Question
I purchased a Phalaenopsis orchid 3 months ago with three blooms and eight buds; over the three months, all buds bloomed and the last one is about to fall.
A new leaf came out and is already the size of the original four.
The spike has a second branch. where do I cut the spike?
Does a new spike start or do new branches start from the old spike?

Answer
Leonard, phalaenopsis spikes may branch and produce additional buds and flowers.  As long as it is doing that, I would not cut the spike.  You may have the type of phalaenopsis where the flower spike remains green. After all signs of additional flowering have disappeared, I would cut the spike off above a node (joint) in the flower spike.  During the next flowering cycle (next spring) you could have a new flower spike emerging from the base of the plant