The reproduction of orchids side shoots (kids) - this is one of the easiest ways to which most florist resorts, because it differs from other simple and speed. In particular, this method can be used for Phalaenopsis or Dendrobium. Then you will learn what to do if shoots appeared on the orchid and how to separate them properly.
How does the presence of processes affect the life cycle of a plant?
Orchid babies are young daughter processes, appearing on the peduncle or at the roots of an adult plant. Scions appear only if the mother flower is provided with good and timely care. This occurs at high temperatures and humidity in the room where the plant is located, it is also important to know that the children appear only after it has faded.
Among florists, there is a perception that shoots on an orchid appear before its soon withering: with the active growth of the children, the stem shrinks and the plant dies out. And in some cases, this is exactly what happens, but the processes can not only “kill” the mother plant, but also affect its life cycle.
Orchids have two types of dormancy: biological and forced, and the first of them is influenced by the appearance of shoots on the orchid. They appear when the plant comes to the end of a period of active growth, and the end of the development of children and the willingness to grow independently (that is, by the time they need to be separated) marks the beginning of the rest period — the time when the flower is gaining strength and its growth it stops.
During the rest period, the new growth and the formation of vegetative and flower buds take place. That is, the appearance of children on an orchid directly affects its life cycle (makes it go on "rest" to gain strength), because the change of rest and active growth of a plant does not have a definite pattern and depends exclusively on external conditions: temperature, humidity, watering.
A photo
And it looks like on the photo of the baby (process) orchids.
How to care for them?
- Temperature mode. In order to stimulate the appearance and maintain active and proper development of the appendix on the orchid, in the summer season it is necessary to maintain the temperature from 21 to 31 degrees, and in winter from 16 to 27 degrees. There are also upper and lower temperature limits, for which in no case can not go: below 13 degrees and above 33.
- Humidity. At any time of the year it is recommended to keep the humidity at 50%, while spraying should be done only if the temperature is disturbed, not more than 3 times a week. In winter, such procedures can not be done in any case.
- Lighting. Orchids and their children are not whimsical in terms of lighting, but they do not like direct sunlight to hit them, so it’s better to provide diffused light. And in winter, in order to stimulate the growth of shoots, you can use a fluorescent lamp, thereby providing a sufficient amount of light in a cold period of time.
- Watering. We recommend moderate watering, which is guaranteed not to stagnate moisture in the substrate, from which the mother plant and, accordingly, its children suffer.
- Fertilizer. The plant can be fed with fertilizers with a high nitrogen content in order to support the growth of children, such feedings can also be used to stimulate their further appearance. It is not necessary to do this often, because the orchid takes most of the nutrients from the soil, so for its cultivation it is better to use the one that is designed specifically for this plant.
Is it worth holding a maternal flower for a long time?
In most cases, it takes about half a year to fully develop an orchid sprout. however, it can be both less and a little more. During this time, leaves and roots appear on the child, she is gaining strength for independent living in a separate pot.
Namely, because for each child the terms are individual, then, to know when it can be separated from the mother plant, you need to focus on its size: as soon as the roots in an amount of 2 - 3 pieces reach a length of 5 - 6 cm, or when 4 - 5 leaves, can be transplanted into the substrate.
Is it necessary to separate from the "mother"?
What to do if the orchid has sprouted on the stem or root, if they have grown suddenly? Nothing terrible will happen if the appearing processes are not removed. Experienced growers can create whole interesting plants with several shoots on the same mother, and others separate them to get young copies of the previous orchid. The choice of a decision will depend solely on the preferences of the grower.
Sometimes, when the humidity in the room is above 50%, the roots of the shoots can grow with moss, and then they are put on flower pots with a large number of holes in order to provide the roots with moisture and a comfortable temperature regime. In such a pot the roots can spin inside it.
In some cases, the process falls off, and, as a rule, this is due to non-compliance with the conditions that are required for their active and proper development.
Stimulate root growth
If the baby appeared on the stem, it is quite possible that it has no roots, which are necessary for independent growth, and in this case it is necessary to resort to stimulate their appearance.
To do this, the base of the appendix is wrapped in wet moss and tied with thread. It is important to moisten the moss regularly, you can wrap it with cling film or plastic bag (then you need to air the baby daily, that is, unwind the film and let the moss "breathe" for a while).
Place the orchid in the scattered sunlight or fluorescent lamp (in winter). This approach provides the high humidity necessary for the appearance of the normal development of the lateral processes of the orchid.
Separation Instructions
It is necessary to cut the process from the peduncle with a gap of 1.5 cm, After that, you need to wait half an hour to dry out the cuts during this time, process them with pounded activated carbon.
It is desirable to take a transparent plastic container with holes for draining the water, and place the baby in it so that the root system is just below the level of the edge of the pot. Fill the container with soil, while it is not necessary to tamp it, just knock on the edges of the vessel.
Important! It is possible to water an otkazanny shoot only in 3 - 4 days.
We offer to watch a video on how to separate the baby from the orchid:
How to care for the mother flower?
From the correct care of the mother plant directly depends on whether there will be kids at all on it. And because the conditions of care for the processes, as described above, are also intended for the orchid itself, because almost everything that it receives from the outside is given to its children, who are directly on it. Obviously, it is impossible to care for the processes in one way, and for the parent plant - in another.
Despite the fact that children of an orchid are picky about growing conditions, the method of reproduction with their help still remains one of the simplest. Only the right temperature, watering, humidity and, of course, patience can give birth to a new beautiful plant that will delight with its aesthetic appearance. Now you know what to do if the orchid has released a scion and how to care for it.
