If you want to rebloom sooner cut it all the way down. "A few months", an ambitious goal. Takes a few months from the time you see the new leed starting. As I recall 120 days, someone correct me if I am wrong. The orchid has to grow a new set of leaves at minimum and conditions need to be consistently on the $ before it will think about producing a new leed.

You don't say anything about your growing conditions. Guessing indoors. It needs more light not more water. Basic rule of thumb, if the leaves are dark green, needs more light. VT, throw it outside for the summer. It will do better. 2 times per year may not be out of the question but 3 or 4, not usually if we are talking "moth orchid".

Your friend is right. don't overwater
Mike

Well, I disagree a bit. A phal can very easily be under-watered, as I have seen it. But the deciding facter is not a dried up bud at the end of a spike. many reasons for that to happen. How do the leaves look and feel, are they firm or limp? And further how are our roots? Pop the plant out and have a look. Tell us how you have it potted and how do you decide it is time to water. I am iffy about taking phals outside. I know people do it, but where I live it gets far too hot and dry. If your buds have all dried up cut the spike.

It's very difficult to tell whether or not a plant needs watering. Both moss and bark are deceiving, as they can be dry on top but soaking wet in the middle. I suggest you try the skewer method of watering. Get a shishkabob skewer, the kind they sell at the grocery store, trim it down and keep it in the medium. When you go to water, take the skewer out and touch it to your lip, cheek, or the back of your hand. If the skewer is wet, don't water. If the skewer is dry or almost dry, water. I have been growing for eight years and still use this method.

There are two FAQ's to read and the time that you will get another bloom depends on the plants ancestors.

Consider this time table.

Phal in bloom as a table decoration at a wedding. November 2005.
After blooms were finished, spike was cut off at the base.
Bloom initiated during winter. Flowered again November 2006
Cut spike of at the base....
New spike is growing and it takes 110 days from the time the spike first appears till the first bloom opens.

This is just a noid run of the mill pink standard phalaenopsis. Haven't repotted it, fiddled or done anything fancy. There is altogether too much fiddling recommended on these pages. Though i probably should repot it after it flowers this time.

A horse of a different colour.... (Phal equestris x Doritis pulcherrima) x Kingiella philippense. Flowering is initiated by warming up, so, i usually get a bloom about January. This time after flowering i put the plant back on the windowsill in my cooler growing Phal area for a month or so and then moved it to my warmer growing Phal. area and it is now about to bloom again.

I agree with the above posters, getting the watering right is difficult, but these orchids store a lot of water in the leaves, so they are a bit more drought tolerant than most believe.

Mary Noble writes a great book, so read it again from cover to cover. Also read the two FAQ's about blooming, and some of the past posts about Phalaenopsis.

There are of course places where you can put your Phal outside for Summer. But here, Sydney, Australia. I tell people at orchid shows never, ever put your Phal. outside.