Gorgeous houseplant orchid - the dream of many flower growers. But many, even experienced flower growers, fear that this exquisite flower requires very complex care. It must be admitted that this is partly true, but it is all the more interesting to grow it with your own hands.
Many novice indoor flower lovers who already have this plant are interested in how it reproduces. In this article, we will provide you with detailed instructions on how to transplant orchid babies (with photos and tips).
An offshoot has appeared on the orchid. What to do?
So, your beautiful orchid has faded, and you suddenly noticed that something is happening with the peduncle. Often, after flowering, new stems with buds form at the peduncle, and sometimes babies may appear. If you have never seen them and have no idea what they look like, do not worry - their appearance will not go unnoticed by you.
New small plants with their own leaves begin to develop on the peduncle. At first, they do not see roots, but very little time passes, and the rootsgrow. It happens that an orchid releases a sprout at the base of the neck of the root. But it doesn't happen very often.
On the mother plant, shoots develop within six months. During this time, a young plant will already have about five leaves, and roots. When they grow up to five centimeters, the flower growers will face the question of how to plant orchid babies from the peduncle. We will try to answer this question.
How to transplant a shoot?
Before proceeding with this procedure, it is necessary to prepare the necessary tools and workplace. And one more piece of advice. If the roots on the processes are still very tiny (less than 5 cm), it is better to postpone this procedure for another time, when the young flower gets a little stronger and gains strength.
You will need:
- sharp scissors or secateurs;
- suitable substrate;
- transplant container;
- cinnamon or activated charcoal;
- rubber gloves;
- alcohol to wipe the tool.
Separate the process
Cut off the baby from the plant. But it cannot be cut off completely, it is necessary to leave at least one centimeter of the peduncle. Leave the shoot for thirty minutes so that its base dries out. Sprinkle the cut with cinnamon or crushed coal.
What should the soil be like?
You can use ready-made orchid composition, which you can buy at the store or make it yourself. If you are usingshop soil, then check if there are pieces of bark in it with a diameter of about a centimeter. It should not be in the form of dust, consisting of peat and rotted bark.
Advantages and disadvantages of sphagnum
Sometimes flower growers are interested in how to plant orchid babies in sphagnum. However, experts believe that the soil, which consists of pieces of bark (fine fraction), is more suitable for growing children, since it is quite moisture-absorbing and breathable. Bark soil retains moisture longer than sphagnum moss. When planting in pure moss, it must be watered daily and ensure that it is not too damp.
If you add chopped sphagnum moss to the soil, which consists of bark, you must remember that such a composition becomes more moisture-intensive. Therefore, in a dry room, it is favorable for an orchid, and in a humid room, it can cause waterlogging of the substrate, and, as a result, rotting of the plant's roots.
How to transplant orchid babies at home? Landing
Many sources suggest rooting orchid shoots is quite difficult. For example, wrap them with moss, believing that this will accelerate the formation of roots. We want to disappoint you, such actions do not guarantee 100% root formation. Moreover, it has been noticed that if you do not interfere with the natural process, then the roots of the shoots appear much faster, and the children themselves become stronger and stronger. Under natural conditions, orchids struggle for existence, so they are able to adapt to many complexconditions.
A small container is needed for planting. You can use a disposable plastic cup. In its bottom it is necessary to make several holes. You can use another container, but it must be made of transparent material.
Place the shoot in the center of the cup so that the root neck is at the level of the edge of the container. The roots should be evenly distributed throughout the volume. Holding the process with your hand, fill the cup with the substrate. If the roots do not fit completely into it, do not be discouraged - nothing bad will happen if they partially remain on the surface.
It is necessary that the soil settles well, but at the same time it should not be tightly packed so as not to damage the delicate roots of a young plant. Just lightly tap the sides of the cup, this will be enough.
Irrigation
A young orchid cannot survive without watering for five to seven days, like an adult plant, because it has very small, poorly developed roots, and the leaves have not yet accumulated a sufficient supply of water and essential nutrients. However, water the transplanted plant only after the substrate has completely dried. Never water the plant immediately after planting. The first time watering the transplanted shoot can be done 2-3 days after planting. During this time, the wounds on the sections will heal, and the risk of infection will be minimized.
How to kickorchid babies without roots?
Quite often it happens that the shoot that has appeared on the plant develops normally, grows, sometimes even begins to bloom on the mother plant, but is not going to give roots. What to do in this situation? How to transplant orchid babies? We'll have to root them in a greenhouse.
Cut off the offshoot from the mother plant with a part of the peduncle with a pruner. If the plant blooms, the peduncle should be removed. Remove the covering scales from the base of the outlet, under them you can see the beginnings of the roots. Such a process cannot yet be planted in the bark - it simply will not be able to receive moisture due to the lack of roots. In this case, the roots will have to be grown not in the bark, not in moss, but in the air. Only it should be humid and warm, almost tropical.
Making a greenhouse
Take a small plastic cup, make a few holes in its bottom to remove excess moisture. Put pebbles or expanded clay on the bottom, which will make your structure more stable, put some moistened moss on top. At the top of the cup (about 1.5 cm from the top edge), make two holes into which you need to insert a support that will support the rooting process in weight.
We put the shoot on this support - it hangs in the air without touching the surface of the moss. Sometimes, when the leaves are large enough, you can do without support - the process will hold on to the cup with its leaves. From above, on this entire structure, we install a transparent light plastic bottle (1.5-2 l) withwhich must first be cut off the bottom. Thus, you will get a wonderful greenhouse in which the offshoot of the orchid will take root. If a plastic bottle is not at hand, it can be replaced by a plastic bag in which several holes must be made (for ventilation).
Put the greenhouse on a bright window sill and wait for the roots to appear. When their length reaches seven centimeters, you can transplant the plant into the substrate. Knowing how to transplant orchid babies, you can also root orchid rosettes (without roots).
As you can see, the reproduction of this beautiful plant is not a very simple process, but extremely exciting. We hope that the information received will be useful to you, and if necessary, you will be able to explain to less experienced indoor plant lovers how to transplant orchid babies.
