Phal Orchid Spikes

Hi,

We have 15 phals in the heated section of the greenhouse (14-15c) but unlike previous years 12 of them have thrown up flower spikes, typical spike height now about 150mm.

As we typically move 3 to 4 of them into the house when in flower having 12 at the same time means there will be just too many.

Was thinking of cutting down some of the spikes to the base in the hope that they would send out another spike in a few weeks, so we can have a more continuous supply.

Would this work, or result in a longer wait for a new spike ?

 

Only guessing, but I think you will have a long wait, in my experience you only get one flower spike from each leaf axial, admittedly a leaf axil further back from the growing point but you would then need to wait for the plant to grow a new leaf before the next axial puts out a flower spike.
Of course I could be totally wrong.

 

This is it ? if we cut off the new spike will it take as long as if it had fully flowered and died off naturally, so that they would still all be flowering together next time.

Know some of them spike at similar times but never had so many, both large and small plants spiking at the same time ?

Will try in one one plant and see how quickly or not it re spikes.

 

I found if you cut the spike off at one of the joints in its main stem a new spike starts from there (just above one of the brown sheaths around the stem). It might be a bit quicker than starting from leaf node

 

Thanks, similar to cutting the stem part way back after flowering to encourage a second shoot.

Will give it a try as only looking to delay some of them a few weeks.

 

No