Newby here w/ Phalaenopus plant

[Hitch]

I was given a plant as the person did not know how to take care of it.

I have gotten all the information about light, water, etc., but what I would like to know do I cut the flower stems off at the base after the plant has flowered?

At present time it has 4 stalks/stems (proper name unknown) with only one bearing flowers.

Hitch

[mayres]

Sounds like you might have an older plant? Young phals commonly have one or maybe two spikes (stalks/stems) and as they mature they will potentially send out more. What you do with spent flower spikes is hightly optional. Some prefer to cut them off at the base immediately after flowering to encourage the plant to put its energy into building up roots and leaves for next years crop of flowers, some cut each spike just above the last node to encourage a subspike for more flowers (usually slightly smaller and fewer than the original spike), and some prefer to just leave the spikes alone and only remove them or sections of them as they brown. They will often subspike at nodes entirely on their own. We are approaching the period in the northern hemisphere (can you update your profile to show where you live) when phals are just now starting to spike, so a subspike this time of year would still give the plant time to "rebuild" for next season's bloom if this is the option you choose. My personal choice most times is to remove the spike at the base as I prefer the aesthetics of a nice new spike and a bigger show. Again, no right or wrong choice - enjoy! mike

[Hitch]

Thank you for the information.
None of the information I looked at had this information or I read over the top of it.

I think the plant is 2 or 3 years old

If I knew how to insert an image form my hard drive I would show it off.

Troy