? about growth on old phal spike

[Liz]

I've not yet had success getting a phal to keep blooming on the same spike after the original flowers are gone. (Except for one that is just now beginning to spike from a node on an old spike

But, I have another that has lost its original blooms, but the end of the spike still has the mitten-looking-"I'm a spike not a root" thing. Is it possible it will keep growing out of that end, or only from a node further down the spike? The plant is very healthy, so I'm sure it's got more to give. I'm just not sure if I should cut it above the next node or leave it alone.

Thanks...
Liz

[Gilda]

Liz,
I have phals quite often continue to bloom from the tip end...sometimes they will stay that way for quite a while before blooming again. I had one to make a kiekie on the tip. It is a matter of preference to what you do with the spike. I would say that is a bloom but when you will see it the orchid only knows!

[orchidaddict789]

Same thing here. I have a phal with a spike that got bud-blasted (lost all its buds). I hope the spike does lengthen with more blooms! I'm leaving it be for right now.

Let's hope...hope...hope

[Liz]

I suppose there is no harm in leaving it alone to see what it does, unless the spike starts to brown.

The one I have that is spiking from the node either started to die or it didn't have the new bud-mitten end (I can't remember why I cut it.) It's under a grow light and I can't stop checking it every hour or two... it's not even a particularly pretty phal... but this morning, I saw that it's making a new spike... and I swear it's gotten noticeably bigger today. I have a dendrobium that's getting ready to open its flowers, too. This is so exciting! Up until now, everything that's been in bloom in this house was purchased that way... Now, I truly feel I can say I grow orchids...

[LJA]

Congrats, Liz! That's a big, big step!

[OrchidTraci]

I had on bloom from the tip and it stayed in bloom for a long time. See what happens, if the inflorence doesn't brown and die, it might produce more flowers. The only problem I found was the inflorence was so long after going through two growth cycles, it was difficult to keep it upright .