Our philosophy is pretty much in line with Ray's. As an addition: if you
are going to encourage, or even allow, those secondary blooms, then you need
to get religious about fertilizing -- flowers use up a lot of energy. Phals
probably don't do this in the wild, but those in cultivation are sometimes
stupid enough to bloom themselves to death. "We" bred that trait in, I
think -- along with hip dysplasia in large purebreed dogs, etc., etc. Kenni

"Ray B" wrote in message
news:2ptvi.2235$ZW4.1295@trndny04...
Personally, I think it's a mistake to do so.

Read this: http://www.firstrays.com/spike_cutting.htm

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies. Books, Artwork, and lots of Free Info!


"Maddie" wrote in message
...
I once read that you can encourage a secondary blooming on a phal but
cutting it just above the second node from the bottom. I did this and
it's been about 6-8 weeks with no sign of the spike growing again. Should
I just cut the spike all the way to the bottom?

Thanks.

Maddie