Orchids are so special graceful plants that rarely any florist does not want to do their breeding at home, to further decorate their homes or give to relatives. However, many, especially inexperienced, often have doubts about their own abilities, because orchids are rather capricious flowers and require increased attention. Therefore, we will tell you how to correctly propagate an orchid with the least loss and with the greatest success.
In general, the reproduction of orchids at home is possible in several ways. This division of an adult plant, pseudobulb, cuttings, babies and seed propagation.
Reproduction of orchids by bush division
This method is considered to be one of the simplest and suitable for most species of orchids (lelium, cymbidium , miltonia, etc.). The division should be carried out early in the spring before the active vegetation begins. It is important that there are a lot of germs on the adult plant, then in the division on each part there will be three or four pseudobulbs. When multiplying orchids by dividing rhizomes should be carefully removed from the pot and freed from the substrate. Having disinfected the knife by singing over the hob, cut the rhizome into several parts so that the pseudobulbs are not touched. It is recommended to sprinkle the roots of the plant and the location of sections with charcoal to prevent disease. And then new plants can be planted in prepared pots, not forgetting to periodically water and spray flowers. Reproduction of orchids by roots can be considered successful when fresh shoots appear on orchids.
Orchid: reproduction by children
It is also possible to reproduce orchids with stem shoots - babies. This is characteristic of such genera as phalaenopsis and dendrobium. When a small shoot appears on the orchid's stem, it must be sprayed often. Separate the offspring can be when he grows up well, and he will have small air roots. After cutting off the shoot, place the cut on the "baby" and on the adult plant should be treated with charcoal for disinfection. After this, the offspring can be planted in a separate pot.
Reproduction of orchids by cuttings
One of the popular methods of propagation of orchids - cuttings - is suitable for plants of monopodial growth (vanilla, angrekum, vanda , vandopsis, etc.), since they do not form pseudobulbs, because the stem grows from the nodes. In addition, between the nodes of shoots of orchids, clear enough distances are formed for cutting the cuttings. For example, phalenopsis should cut off lateral shoots 10-15 cm long. Then the stalk should be placed on sphagnum moss, sand or soil and placed in hothouse conditions until rooting. Concerning how to propagate an orchid with a flower stalk, this is suitable for experienced florists. The flower-blossom after flowering is cut off at the very base and is divided into several parts in such a way that there are nodules-buds in the center of each cut. These cuttings should be laid horizontally in a plastic container with moss, covered with food film and placed in a fairly warm and bright room (+ 24 + 25 ° C). You should water the cuttings every 3-4 days. After rooting cuttings should be planted in pots.
Do not forget to sterilize the knife before pruning cuttings, and cut them into charcoal.
Reproduction of orchids by seeds
This type of reproduction is quite complex even for experienced orchid growers. The fact is that the flower seeds do not have their own nutritious tissue. And this means that it is necessary to artificially create a nutrient medium for germination of seeds. Unfortunately, the same conditions are favorable for the reproduction of fungi and bacteria, so the medium must be sterile. In addition, it is important to observe all conditions for germination of seeds: temperature, light, humidity. The slightest deviation can result in the death of shoots. As you can see, seed reproduction of orchids at home is a complicated process, but it is possible in the laboratory.