Methods For Producing New Orchids?

Orchids can be grown in various ways, including through division, cuttings, and from seed. To propagate orchids, plant them in a loose potting medium, such as bark or moss, and set them in bright, indirect light from a south or east-facing window. Keep the orchid humid and at 65-85° F (18-29° C). Water the orchid when the potting medium dries out and feed it with diluted fertilizer weekly in the spring and summer.

If you have a sympodial orchid with multiple stems, it’s a good sign that it’s a rhizome division. Cut the stem near the base of the orchid and just above a node or leaf joint to allow a new orchid to continue growing. This guide covers everything from understanding orchid propagation methods to selecting healthy cuttings, preparing the cutting medium, taking the cuttings, rooting them, providing the right growing conditions, and more.

Orchids are divided and grown from back bulbs similar to other plants with rhizomes or grown from babies (keikis) and aerial roots. Providing daily misting around the roots helps keep the humidity higher within the pot. Once a week, flush the pot through to help maintain a high humidity.

To make an orchid grow a new flower spike, get fertilizing, increase light, and find a new spot for the plant. Orchid spikes usually emerge from between the plant’s leaves rather than from the plant’s center. Wait to stake a new growth until you see that it’s growing.

What brings an orchid back to life?

To maintain an orchid, raise the humidity around it to allow its roots to absorb moisture. Mist the orchid to encourage growth and bloom, using a mister or spray bottle to avoid wetting the leaves. Keep the plant on a bed of moistened pebbles to raise humidity. Avoid misting during flowering. Regularly feed the orchid, which grows best in a slightly acidic environment with a pH between 5. 5 and 6. 5. Use water-soluble orchid food, which can be added to your watering schedule, and withhold fertilizer when watering is reduced during the orchid’s dormancy period.

Do orchids rebloom on old stems?

The Phalaenopsis orchid, or moth orchid, is the only orchid that reblooms on the same stalk, while other orchids bloom from different stalks. To trim this orchid, trim the flower stalk, not the pseudobulbs. Most orchids do not have pseudobulbs, so if you grow Dendrobiums or Cattleyas, trim the flower stalk at the base of the plant. If you notice a bulge in the stem, it is a pseudobulb and should not be cut.

If there are leaves growing off a stalk, don’t cut them. If the spike is dying and looks brown, trim the stem at the base of the plant. As the orchid blooms annually, wait until next year for more flower spikes to grow before cutting the stalk at the base.

Do orchids regrow from the same stem?

Phalaenopsis, a moth orchid, can re-bloom from its old spike with some extra care. When the last flower fades, the spike can be left on, but the stem becomes ungainly and the flowers become smaller. Some believe cutting off the stem at the base of the leaves can help it bloom again in several months. Another option is leaving two nodes on the stem, which will initiate and produce flowers within eight to 12 weeks.

Younger or weaker plants may not rebloom, and some Phalaenopsis are genetically incapable of reblooming from the old spike. To prevent virus spread, use a sterile tool when cutting an orchid plant, such as a straight-edged razor blade. Orchid DealWire offers exclusive savings and special promotions for orchid vendors.

How do you encourage new orchids to grow?

Orchids are tropical plants that thrive in high humidity levels, especially in naturally humid rooms like bathrooms. They can be grown with added humidity, with humidity levels between 60 to 70. Some growers suggest leaving old flower spikes on the plant for secondary blooms, while others suggest cutting them off once the blooms are spent to redirect energy. Some species, like Phalaenopsis, are more likely to rebloom on old spikes. Once the spikes die off, it is safe to assume it won’t grow again and can be cut from the plant.

Orchids bloom during late fall, winter, and early spring due to exposure to lower temperatures and shorter days. Proper care can help the plant rebloom during these months, especially if cold winters occur. However, keeping the home warm during winter may hinder orchid reblooming.

What is the secret to growing orchids?

Orchids prefer to dry out between waterings, but over-watering can kill more orchids than over-watering. Tepid water is preferred, and it’s best to water early in the day to dry foliage by nightfall. Cooler nights can encourage flowering by allowing daytime temperatures to drop by 10 degrees during the fall. To find the best orchid varieties, consult your local orchid society, such as the National Capital Orchid Society, which can help you identify which varieties thrive in your area.

How to get orchids to bloom again?

To help your Phalaenopsis orchid rebloom, follow these three simple steps: fertilize every other week with an all-balanced fertilizer, increase light, and find a new spot. Dormancy is a period of rest for your orchid, allowing it to replace nutrients used during blooming. During dormancy, nutrients and water remain stored in the leaves until needed again. Dormancy can last anywhere from 6-9 months, and each orchid may bloom on its own, so it’s important to follow these steps to ensure your orchid’s health and blooms again. Remember to fertilize your plant every other week with an all-balanced fertilizer, increase light, and find a new spot for your plant.

