The Orchid Garden

After the flowering stops

Question:

Hi, I have a beautiful Den. phalaenopsis that has just graced my living room with gorgeous blooms. But it is getting around that time when the blooms are starting to fade. My questions is: where is the best point to cut the spikes? After the first node? Before? Do I cut it completely off? I already made a guess on one of the spikes (there’s three of them in all) by cutting it off right before the first node, but now I’m not so sure if I did the right thing because there doesn’t seem to be any other place from which new growths (a new spike perhaps) can emerge. Did I just kill any chance of a new spike? Where is the best place to cut a spent spike? Do Den. Phalaenopsis just keep growing up and up? Mine is getting awefully tall, should I be doing something about the height (like pinching off the top so that new growths could make it more bushy, the way one would pinch off coleus branches as part of regular grooming)? Or would that doom my orchid. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Marjorie_____ Marjorie N.B. Nguyen             And forget not that the earth delights       (404)297-9675                    winds long to play with your hair.                                                         –Kahlil Gibran

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, I have a beautiful Den. phalaenopsis that has just graced my living room with gorgeous blooms. But it is getting around that time when the blooms are starting to fade. My questions is: where is the best point to cut the spikes? After the first node? Before? Do I cut it completely off? I already made a guess on one of the spikes (there’s three of them in all) by cutting it off right before the first node, but now I’m not so sure if I did the right thing because there doesn’t seem to be any other place from which new growths (a new spike perhaps) can emerge. Did I just kill any chance of a new spike? Where is the best place to cut a spent spike? Do Den. Phalaenopsis just keep growing up and up? Mine is getting awefully tall, should I be doing something about the height (like pinching off the top so that new growths could make it more bushy, the way one would pinch off coleus branches as part of regular grooming)? Or would that doom my orchid. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Marjorie_____

Marjorie, Unlike plants in the Genus Phalaenopsis (Phal), Plants in the Genus Dendrobium (Den) can’t respike in the same way. Just cut the spike off, laeving perhaps a 1/2" nub. -Rod- Venger’s Orchids Website http://www.vengers.com/

Response:

Marjorie, I’ve left the old spikes alone, cut them off just above the first or third node, or chopped ‘em back entirely…   …My experience is that the old spikes don’t rebloom, but the canes will for several years, from new spikes. Don’t top that cane!!!   You might induce keiki growth, but that will give you (short-term) new plantlets, not flowers. — Ray Barkalow – First Rays Orchids   On-line List and Order Form:     http://www.firstrays.com

Response:

Marjorie:  And please don’t pinch the tops, you will not cause it to "bush."  Your new growths will come from the bottom and yes, they do tend to get fairly tall.  Kenni – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Did I just kill any chance of a new spike? Where is the best place to cut a spent spike? Do Den. Phalaenopsis just keep growing up and up? Mine is getting awefully tall, should I be doing something about the height (like pinching off the top so that new growths could make it more bushy, the way one would pinch off coleus branches as part of regular grooming)? Or would that doom my orchid. Unlike plants in the Genus Phalaenopsis (Phal), Plants in the Genus Dendrobium (Den) can’t respike in the same way. Just cut the spike off, laeving perhaps a 1/2" nub. -Rod-

Response:

Filed under: Dendrobium Orchid

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