| Typically what initiates many phals to bloom is a combination of shorter day length and cooler evenings (with corresponding still warm days - so maybe 10-15 degrees difference at least). Most of us have the majority of our phals start to spike in the fall and most of the plants are either just now opening up or gettin ready to over the course of the next month or two. In VERY general terms the majority of phals will bloom about three months, be in spike for about three months, and be growing leaves and roots about six months - at least in temperate climates. Commercial growers can mass produce plants to bloom just about any time of year by varying the environment to mimic what happens in nature a different time of the year. Why I say this, is if you had a plant that was blooming its heart out this fall for example, it may skip a season of blooming in order to get back "on track" with the normal seasons in which you live. Kind of like forcing paperwhite narcissus to bloom for Christmas - they really would be blooming in the spring if we didn't do our best to "fool" mother nature. Sometimes the plants are so robust and healthy (and love their environment & care) that they will send out multiple spikes one after the other - so don't totally give up. Typically people have two choices on spikes after blooming. Cut it off at the base and hope for a bigger healthy spike the next season (next spike) or cut it back to just above the last node and hope for a secondary spike - which will have a few less and smaller flowers than the original spike - this may or may not affect the future (both size and timing) new spike that will eventually arise. So, the choice is yours as to which direction to go. Because of the timing you might want to try for a secondary spike - the plant will still have all summer and early fall to rejuvinate itself it if reblooms out of the old spike right away. Good luck and enjoy. Mike  | 
01-18-2007, 08:43 PM
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