How to multiply orchid plants?

After a mature orchid plant has grown and flowered for several years, the beginner may need to divide it into two or more separate individuals. If the plant has only one lead, it can be divided into groups of three or four pseudobulbs, known as divisions. If the plant has several leads, it can be divided into one or more divisions and one or more back bulbs.

A division is a group of pseudobulbs with an active lead or new growth after the plant is broken up, while back bulbs are old pseudobulbs with no active lead but dormant “eyes” that may be forced into active growth. The diagram in Figure A shows the arrangement of the rhizomes and pseudo-bulbs of a Cattleya plant with only a single lead.

The actual cutting of the rhizome is usually done after the plant has flowered, but before repotting. The plant should be carefully sprayed but not watered until root growth has become evident. Plants can then be given more water and treated as established plants. Backbulbs can be placed in a clay pot with a pad of sphagnum moss in the bottom, and sprayed daily to keep the plant and moss hydrated.

Backbulbs can have an active growth beginning, and they can be repotted and treated similarly to a division. If they do not possess an active “eye”, they can be potted in a small pot, ensuring the “eyes” are above the potting media. The potted back bulbs can be placed in the poorest growing corner of the greenhouse, and the bulbs and leaves should be sprayed frequently but not soaked.

Some ways to handle back bulbs include filling six-inch pots with sphagnum moss and placing them on the live moss, keeping the plants in a fairly humid atmos-sphere, or using a wooden tray lined with a layer of sphagnummoss and stacking the back bulbs in the flat. Spraying the bulbs and leaves daily and watching them carefully are recommended methods to save back bulbs.

What is the secret of growing orchids?

To ensure the health and longevity of your orchid, follow these steps:

1. Place your orchid in a bright, indirect light-filled spot, away from direct sunlight. Protect them with a sheer curtain if a sunny window is the only option.
2. Water the roots of your orchid, as they grow in treetops clinging to tree bark. Allow them to dry out between waterings to avoid keeping them wet.
3. Offer humidity, as orchids prefer humid conditions, especially during winter when drier air is present. Place your plant on a pebble-filled tray filled with water, allowing the water to evaporate and increase humidity around the orchid. Misting your orchids is not necessary.

In addition, orchids may help improve your sleep by providing a source of moisture.

Can you grow orchids from cuttings?

Phaenopsis can be propagated vegetatively by cutting the flowering stem above a stem internode, covering the dormant growth ‘eye’ with a triangular sheath. After the last flower has fallen, move the plant to a dimmer area, and new plants will start from the dormant ‘eyes.’ After the new plants initiate, the mother and ‘keikis’ (babies) can be moved back to higher light. When the keikis have 2-3 roots, remove them by slicing between the stem and the keiki or cutting the stem above and below the keiki’s attachment point. The new plant can be potted up and grown on. If more flowers are desired, cut the stem as above but do not move the plant.

In the second method, the mother plant is topped, and as a monopodial plant, Phals continue to grow vertically. As they discard their lower leaves, new roots are produced above the leafless stem. The stem can be cut below the new roots, and the top part, with leaves and roots, can be repotted after proper care. The remaining stub can be left as is for a few days/weeks, and new little plants will grow out of the old stub. These keikis can be repotted in the same manner as the first method, and they will grow on and eventually bloom.

How to make new orchids?

Orchid propagation involves dividing the orchid from its pot, locating the root groups, trimming the older root ball, and potting the root. Orchids can be grown from back bulbs, rhizomes, or babies (keikis), and aerial roots. Seed or tissue culture propagation is also possible, but may take up to a decade. Home gardeners can use four methods for successful propagation, but be patient as newly propagated orchids take time to reach maturity and flower. Orchids have two distinct growth patterns, so it’s essential to identify the pattern before starting propagation.

How to get a new orchid spike?

To obtain a new orchid flower spike, place the plant in a lower room temperature (55-65°F) at night or in a window away from a heater. This method works best in winter when homes and windows aren’t as warm. Wait for a month for the spike to grow, which will look like a root with a knobby end called a “mitten”. Once it starts spiking, return the orchid to its normal growing location with a moderate room temperature of 65-75°F and bright, indirect light.

Support the spike with a stake and a loose tie once it reaches about 5″. If no new spikes are produced after a couple of months, try moving the orchid to a different location. Continue watering and fertilizing the orchid, but don’t move it around to avoid twisted flowers and an arching effect. The Phalaenopsis can usually grow a new flower spike or two annually.