Phalaenopsis orchid dropping flowers. Now what?

[Erebus]

It's been growing well on an inside shelf. I think I've been looking after it OK, but what am I supposed to do with it when a stem has dropped all its flowers, one by one? Cut the stem back? Stop fertilising?

Advice welcome!

Ignore it completely for a few months then give it a water and it will start to grow a new flower stem.

So I don't cut the old stem off? The poor translation on the label says 'when out of flower cut stalk above the eyes'. Wot eyes?!

I usually cut the stem back once all the flowers have dropped off. The 'eye' will be a little nick or bump in the stalk and I think you're supposed to cut just above that point rather than right down at the base.. I've never fertilised mine in their lives. Just give them an egg-cup of water once a week or the odd misting with a spray bottle. They buck up nicely!

I normally leave two 'eyes' (bumpy bits) on the stem - think I read this some where. You should get a new shoot out of one of the bumps but you may have to wait a while.

cut the stem above the last eye, leave as many eyes on the stem as poss, that is where new flowers will sprout from. Keep moist but not wet, feed 'weakly weekly', and every few months run under a tap of water to get rid of salts build-up. That's is really. But many of the moth orchids you buy in shops come from farms/huge grrenhouses where the have literally been hothoused, fed and hormoned to flower, the plant may want and need a break. You might find the next flower spike produces flowers that are a lot smaller or fewer on the spike than what it looked like when you bought it. It might reward you with flowers before you know!

Many thanks!

Very useful info- and yes, the orchids are B&Q and Ikea respectively so I'd expect 'hot housed to look good'!

Make sure you water with tepid water to prevent the orchid going into shock. My orchids have been performing well now i do this.,