It is considered that the best time for reproductionPhalaenopsis orchids are spring. During this period, the plant gradually emerges from hibernation and begins to develop with renewed vigor. Most often, orchids are propagated by dividing the mother plant into parts. Sometimes, babies may appear on the peduncles from dormant buds, which eventually become independent plants. Any propagation must be carried out only with disinfected tools. Particular attention should be paid to the root system of the orchid, because every awkward movement leads to damage. All cut sites must be disinfected and sprinkled with crushed coal. After transplantation, the phalaenopsis is kept in a light, well-ventilated room. The procedure will be successful only if the mother orchid is absolutely healthy and is kept in the conditions it needs: sufficient light, heat and moisture. In the natural environment, phalaenopsis reproduces by shoots that appear after flowering, and by seeds. A distinctive feature of this plant is the absence of pseudobulbs, which allow phalaenopsis to be propagated by simply dividing the rhizome. Therefore, this method is completely unsuitable for this orchid.
Reproduction of orchids with the help of seeds
Propagation by seeds is complex anda long method that rarely ends successfully. Orchid seeds are very small, more like dust. They have absolutely no nutrient tissue. If you decide to propagate phalaenopsis this way, you need to select a nutrient medium for the seeds. In nature, this role is performed by a root sponge or a special fungus root, which supplies the seeds with everything they need for growth. Seeds germinate from 3 to 9 months, they need sterile conditions, which can only be achieved in a special laboratory. It takes about two years to prepare a sprout from a seed for transplantation. And for it to become a full-fledged plant - you will have to wait as long as four years.
Reproduction by appendages
Considering that the planting of seeds has a massdifficulties, let's consider a simpler method - reproduction by shoots. After the phalaenopsis orchid has finished flowering, the very period comes when it is ready to give a baby. High air temperature and high humidity will contribute to the awakening of dormant buds, but are not a guarantee of this event. Sometimes babies on a peduncle reproduce without any effort, but most often the plant needs to be stimulated. If you are lucky, and your orchid has released a baby on a peduncle, leave it in place until aerial roots appear. As soon as they reach a size of five centimeters and acquire leaves, the shoot can be separated from the peduncle. It is worth noting that the appearance and development of babies can have a detrimental effect on the mother plant, so during this period the phalaenopsis needs careful handling.
How to stimulate the appearance of children on the peduncle?
The protective covering is carefully removed from the dormant bud.scale. This must be done very carefully so as not to injure the plant. Open buds must be treated with a special cytokinin paste, which contains hormonal substances that promote rapid development of offspring. If you cannot remove the scales, you can wrap all the large buds in wet sphagnum and tie them with polyethylene, forming a kind of greenhouse on the peduncle. At this time, phalaenopsis needs a humid and warm atmosphere. After shoots appear on the peduncle, the polyethylene can be removed, but it is advisable to leave the moss until the young shoots have roots. To prepare a hormonal paste at home, you will need kinetin (10 milligrams) or benzaminopurine. The selected drug is dissolved in 1 milliliter of water and mixed with 1 gram of lanolin. The mixture is thoroughly mixed until a homogeneous white emulsion is obtained. If you treat the orchid bud only once, you can activate the growth of the lateral peduncle, especially if the room temperature is suitable: from 20 to 22 degrees. To prevent this from happening, the phalaenopsis must be placed in a room with a temperature of at least 28 degrees and re-treat the buds after 3-4 days. But even such conditions do not guarantee that the phalaenopsis will not produce a lateral peduncle instead of a baby.
Alternative ways of reproduction
If treating dormant buds seems too much for youdifficult and labor-intensive task, you can resort to another method of propagation of the phalaenopsis orchid - cuttings. After the flower stalk has completely bloomed, it is cut off at the very base and cut into several parts so that there is a dormant bud in the middle of each cutting. All cut sites must be carefully treated with wood or activated carbon. Prepared cuttings are placed on wet moss, wrapped on top with plastic wrap. For cuttings to be successful, the room temperature should be 25-28 degrees, and the humidity should be higher than normal. By the way, some particularly lucky gardeners propagate the phalaenopsis orchid as follows: they cut the flower stalk and put it in water with special fertilizers. In this case, the main thing is that the container with the shoot is in a sufficiently lit and humid room. The chances for the development of dormant buds are minimal. However, if you are lucky, you will get many new shoots at once. Phalaenopsis orchids can be propagated in another way - by dividing an adult plant. If the flower has a fairly large rosette, you can cut off its top with a disinfected knife. The main thing is that it has several leaves and aerial roots. The cut must be sprinkled with charcoal. Then the upper cutting is planted in a separate pot, and the lower part remains in the same place, where it will subsequently produce a lateral shoot. The cutting will take root after some time and in a couple of years it will turn into a full-fledged plant capable of blooming.
How does the rooting take place?
Sometimes the baby on the mother plant doesn't want toput down roots, and feeds on an adult phalaenopsis. To propagate in this case, it is enough to wait for the appearance of young leaves (in the amount of 3-4 pieces) and separate it from the peduncle. The cut sites (both on the peduncle and on the baby) are sprinkled with crushed coal. It is also recommended to dry the shoot for 24 hours. After that, it is planted in a substrate with a small fraction and wait for the roots to appear. Do not be alarmed if the lower pair of leaves of the shoot turns yellow - this is a normal phenomenon - propagation should be successful in any case. Just do not remove damaged leaves, with the appearance of roots they will fall off themselves. It is best to root a young phalaenopsis in a small greenhouse, where the temperature is maintained from 22 to 25 degrees. The appearance of roots is a long process. Sometimes, to speed up propagation, hormonal drugs are used, such as root, heteroauxin or ellin. They are periodically sprayed on the substrate, making sure that drops of the solution do not fall on the leaves. Otherwise, you risk provoking the growth of leaves, and the development of the root system will drag on for a long time. You can stimulate young shoots to root in a completely harmless way - place them in close proximity to water. Take a plastic cup (preferably transparent) and a small piece of foam with a cut hole. Fix the orchid baby in the recess, pour water into the glass and lower the improvised raft with the shoot there. Cover with polyethylene. This way you will get a humid and warm environment in which the roots will appear very quickly. As soon as the root system has formed, the young plant can be transplanted into the ground. To summarize all of the above, we can conclude that orchid propagation at home is difficult, but quite feasible. And looking at the amazing phalaenopsis flowers, you begin to understand that no difficulties will prevent you from achieving the desired result!
