In addition to buying at the store, there is another way to decorate your flower garden with such an expensive plant as an orchid - reproduction. Photos of some options for obtaining another orchid from the existing one will help you put the theory into practice.
There are several ways to propagate orchids. In general, they are divided into two large groups - generative (by seed) and vegetative (part of the plant) methods. Generative - the most difficult to implement at home. The vegetative method can be represented by reproduction of the meristem (division of rhizomes, deposition of the bulb) or separation of the stepsons (children) that have appeared. To find out how the orchid that you have is propagating, you first need to decide which orchid you have . Sympodial orchids - cattleya (of various hybrid forms), dendrobiums (including hybrids with phalaenopsis - dendrobium-phalaenopsis) can be obtained by dividing rhizomes or depositing a bulb. Lycasts and orchids of the odontocidium group (oncidiums, miltonia, cumbria, odontoglossums, degamoars, beallars), as well as precious orchids also propagate . Orchids of the monopodial group (phalaenopsis, vandas, ascocendes, shenorchis and asconopsis) cannot be propagated by dividing the rhizome, since they simply do not have it. They get either seeds or stepsons. First, consider the simplest methods of vegetative propagation.
Reproduction by meristem
By dividing the rhizomes, how an orchid propagates, the photo shows clearly. Cutting the cattleya rhizome with a sharp knife, it is necessary to allow the slices to dry. Then, after processing the open “wounds” with charcoal, you can plant the divided Cattleya bush in different pots. Orchids (any) need to be planted so that that part of the stem (for cattleya is a rhizome, for phalaenopsis is the neck, for odotoncidium is the bottom of the bulb), from which the roots go, should not be buried in the ground. Otherwise, you can easily miss the moment of the beginning of decay of this important part of the plant. In order to divide the bush of Cattleya or lycasts, it is necessary that each half have at least 3-4 bulbs. Otherwise, flowering will have to wait a long time.
With the help of jigging stepchildren, how an orchid reproduces is presented in this picture. Basically, in this way - by herding - phalaenopsis is propagated. Children can appear not only on peduncles, but also form on the neck - both near the roots and between the leaves. Of course, in the second case, only the stepson who has appeared at the very roots and has already taken root himself can be planted. Otherwise, you will destroy the mother plant. The most difficult thing to do with this method of reproduction is to make Phalaenopsis step up (give babies). Usually, phalaenopsis begins to give children from the stem (neck), if they die growth point, located in the middle of the plant. You can force phalaenopsis to give a baby on a peduncle as follows:
- remove phosphorus-potassium components from top dressing and feed only with nitrogen fertilizers;
- spread live buds on the peduncle with cytokinin paste. A baby that has appeared can be greased with root or heteroauxin for faster root formation. When the roots of the newborn plant reach 5-6 cm, the stepson, along with a piece of the peduncle, needs to be cut off and gently planted in a small transparent pot. 200 or 500 ml plastic cups are great for this.
Some phalaenopsis are perfectly stepson themselves - without applying the above measures. Others cannot be forced to “give birth” to children by making every possible effort. If you come across such a “difficult specimen”, try the generative method of seed propagation.
Seed propagation
How is an orchid propagated by seed? The answer is simple: at home it is very difficult. The most important thing in this process is sterility. If you are a scrupulous person or a doctor who is used to being sterile, you can try. In this method, orchid seeds (which are the smallest powder) are placed on a sterile nutrient medium, the main components of which are water, agar-agar and trace elements. Plant seeds before planting on a nutrient medium must also be sterilized. And the planting process itself must take place under sterile conditions - this can be done over the steam so that the smallest microorganisms floating in the air, together with the seeds, do not fall into flasks where newborn orchids will hatch and grow. It is necessary to keep vessels with seedlings when illuminated for 12-14 hours a day - accordingly, there should be a backlight with lamps. A year after sowing, small plants are transferred to a non-sterile environment, while still providing them with greenhouse conditions. Orchids grown from seeds bloom in about 4-5 years.