Stabilizing my orchid too much??

[Christina]

Hi, I have a tall phal orchid which is being held up by being clipped to a thin tall wooden stick. This might be such a simple question but I was wondering if it is bad to have it clipped all the way up the stick. Meaning, my phal would just droop to the side without any support (which i know is normal) but to make it more upright, I use many clips to attach it to this stick. Is this bad? Should I only clip it to the stick about half way up and let the top part with the blooms droop freely?
-basically, what is best for the orchid? Thank you. And I am so sorry if this is hard to understand.

-Christina-

[Aleksa]

Don't worry... Do what you like more. I like to leave them grow where they want and grow flower stalk freely without support. Phals grow in nature with roots up and leaves and growing center down.

[Christina]

Thank you Aleksa! I was worried I was putting to much control on how they stood. You made me feel better. Thanks for the help!!

[mehitabel]

Hi, Christina. I use all the clips or tape I need to support the spike in the position I want it in. I also try to use bent wire to support the flowering tip of the spike. I sometimes clip two spikes together-- a stick for strength and the bent wire to hold up the flowers. Norman's Orchids uses a stick with wire attached. The wire is wound round the flower end of the stem to support the weight of the flowers. I'm looking for some of those, but haven't located any yet.

I've learned to look past all the supports and see only the beauty of the flowers.

Be careful of pinch clips used close to the tip of the spike-- I think that part of the spike is too tender for clips, and use tape or wire there instead.

Reason for corsetting them all the way up like that instead of half way up is this-- If you support the spike only part way up, the weight of the flowers and buds can snap the spike. I learned this the hard way, losing a stem of 6-8 wonderful flowers and buds on a Newberry Parfait. One morning went in to look, and there it was, hanging down, broken. every single flower gone.

That's when the light went on and I realized why Norman's takes all that trouble to wind all that wire around.

Drooping spikes au naturelle are lovely, too, if you can hang the phal high enough so you can see the flowers without lying on the floor.

[Brooke]

If you decide to clip or tape the spike, keep the clips or tape or wires off of the nodes of the spike. This is the location for possible branching or for a keiki forming.

Some spikes are sooooo long they need additional support but do what pleases your eye and your growing area.

Brooke