi]

I recently repotted my phals, and one had hardly any roots left and very few air roots, so I cut off the flower spike and stuck it in water, thinking I would enjoy the two flowers left on it, until they dried up and fell off.

It was starting to send another spike off of the same spike, I really didn't think much about it, but today I was noticing that the flower was wilting (finally, it's been almost 3 weeks! LOL) and that the other spike coming of it it looked like it was getting bigger!

Will the second spike go ahead and bloom? Or should I just toss it all now?

Thank you for the info!

[Cntry]

Fredi, Take the Phal that you cut the spike off and put it in a vase on a stick so it does not hit the water you want it just above it. Roots down so that it will try to grow for you. Place a bag over the top and do not tie it closed, this is for humidity. Open or remove the bag ever few days for a few minutes this prevents mold and give it some fresh air. This process will take a while. Change the water weekly. Do not use any fertilizer on it at this point. Wait till there is new growth and it is looking a lot better.

NOW it all depends on where you cut your spike off at. Phals can be forced to bloom again by cutting the spike off just above the first nod on the spike which will force it to spike again.

My advice to you is make sure your knife is cleaned and sterile and recut your spike to give your plant a better change to put all its energy into the root growth not into new flowers at this time since your plant is not at 100% right now and then I would place it into the vase as I had said.

I hope this helps your orchid to survive.

[fredi*frogi]

I'm not worried about the actual plant! It's doing very well in it's new medium, getting ready to give me a couple new leaves (and I assume roots as well!)

I'm just curious about the spike that I cut off, to help promote root/leaf growth.

It had an emerging spike on it and I didn't think that 'extra' spike would go ahead and bloom, but it sure looks like it's going too!

I'm keeping it in its lil jar of water till the last bloom falls off, but if it's still green when that happens I might just leave it to see if the extra spike is gonna go ahead and bloom out...who knows! LOL

[Optimist]

Strangely, I have kept spikes with flowers on them alive for a long time when I stick the end in the pot of another plant. Since it is not in total water, it gets some air, and the end is not totally saturated with water. I have some ficus and other large potted plants that I stick cut spikes into all the time, because I cut off spikes if the plant seems to be in distress. With me, this happens with Phals most often.

[fredi*frogi]

I am amazed at how long these flowers have lasted acutally! There were two on the spike, one fell off not quite a week ago...and the second one is just this am looking a bit on the wilted side.

The tiny spike coming out of the cut off spike actually looks like it's swelling and getting bigger! I'll snap a pic at lunch if I can remember so you all can see it!

[fredi*frogi]

This is the 'new' flower spike coming off of the flower spike I cut off...and stuck in water...it looks like it's swelling and is going to go ahead and bloom...If it does I'll post pics! I just thought that since I'd cut it off and stuck it in water it wouldn't bloom, but it looks like it's going too!