Orchid Propagation – Multiply The Beauty
There are six general methods used in orchid propagation. Two of these are highly complicated. They are best done by professionals in lab settings. The other four are quite simple, and through trial and error, can be achieved by an amateur. With the more common and easy to grow varieties of orchids, it is not complex at all to propagate.
Orchid seeds are minuscule. About the same size as a speck of dust, they are very hard to grow on your own. Sterile lab conditions are needed to grow an orchid from seed. There are orchid societies dedicated to the natural propagation of wild orchids, through seed in their natural surroundings. Another lab technique used is called Meristem tissue culture. Orchid tissue cultures are removed and propagated in an autoclave, or pressure cooker, and specialty flasks.
The division method for orchid propagation is fairly easy. This is done with Sympodial orchids, when new growth appears at the base of the old growth. When your orchid outgrows its pot, carefully remove it from the soil. Divide the mass into two parts with a sterilized tool. Make sure your surfaces are clean.
Each division should have at least one new growth, and some back bulbs. This will stimulate new, vigorous shoots on the plants. The back bulbs can be used to produce a new orchid plant also. However, it may not flower for several years. This is the older growth of the orchid that is sometimes removed when repotted. It is leafless, unlike the original plant.
New growth originates from the center of the of the plant bulb within Monopodial orchids. This makes cutting for orchid propagation a bit more difficult. The Vanda orchid, which is Monopodial, is duplicated in this way. When it has become too big to manage, cut a part away that has enough aerial roots to achieve its survival. Then repot it.
A keikis, which is pronounced kay-key, means ‘child’ in Hawaiian. This is a little node which grows along the stem of the Moth orchid. When this node has produced two or three leaves and roots have developed, you may remove it with a sterile blade, and repot. The accumulation of growth hormone forms the node. Since it grows on the original plant stem, it is an exact duplicate of the parent plant.
Aerial cuttings provide another avenue for orchid propagation. The Dendrobium orchid produces aerial shoots or bulbs on older growth. After three or four months when these have developed roots, you can detach them and repot. These make very successful plants, because they are nearly full grown prior to removal. They oddly result from stressful growing situations.
A small plant, instead of a flower, is produced. They are identical to the parent plant. The three basic things to remember for successful orchid propagation are knowledge, patience and cleanliness. Remember, propagation is always done to produce plants of the same species. This reproduction is achieved by natural or artificial methods. It results in multiplication, or increase of the parent plant.
