THe answer is....it depends....and it is up to you.

Here is the FAQ Discussion,

FAQ

Well ... do you want flowers or leaves?

Most people grow orchids for the blooms. It seems counter-intuitive to cut off flowers that haven't even opened yet, just so it can put out another leaf. I've only ever heard of people cutting a spike if the plant was in distress of some sort.

The summer time spot for the plants isn't anywhere where the blooms can be enjoyed by anyone....but me. It's off in the corner of the backyard under an oak tree attached to the side of a grapevine trellis. Its the perfect place outside where there isn't full sun but it's bright.

Some of the leaves have seen better days and a few new replacements would be warranted. I just hate to cut them when they look so good and they are so young (flowers). Especially the one....it has nine flowers on the one stalk and it also brached off the side with another four flower stalk. First time I've ever had one split like that. It has a third arm but it stopped growing after it poked through the side.

I have three in bloom, so I may cut one and leave two, or vice versa. I really wasn't sure if it would grow new leaves while in bloom. If anything it would be a good learning experience....just like getting them to bloom was.

Can someone tell me where this idea that with blooming spikes on a Phal. it will not grow new leaves? Mine apparently never got the word on this, and I just left a friends house where he has Phal's in almost every room of his house....some with blooms, some with growing spikes, and some with trimmed spikes trying to induce branching and early blooms, and most of his plants have new growth in varying stages of maturity.

I've had three plants in bloom since Jan., and they have been swapped between the growing room, and the dining room/living room a number of times over the past 4 months or so depending on when we had guests, and guess what.....new growth is proceeding nicely. One has a spent spike that I will trim tomorrow to try and induce branching, and early blooms.

My thought is that if I can keep 'em blooming, I can enjoy 'em that much more.

Bill

In non-phalaenopsis paradise (that is here)...

One guy is a Phalaenopsis specialist. He has a Phalaenopsis house just for them. He belongs to several orchid societies and exhibits many Phalaenopsis at orchid shows in Spring and wins lots of prizes. At the end of the spring show season he goes SNIP and cuts all the spikes off.

Then there was Betty, a lovely lady gone to orchid heaven many moons ago. Betty was the champion orchid grower of her society and she had this sequential blooming phal which had a long long spike and a few sad dispirited flowers at the end. She would bench it month after month, just to get one benching point.

I know, I know you do not want to exhibit your orchids but you would be really hard pressed to find a Phal. re blooming from a branching spike at an orchid society benching.

As I said above, the choice is up to you.

Arthurm, You are absolutely correct. The choice is up to each of us.

I gave up showing orchids many years ago, and even gave up owning them for many years, but just could not get them out of my system, so about 10 years ago obtained a few (4) that had special appeal to me, and started growing again. (I now have 7)

The point I am actually trying to get across to people is that there really are few hardfast "chiseled in stone" rules in orchid culture. When new growers finally realize that knowing the basic climate where their orchids would grow in nature, and trying to duplicate that climate as best they can, with lots of just plain old common sense, the culture really becomes fairly simple.

I have seen people who are struggling to keep a few Phalaenopsis (Philippine jungles) alive, one day see a plant that would naturally grow high in the Andes Mountains (cool wet), and just have to bring the cool grower into their collection. Common sense would tell me that I probably will not make but one of these happy until I have lots of experience at growing orchids, and can supply two different growing environments. A bit of research into the climate where the plants originated might have helped here.

Check my profile.....When I first started growing orchids I was moving all over. (SC, KS, FL, VA,) I hauled my collection and tiny greenhouse with me, and over the years probably broke more "rules" than anyone engaged in the hobby ever thought of. I had a very mixed bag of plants, and absolutely could not make all of them completely happy in any of the locations where I set up shop, (I did stay away from plants that required culture that was extremely different from what I knew I could supply), but I did keep them alive, and blooming, and thoroughly enjoyed the challenge, and that really was why I did it.

To new growers I say do some basic research on your plant of choice, Where did it (or its ancestors) grow? What is the basic climate there? Can you come fairly close to duplicating that climate where you intend to grow the plant? With that knowledge you should be able to pick a plant you can successfully grow.

If you have a problem, or question, research it yourself, or ask questions on a forum like this. (I would have paid handsomely for a forum like this many times). But common sense must tell you that suggestions made here are not "chiseled in stone" rules. (you will get many conflicting suggestions, none of which are wrong, or necessarily correct - they are what that person experienced in their situation) Choices must be made based on the growers desires and abilities, and the plants needs. That takes common sense, and trial and error, and that is where the challenge and (I believe) the fun comes from. You win a few, Loose a few, and a few get "rained out", but the knowledge gained is oh so valuable. And it really needs to be fun, unless you are running a business.

Bill