spent flowers will fall off of the old spike. you can cut it off down by where the spike meets the plant. as for the rest, what kind is it?

I think it is a phalaenopsis (or moth orchid), I'm also thinking of getting a slipper orchid i saw at a local nursurie, the flower on it was huge! do you know how to get my moms cimbydium orchid to flower, shes had it for a long time and its really big, but it hasn't flowered in years and i want to get it to flower for her. thanks.

cymbidiums and phalaenopsis both need cold to trigger blooming. i won't bring my phals inside in the fall until it's about two weeks at fifty degrees. if it drops a lot more than that, bring it in for the cold snaps. cyms i'll leave out till its in the forties.

Phals need warm temps and less light while cymbidiums need cool temps and very bright light. They need opposite climates. You can't keep them in the same place. Usually if a cym hasn't bloomed, they need cold temps as cody mi says, and much more light, as bright as you can give them.

i actually do keep my cyms and phals in the same greenhouse. the cyms are just closer to the window, they all bloom fine for me. my gh is set at 55 all winter.

yeah, my phal has a strange shape growing off of one of the exsposed roots, the growth is brownish with a sort of green tip, i was just wondering if that might be a new flwer stalk. also if i keep the flower stalk that already flowered on the plant will it grow more flowers next flowering season?

Sounds like a new root to me. Re cutting off the flower stalk , that decision is yours, for more information read the FAQ in the link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cut old flower stalks?

After 4 or 5 years, my Phal is finally showing 2 stalks at the top of a 2' footer plant. Now, i do not know what to do . I have given it more humidity with a gadget i have that emits cool humidity..plus its also on top of tray filled with water that heats up from the radiator heat. Do i water it daily? Do i fertilize it? Also, after the flowers should fall, how far back to i cut that 2 footer to repot? Thanks

boothbay
don't change your watering habits. once it's done blooming cut the spent scapes off as close to the plant as you can.

Boothbay, this is for you--Unless the spike is no longer green, I cut it down only partway, leaving several what I call nodes. it almost always throws offshoot spikes from the old spike, sometimes three or four on each old spike. I've had phals bloom continuously for months and months that way. Don't change anything you are doing if it's spiking for you; you're doing something right, no?

Thanks, there are plenty of nodes, but the fact that it is about 2 feet tall and in a small transparent plastic pot, it could easily top over. That is why I am concerned about cutting back after it blooms, which it has not done so far. The stalks or spikes, don't know what they are called, are starting to spread out and increase with smaller ones protruding from it. Any idea how long before I actually see the blooms? I could send a picture here, but forgot how to go about it.

Here is one of two photo's of my plant.

Sorry if you see duplicates i am testing on how to submit my photo with the message.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Hi, boothbay,
Looks like you have about as much luck as I do trying to get pics to show up.
If I have it right your plant has a 2 foot long spike that is branching, and you are afraid it will topple over?

Put the pot into a heavier, larger pot to counter-balance your blooming. Sometimes you might have to wedge your smaller pot inside the larger pot to stabilize the whole thing.
You must making that plant very happy!
Jan
PS If boothbay stand for Boothbay Harbor, "Hi" from transplanted Freeport girl!

LOL no i am not from Boothbay harbor in Maine, but have visited it many times and its one of my favorite places to travel while in Maine.