Hello i have a phalaenopsis orchid, and i accidently broke the stem just below where the flowers are..it didnt break all the way, but some of the tissue is definitely damaged..my first reaction was to mend it with tape and support it with a stake..so i would like some ideas of what to do with it..do you think it will mend itself where it broke? This is the first time that this has happened to me... Thanks in advance
Honestly the only time I've ever seen plant tissue literally heal in the sense that you're speaking of is in trees where branches have been lopped off and the bark heals over the 'injury'. Unfortunely this does not happen with orchids. Your best bet is to completely remove that portion of the stem and use it as a cut flower (perhaps in a bud vase if it's really short). Many phalaenopsis will rebloom from old stems sometimes consecutively so don't fret, just give the plant some time and don't try to force anything. If all else fails the plant will happily bloom again next year provided is cultural requirements are met. **One thing that might help to encourage reblooming (to keep it in 'bloom mode') is to ensure about a 10 degree difference between daytime and nighttime temperatures consistently.
