Botanic Garden >> Gardening > >> Question and Answer >> Plant Species >> Orchids

Cutting Back a Dormant Phalaenopsis Spike

Trim the Tall Spike Above the 2nd Node

Cut the dormant spike just above the 2nd node from base. If it stays green, it may branch and rebloom. If it browns, it’ll die back naturally.

Critical: Repot grocery-store Phals annually after bloom in fir-bark mix (sifted, soaked) in well-drained plastic pot. Avoid moss—compacts and overwets. Orchid roots photosynthesize; they need air and light.

Orchids: Storm-Damaged Leaning Pine: Hazard Assessment and Decision Framework; Jewel Orchid (Ludisia discolor) Care: Mix, Light, and Rootless Stems; Dendrobium and Oncidium Flowering Issues: Rest Periods and Repotting; Why Your Phalaenopsis Won't Spike: Light, Temperature & Genetics; Repot Phalaenopsis with Emerging Spike: Early Stage Allows It; Non-Blooming Phalaenopsis: Repotting, Light, and Bloom Booster Strategy; Cut Phalaenopsis Spike Before Last Flower Dies? Myth Busted; Phalaenopsis Spike Longevity: When to Cut a Persistent Green Spike; Phalaenopsis in Sphagnum Moss: Repot to Bark, Manage Green Spike; Phalaenopsis Spike vs. Leaves: Resource Allocation in a Recovering Plant

Garden Articles

Eliminating Ants in Orchid Pots: Repotting and Sanitation

White Spike on Phalaenopsis: Senescence or Mealybugs?

Encouraging Phalaenopsis Rebloom: Spike Pruning and Light

Step-by-Step Phalaenopsis Repotting Guide for Beginners

Phalaenopsis Not Growing or Spiking: Light, Fertilizer, and Temperature

Choosing the Right Potting Mix for Phalaenopsis

Broken Phalaenopsis Spike: Salvage Options and Secondary Spike Hope

Plants

Overwatered Phalaenopsis: Emergency Repotting in Fir Bark

Ice-Cube Watering Myth: Use Room-Temperature Water Instead

Wilsonara with Withered Pseudobulbs: Pot Mix Particle Size Issue

Phalaenopsis Won't Rebloom? Light, Feeding & Repotting Fixes

Phalaenopsis Spike Cutting: To Cut or Not to Cut?

Post-Bloom Orchid Care: Spike Trimming

Droopy Paphiopedilum Leaves? Check the Roots First