Which spikes NOT to cut?

[Sharyn]

I know that certain spikes should NOT be cut as next years flowers will develope from last years spike, however, I must admit that I'm having difficulty remembering and jotting down the information on specific orchids.

Can we make a list of spikes that should NOT be cut back? It would be most helpful to me to make notes in my journal of the spikes that will rejuvenate themselves from last years spike.

[Tobi]

I know Psychopsis is one that the flowering spike should not be cut back.

[Nancy]

Don't cut back Phalaenopsis spikes that are green. Flowers will come one by one until the spike is quite long.

[BlakeeBoo]

Nancy is right Phals will regrow their flowers. If you don't know it is best not to cut it unless you want it to reflower.

[Orchidflowerchild]

Good rule of thumb: If it's brown, cut it down, if it's green buds might be seen.

Yeah, okay, so I was reaching. Sue me. It ain't easy coming up with deep sayings that fit on pillows.

-Cj

[BlakeeBoo]

Cj lol but so true

[kmarch]

Sharyn,

Do you have particular orchids in mind? Most orchids grow an inflorescence, bloom on it and then are done with it, they won't bloom again until anew growth matures (Cattleya Alliance orchdis for example and most dendrobiums). Some orchids like some phals will grow secondary spikes from the nodes of old spikes. Still other orchids (some phals, some paphs, some bulbos, etc.) are sequential bloomers which mean they produce one flower after another on the same spike. Tobi mentioned Psycopsis, which is a sequential bloomer from the Oncidium Alliance.

Let us know if you have particular orchids in mind.

Cheers

[Sharyn]

Yes, Kevin, I had Phals in mind. I have several phals which are now growing a secondary spike and I won't cut them all the way down until they're completely done. I think I'm most interested in those phals which you mentioned as sequential bloomers and I'm not always certain which ones are which.

#1 Phal = Sogo Grape 'Fireball' lost its first buds to blast. Then continued to grow new buds and will soon be open. I noted that the spikes have little nodes all the way up. (I'm sure I'm not phrasing that correctly.)

#2 Phal = Mini Mark 'Holm'. Last year I had two spikes and when finished blooming, I cut the spikes all the way down. I now have one spike which just started but is still a ways off from forming any buds. I read somewhere that I should not have cut the spikes.

Therefore, my confusion with the phal spikes.

[kmarch]

Sharyn,

Orchidflowerchild has provided some practical (albeit tongue-in-cheek) advice that is a good place to start: Don't cut anything off unless it is dead, dry, shriveled, and brown. If we follow that practice then we're pretty much guarenteed not to cut off anything good.

Here's a link to a forum thread about sequentially blooming phals which mentions a few sequential species and talks about a few hybrids too.

[Sharyn]

Thanks everyone - good advice

Kevin: Thank you for posting the link. I must have missed it before. Found an exact picture of the spike I was searching.