To Cut or Not to Cut

[Allen Robins]

Some time ago,(much to my disgust) I accidently broke a new shoot off my large phal. It now appears a new shoot is starting to grow down the main stem. Do I cut the main stem off above the new little shoot or leave it alone? .........Regards.....AL

[Anton]

Can you get a closer pikkie ?

If there are still green nodes above it, leave it alone, as I tend not to touch them unless it turns brown.

I have 3 producing new growths due to being left alone.

How's the GH coming along ?

[pikkumyy]

if its happy i would just leave it, i can't see why not to cut the spike, but i also can't see an important reason to cut the spike, so i would leave it, it will add a bit of interest

[orchids4me]

1) I see a glazed pot. Those don't breath well at all. Which explaines why so many aerial roots above the pot opening.
2) Does this pot have drainage ??
3) Is the inside of this pot also glazed? (Toxic)
As Anton said a closer pic would help for what you're asking. The other 3 points are my observation of what I do see.
Good luck

WOW ! Thanks Emmaye...three of my ice orchids(phals) are in plastic pots with net holes inside a glazed cache pot with no holes...I will discard of the glazed pots any suggestions what pot to get? Or should I just repot them in crystal glass?

[orchids4me]

Originally Posted by Anky

WOW ! Thanks Emmaye...three of my ice orchids(phals) are in plastic pots with net holes inside a glazed cache pot with no holes...I will discard of the glazed pots any suggestions what pot to get? Or should I just repot them in crystal glass?

IMHO and experiance... Caly/terra cotta type pots or plastic pots with the sits have worked best for me these breath and keep the roots areated all the way around and help the media to dry evenly so doesn't stay damp in the middle and then root rot. If the root ball is massive thos e inverted net pots inside the pot work great and packing peanuts are great for this also.
Hope that helps

[Allen Robins]

Thanks for the advice people. Anton, the greenhouse is doing well as far as I can see. No deaths or funny colored leaves, the condensation is still on the plastic walls but not on the plants...viz.. the fan

Emmaye, there is a well drained plastic pot inside the terra cotta. I leave it like this for stability mainly...oh..and the terra cotta has a large drain hole in its base.I water once a week at the moment, outside the GH and allow the plants to drain before replacing them on the wire trays.

I will try and take a better photo in the morning which may help. Once again, thanks for the advice. Regards.......AL

[pikkumyy]

thats really cool that your new greenhouse if going so well allen....... (my turn to get one hehehehe)

and i shall look forward to more pictures

[Allen Robins]

Here are the photos as promised. You can see where the old shoot was and the new one appearing.

I think I will leave it alone unless some one can convince me otherwise........AL

[Anton]

Those protuberances which you are pointing to are live nodes and will produce new growths, LEAVE THEM ALONE., that is what you want to happen.

With a bit of luck, once these produce flowers and they die off, the Phal will do it again, I am on my 3rd flowering with my 3 Phals.

This is the beauty of Phals, you can several months of continuing flowerings. I had one that used to flower for 6 months of the year, and I had to end up cutting the stem off to force it into having a break and re-energizing itself.

[Allen Robins]

Thank you Anton, that solves that problem........AL