Leaping and THEN looking :( - Orchid Board

greenpassion · #1 09-27-2017, 03:17 PM

I have to preface this post with I'm starting to feel like a forum hog. That said, as the title says, I think that although it may be ok, I did something BEFORE running it by you guys...
Ok. So I have many phals, but amongst these I have several that bloomed wonderfully this past spring, and their spikes didn't brown up, so I left them on, in hopes that this winter they'll bloom on these old spikes, as well as send up new spikes. I had posted this question earlier, (about if they'd do that) and amongst the replies I got was that it depends on the genealogy of the plant. Soo, I didn't do anything-I thought I'd wait and see... Well several days ago I noticed that one of my phals (a beautiful peach NOID that sends up double branching spikes (that start brand new) is budding. BUT, the buds are at the very top of one of the spikes, and will only bloom 3 flowers, if I'm to go by the number of buds at present.
Well, I got to thinking that because I left the old spikes on, where ordinarily I'd get 15 to 17 flowers, now I'll only get 2 or 3. And yup. I cut the spikes off. Not only on that one either. I have an Amibilis that has double spikes (did) and another one as well that I 'defrocked' today, all in hopes that come cooler weather, they'll send up new plural spikes...
Did I do wrong? Will I end up with these phals not spiking at all??

Dollythehun · #2 09-27-2017, 03:24 PM

I've cut spikes and broken spikes and the plant rebloomed almost immediately. I don't think you have any worries. You aren't a "forum hog" but, you could relax just a tad.

We don't have to know everything you do before you do it...

jkofferdahl · #3 09-27-2017, 03:29 PM

Well, you didn't do wrong. Phals can support multiple stems, especially if the plant is healthy and on the older side. When a stem reblooms it's not unusual for it to have less flowers or for the flowers to be smaller in size. Still, there are some Phals (cornu-cervi being a great example) that almost prefer to keep blooming on older stems - and I have an equestris which has bloomed constantly from one spike for over 2 years.

Leafmite · #4 09-27-2017, 04:20 PM

I do not see it as a problem to remove the old spikes with the typical hybrid Phal. I typically wait until things are brown and can just be snapped off because it is easier but many people at my OS cut the spikes after they bloom as they feel they will get nicer new spikes that way.

greenpassion · #5 09-27-2017, 06:18 PM

Ok.I feel better. And I'll work on my obsessive checking in 😶🙂

Optimist · #6 09-27-2017, 07:09 PM

Every time I have had a phal re-bloom from a "used" spike, it has been only a few "token" flowers. I don't really like the looks of it, and rather than taking the "energy" from the development of roots and leaves, I tend to just cut the spike off and wait for the next blooming cycle.

You don't know until you have experimented.

greenpassion · #7 09-27-2017, 07:59 PM

I have always heard that too. But I currently have a phalaenopsis that has rebloomed from its old Spike, and the flowers were bigger and more numerous oddly enough. I'm at work now but I'll send a pic later. I was really impressed but I don't think that's often the case. May be wrong about that though!

Optimist · #8 09-28-2017, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenpassion

I have always heard that too. But I currently have a phalaenopsis that has rebloomed from its old Spike, and the flowers were bigger and more numerous oddly enough. I'm at work now but I'll send a pic later. I was really impressed but I don't think that's often the case. May be wrong about that though!

Could be. I have only 5 years of orchid owning, and like some say "giggle" you are just a newbie. I have 11 "surviving" phals, because until I understood them, I was a phal serial killer. You learn a lot on OB, on Youtube, and through books, but you also learn that opinions abound, and yes, you do need to sort through them and develop your own strategies

greenpassion · #9 09-28-2017, 11:29 AM

Yes Optimus I'm seven years in, and definitely consider myself a newbie. It seems like in the last eight or ten months not sure why but my interest and attention has picked up big time with my phalaenopsis orchids. It could be because in the spring I had so many Spike and flower and they lasted until just about a month ago. It was the best year I've ever had and now I'm on fire with it, possibly obsessive. I will consider myself a non newbe when I stop learning and I don't think that will ever happen. I'm not in any hurry for it to happen, because I love this part of the journey.

jkofferdahl · #10 09-28-2017, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenpassion

Yes Optimus I'm seven years in, and definitely consider myself a newbie. It seems like in the last eight or ten months not sure why but my interest and attention has picked up big time with my phalaenopsis orchids. It could be because in the spring I had so many Spike and flower and they lasted until just about a month ago. It was the best year I've ever had and now I'm on fire with it, possibly obsessive. I will consider myself a non newbe when I stop learning and I don't think that will ever happen. I'm not in any hurry for it to happen, because I love this part of the journey.

Forty years in I still feel like I'm a NewB, and Phalaenopsis has been my main focus for those years. Each new plant is different, and so each new plant teaches. Phals are wonderful plants. Relatively easy for the orchid world, they are consistent in their production, and quite rewarding. I expect to feel like a NewB, and to constantly learn, until I drop dead.