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Phal spike cutting confusion

17 years ago

I just got a phal Summer Beach from HEB for $9.99 because most of the blooms were gone. Its way bigger then the other phals I've encountered with 4 massive dark dark green almost purple leaves, which I guess is poor lighting.

The spike is long with 2 side branches. It looks like the classic 3-pronged "fork in the road" in cartoons. There is one unopened bud on each of the three ends, and at the very tip of the all three "prongs" it looks like it's trying to squeeze another bud out. I've looked very closely, and I can find no scar from a previous spike cut, so I assume it hasn't been cut.

1. Should I just cut the entire spike at the bottom and give the plant a rest and start over

2. Can I just cut the spent blooms and leave an almost naked spike? Or do absolutely nothing?

3. Is there any reason aside from aesthetics to stake spikes? I have a Brassia and this Phal that are staked, and I think they'd look way cooler with the spike arching over the pot as opposed to straight up.

I've read the FAQ, but I'm still confused as to where I would, if necessary, cut it. Would it be at the node just below the lowest branch, removing all three, or do I cut each branch at a node individually?

Thanks,

Bob

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Comments (6)

michigoose
17 years ago
Frankly, I'd cut the spike but that's my personal preferance because I don't like one or two blossoms spitting out at a time and I don't like looking at a bare spike for 6 mos to a year.

Cut the spike at the base, near to the "cone" or stem of the plant, about 1/2" is good or closer if you can do it without injuring the plant, but 1/2" is adequate.
organic_kermit
17 years ago
I mix it up. Sometimes I cut the spike all the way off, sometimes halfway down to see if I get a repeat, and I ocassionally let them push out flowers. When I get one like yours, I usually cut the spike about 3 nodes up from base. Mainly because I didn't get to enjoy the first round. It is all about preference.
I also take out stakes. They are used mainly for shipping and displaying in the stores. I prefer the o'natural look like you. Hope this helps.
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Baroness, if there are some nodes on the stalk with the broken end you might get a side branch to spike, otherwise it probably will do nothing. "in situ, who cuts the spikes off of the phals?" That statement applies to any aspect of any branch of horticulture. I could stop all work on my messy garden (casual cottage) and what would be the result? I'll be a an orchid show in a few weeks time and if the customer is just buying a Phal. as a cheap bunch of flowers, i'll tell them the cut down to the node stuff, but, i like to think that people asking questions here are interested in growing better flowers. Here is the story of Betty (again). Betty was a great orchid grower. she had a collection of thousands of orchids and won the annual championship at several orchid societies many times. Now those Championships are won by people who have big collections across many Genera and you get points for just benching a plant. She had this species Phal. that bloomed for years and years. It had a long, long spike with hundreds of flower scars and a few sad dispirited flowers at the end. It was benched in the species other section year after year just to gain that one precious point. Brooke, not sure of the latest name for Phal. decumbens. It seems to have had many names over the years. The plant pictured in an above post is a mini 3 inches high with 3 inch leaves, just the ticket for the narrow windowsill in the kitchen. The flower spike is not very long, but is a sequential bloomer, so i go SNIP at the base after enjoying the display for three months or so. Blooms like clockwork, every summer.
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thanks all. i'll decide this weekend. the plant just grew a huge new beautiful leaf, so, it's clearly doing well. i'm not so sure it is going to rebloom from the same stem if I leave it completely alone and don't cut it at all. So, my choice is really to cut it to a node or cut the whole thing down to the crown. Hmmm.... arthurm: i've see your pic before and read many posts about whether or not to cut the spike. I posted my thread because I still couldn't decide what to do.
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mehitabel
17 years ago
I agree that it's about preference. However, I believe some people don't want to cut because they are reluctant to give up what they have-- a flower or two-- for some pie in the sky about "next year's" beautiful spike.

So I want to add that last May I bought three in bloom phals from Odoms and Norman's. Very beautiful, but after about two months two started to have only a few flowers on the ends of the spike. I thought them ugly and cut them off. That was about July. The third had only dying flowers when I got it and that spike was cut right away.

With good light all summer, all three put out *two* new spikes in the fall and are blooming now. One has been blooming since January on two spikes. Another bloomed for four months last October thru February, and then put out two more spikes. The one with spent flower last May has been blooming on two beautiful spikes since about February, and the spikes are still full and beautiful after three months.

The longest I had to wait for new spikes to start was three or four months. The longest I had to wait for flowers was about 9 months.

So my point is that if you cut the spike back on a nice big plant like the one you have, *and give it plenty of light*, you will get new spikes starting in a *few months*, not necessarily "next year", and those spikes will stay full and beautiful for at least a couple of months, or with all those branches, maybe longer.

I personally think you'll enjoy the thrill of your very own new spike, and the beauty of a fully branching spike, but it's your call.
bob123how
Original Author
17 years ago
Off it goes. One of the buds that wasn't opened, started opening this morning and promptly fell off by the time I went to work at 2:30. When I took the stake out, not only did I crack a root but the weight of the spike pulled the entire plant forward. I think it's time to repot. It's in what looks to be like LFS and orchid bark, but the LFS is all green and algaefied. I'm scared I'll break off more roots though. Thats a mission for this weekend.

Thanks to everyone for their insight. Bob
eileen_nv
17 years ago
BTW, I have a Summer Beach - had it for 2 years now, not bloomed yet, and it has always had those purple leaves, even though the surrounding Phals have light or dark green leaves. I think it's just the leaf color of this plant. I like it. Not to worry.
orchid126
17 years ago
Bob, when you go to repot, soak the roots for an hour or more in tepid water and they will become more pliable and might not break so much.

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