Question
I received a Phalaenopsis as a gift in March of 2006,at the time it was in full bloom and remained so for months.  Once it finished blooming, I cut the spike, after referring to many sites for advice.  Unfortunately, I think I misunderstood, as I cut the spike so that it was a total length of 2 inches.  Since then the spike has died and remains a dried out stick.  I water and fertilize it as recommended but I am concerned that it will never flower again, as I killed the spike.  What should I do to salvage my beloved plant?

Answer
Hello April,

You did nothing wrong by cutting off the spike, that is what I usually suggest people do after all the flowers are gone.  Actually, cutting off the spike helps the phalaenopsis recover quicker from the blooming process and begin getting ready for the next blooming.  The little stump left died back naturally and causes no harm to the phalaenopsis plant itself, but it it bothers you to see the dried out stick you can cut it shorter.  

How to get it to bloom again?  You didn't mention where you live or where and how you grow it so I cannot tell if there is something you should change to get it to bloom again.  With that said, here are some things you can do, if you aren't doing them already, to help it to bloom.  

Grow it where there is bright but indirect sunlight, temperatures between 60 to 85 F, humidity above 50%, light air movement, water and feed when the potting media becomes barely moist.  In early to mid fall, expose it to night temperatures of about 55 F with day temps. above 65, this may coax it to initiate the bloom cycle.  Also, at the same time, do not feed it fertilizer but mix one teaspoon of epsom salt in a quart of lukewarm water and water it.  Feed it the epsom salt mix for three watering cycles then go back to your usual feeding.  

It has been over a year since you received it and there is no telling how long it had been in the current potting mix before that, so I would suggest repotting it into fresh orchid mix.  Phalaenopsis are one of the orchids that love to be repotted annually and the best time to repot them is early spring.  

If all goes well, you should see a spike emerge in early winter.  As it grows longer and longer, you can place a support stake close to the spike and loosely tie the spike to it about every 6 inches or so.  Do any handling of the spike only while temperatures are above 65F as the spike is not very flexible below that.  Until all of the buds open, make sure you keep the spike facing the light in the same way, do not rotate the pot around or the flowers will open facing all different directions.  

Hope this helped.  

Jim Kawasaki
San Jose, Ca.