Tying/Clipping a Flower Stalk

[jbrinnen]

Newbie Forum, hence newbie questions:

I have a Phal which is finally reblooming (after purchasing with blooms a year & a half ago). So, 2 questions:

1. When I bought it, the flower stalk was clipped to a thin rod to keep it standing up above the plant. I still have the rod and clip and am wondering when I should clip the new stalk? It's about 8 inches long with 3 to 4 segments, and is pretty much growing diagonally up & out from the plant.

2. I fed it with 0-46-0 about 3 weeks ago (1 week before the spike developed). I also have a 14-14-14 fertilzer that the seller said to use after it drops its flowers. Should I re-feed with the 0-46-0 while it's blooming or wait now until it's finished and go with the 14-14-14?

Thanks!
JB

[mayres]

Hi JB and welcome!
The rods are mostly advantageous for retailers and shippers to keep the spikes from breaking off during movement and shipping. The can also be used by the home user to encourage a specific artistic "look" or keep within a confined space for various reasons. When to clip is up to you. Some of mine never get clipped. Depends upon how long the spike is and where I'm locating the plant. Obviously they don't have clips in nature when they are growing from trees. :-) Personally I would recommend a fertilizer made spedcifically for orchids of which there are many - with numbers more of equal magnitude - either weakly weekly or made up according to directions approximately every other week.