The Basics of Orchid Propagation - What You Need to Know!

Orchids are lovely flowers to grow. Wouldn't it be rewarding if you can produce the same kind from one single parent orchid through orchid propagation. Of course, this is no easy task. And this is the main reason for writing this article, so that I can share whatever knowledge I have in the subject. Now, let us try to put ourselves to proper perspective by knowing the tasks involve in multiplying our favorite orchid species.

I didn't know that there are several ways of propagating my orchids. In the beginning, I only knew one very simple way, which I actually learned from my mother and grandmother. Just as a little backgrounder about myself, my mom and grandma are the real orchid enthusiasts. I must say that mine was more of acquired, through the many years that I have been exposed to their orchid related activities. I will see them spending so much time cutting, re-potting and producing so much of this plant. Anyway, my interest came when I was already married and didn't seem to have much to do with my idle time. That is when I remembered, why not do what my mom used to do and enjoy doing...growing orchids.

So much for nostalgia, going back to the simple way of propagating orchids, I only used division as a method. It is fairly simple; every once in a while, I will check on new roots or new bulbs that will naturally sprout. And then I will cut it or these, depending on the number that I will see, using a sterilized pruning scissors. I also used rubber gloves to make sure that I don't infect my precious baby orchids. And then, I placed these in a new potting mixture and water them generously. Patience is necessary because after planting them, I will wait for the new plant to blossom.

Until later on, I learned that there are other ways of producing more orchids from a single plant. There is what is known among enthusiasts as the back bulb method. Don't get intimidated by the word. Back bulb simply means older stems that have shed off its leaves. In doing this, you just need to cut this off from the original plant and clean it of any dead leaves. Prepare a plastic bag with about 5cm. sphagnum moss and then bury the bulb about ? its depth. It is best to do this in batches, so put several of these stems together and follow the steps stated above. You must seal the bag and place it in a warm area using bright diffused light. You will be surprised that in a matter of 2-3 months a new growth will show off. You then need to put these in a shallow container using a layer of sphagnum moss. You have to wait for several months but make sure you place them in a diffused lighting. After this time, you may now transplant them individually using a potting medium assigned for each.

These are sure ways to help you get started with orchid propagation. Did you learn enough information to prompt you to go out and check your orchids if there are any signs that it is ready to produce new life? Go ahead, enjoy the sunlight and the morning breeze and get one of those lovely plants from your collection and start dividing those new sprouts. It can be a start of a new collection, or perhaps as gifts to a friend whose birthday is just around the corner.

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Orchid Propagation - The #1 Method for Successful Orchid Propagation

For orchid lovers, orchid propagation is a vitally important matter. Simply put, one of the reasons that orchids are so popular is because of their "fussiness."

While some people might complain about a plant as demanding as the orchid, their delicate nature is often what endears fans of the plant to it. That said, no one really wants to wait for years as their orchid approaches its first bloom!

The good news is that there is a way to propagate orchids more quickly. In fact you can produce large quantities of nearly bloom-ready plants in just a short amount of time.

By far the most popular method of orchid propagation is called "division."

What this means is simply cutting your plant in half. Instead of one healthy plant, you have two slightly smaller healthy plants. Some orchid growers may have a heart attack when they think about cutting their beloved orchids in half, but this is really nothing unusual in the world of plants.

For example, people take cuttings of cacti (and many others) all the time to propagate new plants. The principle with orchid propagation is exactly the same.

As for how to divide your plant, there's no real trick to it! Plants, like most forms of life, tend to have an element of symmetry to them, which means that they tend to grow evenly on both sides. If you gently push apart the stems of your orchid, you'll see that at the base of the plant, just above the soil, there's already a natural division going on.

Most plants can just be sheared apart easily at this junction, with the result that both new plants would still have healthy and full root structures, and plenty of shoots from which to flower.

Once you've done this...congratulations, you've turned one orchid into two!

When extrapolated to a larger scale, you can see just how effective this method of orchid propagation can be (and why it's so popular with growers).

Now there are also two slight variations on division that are worth taking a look at...

Keiki: As if there weren't enough reasons already to love the phalaenopsis orchid, here is yet another. These plants sometimes grow what are known as "keiki", small plants that begin to sprout out from the flower spike.

These keiki plants are nearly always removed because they can be a drain on the main orchid's nutritional resources. But there's nothing stopping you from potting and growing a keiki into a full-size plant in its own right.

Back Bulb Division: Many plants grow what are known as "back bulbs" or "pseudobulbs", bulbs which may not ever flower, and which are largely leafless. Some growers value these for their ability to store water for the main plant. However in a plant that's already healthy and mature, you can easily remove these and repot them. Under the right conditions, they'll grow roots and soon form into complete plants.

Truth be told, part of the joy of growing orchids is taking advantage of the ways in which they seem to offer themselves up to abundant propagation. Take advantage by following these tips for successful orchid propagation, and you're sure to be pleased with the results.

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