You will not get a positive Yes or No cut the spike off at the base because it is a depends situation. If i am on sales table duty at an orchid society show i might tell you to cut the spike down to a node on a standard type Phalaenopsis if i sensed you were not an orchid grower and were just buying a plant as a cheap bunch of flowers. You should not cut the spike on some of species Phalaenopsis such as Phal.violacea or on primary hybrids with violacea as a parent. One specialist grower of Phals cuts the spikes off at the base at the end of the show season here (Mid October) but by then his show plants had been out for several months had been to three of four shows and he figures that the plants need a rest and will in any case initiate new flowering spikes the following late autumn. Passing on giving advice re. growing in Norway. Though at least those night temperatures are sensible. Going back to the FAQ. Here is a picture of said orchid in the link. It is a tiny little thing that decides to bloom each summer so if you have enough Phalaenopsis you will be able to have some in bloom at most times during the year. In other words not all are stimulated to bloom by the cool down in Autumn. I have had the plant for at least six years and every year the routine is the same. Late October, initiate new spike January Flower Late March cut Spike down to base and so on. Hope this helps and doesn't confuse further. Also seek out complete cultivation notes re. Phals on google. Especially those that relate to growing in climates with very cold winters. Here is a link that might be useful: Orchid mentioned in FAQ

I would also prune it to the ground. New sprouts will come up from the buried crown. You did bury the crown when you planted it didn't you? Hit it with some alfalfa pellets, meal or tea, that should help. When they grow one long scraggly vine they usually will not ever "bush out" unless hard pruned. Jackmanii is one that should be hard pruned every year.

Hi Deanna, Bulbs store energy for the plant that can tide it over during rough times. So, rotted stems are like busted stems, as long as the bulb is large enough to support itself through next year (its not a tiny bulblet) it will come back, just a little smaller. This may result in a smaller plant with fewer blooms the first season but it will otherwise be fine. The thing to check is whether or not the bulbs have healthy looking roots. In the Fall if you find that the bulb and roots are rotten I wouldn't bother to plant it. Stressed bulbs often will decide to take a season off and not send up foliage (or abort growth already started). Instead it will spend its time growing new roots. So that doesn't mean they are dead. It sounds like your stems got the fungal disease botrytis possibly from overwatering. With your curled up new sprouts (possibly lieing along the soil) this would be an easy thing to have happen. Putting late planted bulbs in pots is usually a good idea since you can use sterile well draining soil and, depending on where you put the pot, control watering and sun. So don't hesitate to do that in the future. Botrytis strikes plenty of lilies in the garden as well. I'd cut away any diseased foliage (and throw it out securely) and spray the remaining foliage and the pots soil surface with a rose fungal spray. I've included a link with some info. -Helen Here is a link that might be useful: Plantlilies botytis link

I've never had the $ to go with fads or trends, really, but 3.5 years ago when we bought our couches, the store we went to had a million fabric options and not a single one in the color I really wanted for my couches--I wanted a dark emerald and all they had was sage and hunter in the green category; the other 199,998 options were gold, red or brown. So I went with brown--even though my other upholstered (actually slipcovered) seating in that room was already brown. And that is why I am trapped in brown hell today. I understand that with kids and pets and shoddy housekeeping, brown is serviceable. I know that accessorized with things other than dog hair, dropped Crocs and a handful of Connect Four pieces, brown can be elegant and rich looking. But in my house, it's just plain brown. Snooze. I wish I had bucked the trend (what was that color trend that made all the fabrics red and gold? Tuscan?) and held out for the emerald sofas of my dreams....