Orchids are surprisingly interesting and beautiful flowers. Many indoor plant lovers dream of learning how to grow them at home. They require certain knowledge of care, accuracy and patience from the owner.
In stores, these flowers are quite expensive, so most flower growers prefer, having bought one plant, to independently propagate orchids at home. They use various methods, choosing the most convenient for themselves. To understand how orchids are propagated, you should learn about all possible methods.
When is the plant propagated?
It is advisable to do this in the spring, when the plant has accumulated enough strength for flowering and active growth. Young flowers are transplanted annually into larger containers. During this procedure, the plant is divided, or children are separated from it.
But there are situations when you notice that a flower is cramped in its pot and it needs an urgent division of the bush. In this case, such a procedure is carried out regardless of the time of year and the age of the plant. As a rule, a flower that finds itself in such a situation does not bloom, so anymanipulation.
How do orchids reproduce?
We have already said that there are several such methods, and you have the right to choose the most convenient for you. Each of them has its own characteristics, but all, without exception, require strict adherence to all the rules, the sequence of work. The most common orchid propagation methods (photo posted in this article) include:
- dividing the bush;
- child breeding;
- layering;
- cutting.
To choose the most suitable method for you, you need to familiarize yourself with each of them in detail.
Dividing the bush
Photos of propagating orchids at home by dividing a bush can often be seen in indoor floriculture magazines. This is because, according to home plant enthusiasts, this is the easiest way to reproduce.
In this case, you just need to split the root system. Although it seems simple only at first glance. Having started work, you will understand that without following the rules and taking into account the characteristics of the plant, you will not succeed in dividing the root system.
Experienced flower growers say that orchid care and reproduction is easier if the plant is grown in transparent plastic or glass containers - in this case, the root system of the flower is clearly visible, which allows you to remove rotten roots if necessary.
Carefully inspect the roots of the plant. If they are rotten, the procedure will have to be temporarily postponed -first you need to reanimate the orchid. Now inspect the false bulbs. Ideally, there should be at least four. This is very important, because three bulbs are suitable for transplanting into a separate container at once.
Before removing a flower from the ground, it should be wetted. After that, tilt the pot and tap on its walls so that the root system is completely separated from its surface. Carefully remove the orchid tubers and clean them from the soil.
Tubers are cut with a knife (or scissors). Recall that the instrument must be disinfected. After separating three bulbs, they are placed in pre-prepared clean containers with a special soil mixture, which can be purchased at a flower shop.
Sprinkle slices with charcoal and supplement with soil so that the tubers are stable.
Reproduction by babies
Many flower growers believe that it is much easier to care for and propagate orchids at home with children. This is indeed a very popular method. When your flower is comfortable, it produces shoots that grow from the buds of faded flower stalks. To stimulate their formation, you should rearrange the pot with the plant in a warm and humid room. After the appearance of the children, spray the flower regularly - this will help the shoots grow faster and take root.
The baby is separated from the peduncle only when it releases three or four leaves, and its roots reach a length of 5-7 cm. Special compounds can stimulate the appearance and growth of children. For this inin a specialized store they buy growth stimulating preparations intended for orchids ("Zircon" and "Ribav extra"). By following the instructions, you can achieve not only rapid flowering, but also the appearance of shoot release.
These drugs must be used with caution, because if used incorrectly, you can only aggravate the situation. To avoid this, experts advise using fertilizers with a high nitrogen content. The separation of children from an adult plant is carried out as follows:
- Don't wait until the roots grow more than 7 cm. In this case, when planting, you can easily damage the root system, and the baby may not take root.
- Cut with a knife or scissors the children from the peduncle. Sprinkle slices with charcoal.
- Plant the treated offshoot in the prepared soil.
- Now the offspring will need a warm and humid climate. To do this, install a fitolamp or a regular table lamp above the pot and spray the plant daily.
- You can make a greenhouse over the pot. In this case, spraying is done every two days.
Usually, such baby shoots begin to bloom the very next year after transplantation.
Cytokinin paste
This is the safest and most effective stimulant for orchids. Paste can be purchased at any store that sells fertilizers. It is used in small quantities, so the tube lasts a long time.
How to use paste?
Applycytokinin paste follows on peduncles. Examine them carefully and find the kidneys. The composition treats the upper or lower kidney. Before this, carefully remove the scale from it with a knife. Quite a bit of paste (a ball with a diameter of not more than 2 mm) is applied to the kidney with a toothpick. Gently spread the composition evenly over the entire surface. The main condition for applying this paste is compliance with the amount of applied composition.
Excessive amount will cause several peduncles to hatch on one bud, which will most likely lead to their death, since none of them will develop fully.
Watch the treated kidney. With strict observance of all the rules, children will appear in 10 days. New flower stalks appear much less frequently. It is necessary to let them grow, and then separate and root.
Propagation by layering
This orchid propagation method is rarely used. Usually it is used only in cases where it is not possible to grow a shoot directly on a plant. After flowering, cut off the peduncle almost under the base. It is important that ripening buds are on it. Place it in a glass or jar of water so that the kidneys remain above the water. Now you have to wait until the buds germinate. After three or four months, children will appear on them. After at least three leaves appear and the roots become longer than five centimeters, transplant them in the usual way in the ground.
This orchid propagation method is justified in cases whereyou need to get several shoots at once. Being in water promotes the simultaneous germination of several buds at the same time, which is almost impossible to see during the growth of orchids in natural conditions.
Cutting
Only species with pseudobulbs can be propagated by cuttings. They are formed by the expansion of internodes on the stem. Using this method, you can grow several young plants at once in a fairly short time.
Orchid cuttings are propagated as follows. You will need pseudobulbs at the age of 2-3 years. They are separated with scissors or a knife so that a large kidney remains on each piece. Sprinkle the slices thoroughly with charcoal and leave to dry for two days. After this time, pieces of cuttings can be planted in wet sphagnum.
Pseudobulbs need a special microclimate. The air temperature should not be lower than +20 °C, and the humidity should not be less than 70%. In a month and a half you will have young orchids. This method can be used whenever you find that the pseudobulb has grown too much.
Can a plant be propagated from a leaf?
By planting an orchid leaf in a substrate or water, you will not achieve the desired result. It is possible to root a plant only if there is a small piece of the stem on which the “sleeping” bud is located. Usually it is "inside" the plant, and therefore does not receive normal sunlight. A sterile environment can help awaken the kidney.
We have presented you somephoto of orchids. Care, reproduction of these plants is not easy. But we are sure that by choosing one of the listed methods and having learned its rules, you will be able to propagate your favorite plant, which will become a real decoration of your home.
