On the phal just cut it. Like the den. It would still draw from the spike. But with the phal the spike would be vertical in the pot. On epidendrums after the flower is done I cut it off near the first leaves. Later there usually is a keiki. Once it shows 3 or more roots cut the stem several inches below the keiki below the first few leaves. Strip the leaves and use the stem to locate the keiki firmly in the pot. Another fast, easy, and successful method for 2 more types of keikis. The key benefit is the remaining spike or cane provides 2 important benefits. Draw nutrients from the cane or spike and the keiki is firmly in place, no wobble. I'm sure it would work if you bent the spike into the pot. But I think it would demand unnecessary gymnastics getting it all lined up. Just cut it.

Hi! ^ ^ I think it could be of use to someone if I type out my experience. Perhaps a collection of experiences will lead to some form of conclusion of the hypothesis about lighting etc. It began when one of my two orchids had a nasty little pussy cat tip over it's pot. The orchid's spike severed completely off. Since my orchids both bloom at the same time I cut the spike off the other orchid. Of both the spikes, the yellow had 2 blooms (1 bud spike was 6 inches long). The purple had 8 buds (one bloom spike was 10 inches long) which is the one the cat had tipped over. I will also note that I put the purple stem immediately into water since I had heard the plant crash. I have had both spikes into a clear glass vase (about 1-1.5 cup of water) in a pitch black game room except light from the teli and monitors. To be more specific the vase is in the shadow of the "light". The temp is always around 78 degrees fahrenheit. I enjoyed the blooms for a couple of weeks and the large bloomed ones finally started to look fatigued so I pinched those off (about 4-5). The rest dropped off by themselves. I totally forgot about these stems/spikes. Here is where it gets interesting, about 2-3 month later I was dusting and cleaning up the "mess" at the sink when I noticed the yellow spike was still green at the end, the purple was brown so I cut it under water to a healthy green looking point. I had decided regardless of the various postings on the intraweb saying that a spike couldn't grow roots I would still let these two try. It now has been 5 months, the yellow has a small root growing at the end, the purple is still green. They are in the pitch black room, I change the water sporadically from every 4 days to 3 weeks with tepid from faucet. Basically when I remember the poor babies but more so at the beginning than now (which changes now I see a little root). I will also mention I was using the cities icky chlorinated fluoride injected tap water, I will now change to bottled water and watch the results.

As Arthur and orchidnick can recall, posts in this forum used to be heated and fun, kind of like this one... I think everyone chiming in and with pictures and "discussing" leaves for a good thread... I used to be on here years ago and just recently came back... I don't think we should shy away from input from all sides. that side I'm on the side that says keiki's aren't a good idea... but I realize that to kids and noobs it's the excitement of seeing something sprout... like sowing your first veggie garden or wildflower garden. As leafhead is into butterfly gardens, I love them and the best butterfly gardens boast diversity with different plants flowering at any one time... but unfortunately orchids are different... their flowers are too energy and time consuming... many flowering plants grow and flower within the limited scope of a single season, or in the case of northern temperate perennials grow in a single season then go dormant, once you sprout you have to get going if you're going spread your seed so to speak... coming from tropical ongoing usually consistent climates orchids can really take their time, hence an orchid can take so d&*^ long to flower from flask! So weakening them like growing keiki's just isn't a good idea if you want flowers... and yes we're talking about commercial run of the mill phals... a number of species keiki readily... but even those can put a bit too much energy into that and not so much blooms. Maybe that puts a little more insight into situation? or sometimes I enjoy preaching to choir...

I don't think that you'll find a problem with potting these up. I have found that phals are forgiving if you repot them when they are in spike, but it is best to do it before the buds are well formed. As far as the keiki, give it a pot of its own. You don't need to wait until it flowers. If it is in spike, as I said, do it before the buds get too far along.