How To Propagate Orchids
Propagating orchids is a great way not just to increase your beautiful and productive orchids, but to keep them healthy as well. Having an overgrown orchid can cause it to wither and die. Propagating orchids can also be a great micro business or handy to give great gifts to your friends and family. Here’s how you can multiply and propagate your orchids.
Division
Division, as the name implies, simply means dividing an orchid to propagate more orchids. It’s the most common propagating practice around. Although many new orchid owners are understandably reticent doing this, it’s fairly easy to do.
You start by reviewing your orchids and locating a major stalk that has three or more back bulbs. Remove the older back bulbs first. A back bulb is a stalk that has shed its leaves but continues to grow. Dividing your orchids is best done in early spring, just when the orchids are starting to grow back.
orchidsYou can use scissors or your hands to twist off the appropriate part where the division will be made. One smooth cut is the best to help the orchids to re-grow.
Re-pot the orchids or attach them accordingly to logs as appropriate. Water the divisions religiously and keep a close eye on them. If the stalks become soft and spongy, it’s a sign that your new propagation didn’t make it.
This procedure is applicable to most orchids, namely Beallara, but it can also be done to the following: Odontoglossum and types Cymbidum, Miltonia, Coelogyne and varieties like Masdevallais and Dracula.
Keiki
A keiki is a small shoot or a node that grows along the flower spike of an orchid. Under normal circumstances, a normal, stronger branch would develop from this node, which can be used to propagate more orchids.
When a keiki grows, it will take 14 to 26 weeks before it becomes an independently growing orchid on its own. Remove the plant from the main orchid by cutting one or two inches from both sides of the stem using scissors. Assemble the plant using a small pot and orchid potting soil. Water and care for the new orchid until it grows into its own.
Keikis are typically found in Phanaeolopsis orchids.
Aerial Cuttings
A common way to propagate cane Dendrobiums, aerial cuttings are usually done when the orchids are placed under conditions that will develop small plants instead of producing flowers. Aerial cutting is the easiest to achieve because they can be removed once they are fully grown. Simply cut off the new shoots once you deem them big and healthy enough to survive on their own.