Question
I have a phalaenopsis orchid that sent up its first bloom shoot since 2008.  The shoot three flower buds.  The first bud opened and is still in bloom but the other two dried up.  What do you think is the problem?  Also, after this flower dies would you cut the shoot all the way back or cut it above the flower growth to see if it will produce additional flower growth?

Thanks for your help.

George

Answer
George, it is likely that your plant hasn't yet achieved maturity and thus is not strong enough to support many flowers.  This is especially true for first flowering.  I recommend that you repot the plant in fresh orchid potting mix if you haven't done so in the past year.  I think you should cut the bloom spike back to just above the second or third joint.  Not all phalaenopsis retain their green bloom spike, so if it dies back, this is normal for your hybrid.  For now, concentrate on putting on new leaf and root growth for better flowering in the future.

Sometimes, rotted roots can be a reason for aborting buds, so unpotting your plant prior to repotting, will give you an opportunity to check them and remove any that are mushy or stringy.