My phal orchid spike broke and it didnt finished blooming :(

[showbiz94]

Hi! Im new in the forum and i am heart broken!
My boyfriend gave me a beautiful phalaenopsis orchid for valentines day, and today i broke its spike by accident
It did not break compleately and it was hanging there, but i decided to cut the flower stem off anyways. My question is: if it was barely blooming with fresh flowers and unopened buds, should i cut the spike up of the second nodge? Or leave it where it broke? Also, because its flowers were still fresh and young, will it affect the period of time until it blooms again?
Thank you!!

[Orchids4ever]

Originally Posted by showbiz94

Hi! Im new in the forum and i am heart broken!
My boyfriend gave me a beautiful phalaenopsis orchid for valentines day, and today i broke its spike by accident
It did not break compleately and it was hanging there, but i decided to cut the flower stem off anyways. My question is: if it was barely blooming with fresh flowers and unopened buds, should i cut the spike up of the second nodge? Or leave it where it broke? Also, because its flowers were still fresh and young, will it affect the period of time until it blooms again?
Thank you!!

Welcome to OB
You could cut it on the 2nd node-and it might put out a couple of flowers-but i think its always best to just cut it down all the way as close to the Plant as possible without cutting into the Plant,and wait till next year-they almost/always bloom at the same Time each Year
unless you are lucky enought to have a Phal that blooms twice a year.

[Abbie9]

I would leave it where it broke because sometimes a phal will branch off of nodes on an existing spike and create more buds. I think the likelihood of this happening depends on the plant's specific genes (I find that some of my plants do this regularly and some have never done it) and overall health/growing conditions. I would leave it unless it starts drying out and turning brown.

I doubt the loss of the flowers will have any effect on the length of time it takes for the plant to start a new spike; again, the growing conditions and overall health of the plant have more to do with blooming.

Side note, if you haven't already thrown out the blooming spike, you can pinch off the flowers with the stem attached and set them in a glass/bowl of water and they will stay alive for weeks! I've accidentally broken off spikes before and been very mad at myself, but at least salvaged the flowers for a while. I had blooms that have lasted over a month this way.

[Brenda Aarts]

[QUOTE=Abbie9;554091]I would leave it where it broke because sometimes a phal will branch off of nodes on an existing spike and create more buds. I think the likelihood of this happening depends on the plant's specific genes (I find that some of my plants do this regularly and some have never done it) and overall health/growing conditions. I would leave it unless it starts drying out and turning brown.


Im with Abbie...I would enjoy the few flowers your plant wants to put out and see if it is going to branch off...if not ...cut when done flowering and browned up and start again. If you get bored in the meantime, get another blooming phal...that is how it all starts!Good luck.

[SlipperGirl]

It is up to you if you want the plant to have more buds leave it where it broke. If you dont then cut the spike off. Either one you do your plant will be fine

P.S Welcome to orchid board

[BradGC]

It's a good opportunity now to check the condition of the roots, I've noticed on some of my bought phals are very tightly packed with sphag.

[showbiz94]

Thanks for all the information!
I believe i will cut the spike down and hope it will start growing again in a few months
As for the roots, i cheked them on february 18 (not so long ago, since i got it on the 14) and the roots looked fine, the roots that had air contact were green and looked nice but the ones that were more buried in the bark/perlite/moss mix were a whitish color, i dont know if its because they were watered too much because when i got it, the plastic pot was sitting in water inside of the decoration pot. Ive only watered her once with orchid food 5-6-7. The brand is called Chrysal orchid food drops and come in a pack of 12 and im supposed to feed it every two months. Is the number of the fertilizer alright? Ive never seen another orchid food with this number!
Thank you guys