Even beginner growers can comprehend the wisdom of orchid propagation at home. There are many ways to reproduce these flowers, depending on the type of plant.
How to propagate orchids at home by dividing
Orchids with a sympodial growth can be propagated by division. This simple method is suitable for plants that have more than one growth point, eventually forming a sprout, and then a pseudobulb. The more pseudobulb the plant has, the more successful the division will be. So you can propagate miltonia, cymbidium, oncidium, odontoglossum, lelia, dendrobium, cattleya.
Reproduction of orchids in this way should be carried out in early spring. The plant must be removed from the flowerpot, the roots must be freed from the substrate, washed with warm water. Then the rhizome should be carefully cut so that there are 2 or more pseudobulbs on each part. Treat the cuts with charcoal. Each newly obtained plant is planted in a separate pot with a substrate. Further, compliance with the irrigation regime is required. As soon as the first young shoots appear, it means that the orchid has taken root.
How to propagate orchids at home by cuttings
Reproduction of orchids with monopodial growth should be carried out by cuttings, since such plants do not have pseudobulbs. This method is suitable for sarcochillus, phalaenopsis, ascocentrum, vanilla, vanda, brassavola, vandopsis, angrecum, aeridis. Lateral shoots or faded flower stems should be cut into 10-15 cm long pieces, with two or more nodes with buds on each cutting. The lowest bud on the peduncle is considered the strongest. The container must be filled with moistened soil. It can be sand or sphagnum moss. Lay the finished cuttings on the soil surface, cover with foil. You can plant the plant after the roots appear.
How to propagate orchids at home with children
Orchids can also be propagated with the help of children - young plants (lateral shoots) that appear on faded peduncles. If the plant is fed with nitrogen fertilizers or kept at high humidity and high temperatures, the appearance of babies can be activated. Newborn babies require frequent spraying, this promotes the appearance of roots.
For about three months after emergence, the babies should be on the parent plant. During this time, they will grow up, 3 or 4 leaves will appear, and young roots will reach a length of 5-7 cm. This is the optimal size for transplanting into the ground. A plant with longer roots is more difficult to transplant.
A clean and sharp instrument must be used to separate the baby from the main plant. Leave 1 centimeter on each side. It is imperative to treat the cut with charcoal powder. The baby is placed in a pot with a substrate and covered with plastic for several months to create a greenhouse effect.
How to propagate orchids at home by seed
Reproduction of orchids by seeds is a long and complex process, requiring special sterile conditions. First, you need to prepare the soil from chopped moss and leafy soil and moisten. Orchid seeds are so small that they look like fine dust. Sow seeds in rows on moistened soil, do not sprinkle on top. Further, it is necessary to maintain sterile conditions - high air humidity and a temperature of 22-25 ° C. The seeds are not watered, but sprayed with warm softened water. After the appearance of the first leaf, the first pick is carried out into the ground, consisting of moss and peat in equal amounts. The second pick is carried out as soon as the second leaf appears. In addition to moss and peat, chopped fern roots are added to the soil. Planting small orchids in separate pots is carried out after the appearance of the fourth leaf. Now you need to properly care for the plants and be patient, since the reproduction of orchids in this way makes it possible to admire the first flowers only after a few years.
