Is it worth separating the root babies from the orchid (video)
At first, it is better to place the separated baby in conditions of high humidity and heat. This can be a greenhouse, a package, an arboretum, a terrarium or an aquarium, but without inhabitants. So a young individual should grow throughout the year. Then it is transplanted into an adult substrate.
In the future, it is necessary to care for a young plant in the same way as for an adult - to provide high temperature, sufficient humidity and timely watering, good lighting. If the plant was planted correctly and in the future it will receive the necessary high-quality care, then it will definitely take root and even, perhaps, bloom soon.
At first, it is better to place the separated baby in conditions of high humidity and heat.
If you do not touch the young plants at all and do not try to separate them, then the growth of foliage will stop, and the rapid development of the root system will begin. As a result, babies can release flower stalks that will fade with a couple of ordinary buds. In this case, it is worth waiting until the young plant fades, gains strength, only then it can be separated from the parent.
To understand that the baby is rested and ready for transplantation, you need to pay attention to the rhizome. It will start to grow rapidly again
How to get an orchid baby at home?
Let's find out how to get an orchid to give babies. The appearance of a young baby is always considered good luck for a grower, as it means that there will be more orchid plants.
Florists sometimes sell the appeared baby orchid.
And that means you can have an extra baby:
- Exchange for another variety;
- Or, selling, buy yourself a new attractive copy.
IMPORTANT! 2-3 bushes of the same variety, planted in one container, when flowering, look like a beautiful tropical bouquet.
The necessary conditions
Many beginners ask the question: how to get a baby to release a flower? The plant needs certain conditions in order for it to grow the baby.
Also, two factors can affect the appearance of a young outlet:
- Ideal conditions for the growth of the baby;
- Extreme conditions: before death, the orchid can also give birth to children.
It is better not to simulate the second situation, this is an extreme case, which is necessary when resuscitating a plant. Consider the normal conditions under which a baby appears.
Temperature regime
The ideal temperature is considered to be in the range of 20-28 degrees Celsius. A deviation in any direction can provoke not the appearance of a young baby, but the death of the plant.
Indoor humidity
Humidity should be high and reach 85%. If it is very hot outside and there is no precipitation for a long time, then containers with water must be placed between the flowers, and the water, evaporating, will increase the humidity around the plants.
Air humidity for orchids should be at least 70%.
It is important at this moment to monitor the amount of water in the containers and add it as it evaporates.
Lighting
But if the temperature and humidity of the air are in order, then how to make the orchid give a baby? The plant should receive a lot of diffused sunlight for 12-13 hours throughout the day.
Do not forget that direct sunlight can destroy the plant. And the lack of sunlight will delay the development of children. Therefore, it is necessary to choose the right lighting for the flower.
Watering
Watering the plant should be organized in such a way that between waterings the root system is dry for a couple of days. This is necessary for the orchid for the process of photosynthesis, which involves not only the leaves, but also the root system.
IMPORTANT! In order for a plant to give a baby, all these parameters must be observed, and then after flowering there is a chance that a baby will appear.
Possible difficulties
If you are going to separate and transplant an orchid baby for its further growth, then you should familiarize yourself with the list of the most common possible difficulties that you may encounter during such procedures.
In the course of transplanting, the plant can pick up an infection. This not only ultimately leads to the appearance of serious diseases, but even to the death of the flower. To avoid such a problem, you should use only sterile scissors, a knife and pruning shears when working with a young sprout.
Many growers are faced with the decay of this capricious plant. In order to avoid these problems, you need to let the baby lie in the air for a while (about 30 minutes). After that, the sections will need to be processed with ground cinnamon or wood ash.
Keep in mind - if you cut the sprout too early, it will simply die.
It is easy to distinguish a baby who is not yet ready for separation, the main thing is to pay attention to the condition of her roots.
If several children appear on the orchid at once, then it is forbidden to cut them all at one time. This is due to the fact that the mother plant may die from the resulting damage.
First, you only need to separate one baby. The second one will be permissible to be deposited after the cut area from the first part is completely overgrown.
How to raise orchid babies?
Sometimes on adult, well-fed specimens, more precisely on their peduncles, a small baby is formed from a dormant bud some time after flowering. This is due to the fact that a non-pollinated plant really wants to multiply. And during the rainy season that follows the dry season in nature, where orchids grow, it gives off shoots.
Accordingly, it is necessary to recreate the natural conditions, that is, to stimulate the plant with frequent spraying and the correct (summer) temperature regime. It is imperative to provide the plant with a sufficient amount of light, nitrogen fertilization and moisture.
On the peduncle. Application of cytokinin paste
On peduncles, babies appear, as a rule, after flowering. Distinguishing a baby from a flower arrow is quite simple:
- the baby has a pointed tip that looks like a cone;
- the peduncle has a rounded flattened shape.
In the event that the plant for some reason refuses to reproduce on its own, and you, in turn, did everything possible on your part, then you can push it a little. Cytokinin paste has proven to be a very effective tool in this matter. It is a hormonal agent, a small amount of which is placed on the upper and lower sleeping kidney.
Stimulation of the dormant kidney with cytokinin paste.
Important! You need to process no more than 3 buds on one flower. After the sprouts appear, the strongest is chosen, the rest are removed
In the event that the plant is large, you can leave the two strongest growths.
Cytokinin paste can only be used on an adult plant over 3 years old with a developed root system and at least five leaves. Using the paste on young, diseased or weakened orchids can lead to depletion and death of the plant.
On the stem of a peduncle
If the plant is sick, young or weakened, but it's a pity to just cut off the peduncle, then you can try to grow children from it:
- The peduncle is separated from the plant and cut into fragments in such a way that each has a sleeping bud;
- Pieces of the peduncle are placed in water with the addition of activated carbon. A lot of water is not needed, it is enough for the level to be 1-2 cm above the cut of the peduncle. Change the water every 3-4 days;
- If the peduncle is small, then it can not be divided, leaving it intact;
- When the children appear, once a week spray them with nitrogen fertilizers of half the concentration indicated on the package.
On a stump of a cut plant
Dividing the mother plant into two parts so that both have roots is also one of the options for getting babies on the roots. It should be understood that only a sufficiently large, elongated plant with a large number of leaves and roots is suitable for such a procedure.
The cut is done carefully, with a sharp, disinfected tool - a knife or scalpel, trying not to damage the roots. Sections are dried within 24 hours, treated with antiseptics, charcoal, fungicides or ordinary greenery.
In a strong adult plant, you can cut off the top.
The upper half is planted in the substrate so that the cut does not touch it. The peduncle, if any, need not be removed. Place a piece of styrofoam under the stump to prevent rotting. The lower half continues to be cared for as before. Watering, of course, needs less, because the plant, consider it, has halved in size.
After a while, babies in the amount of 1-3 pieces or more should appear from the hemp. They can not be separated from the mother plant in order to get a lush bush in the future.
Advice! Plants can be supported by spraying them with epin and / or zircon.
How to grow at home: step by step instructions
It's easy enough to get the orchid to sprout and then take it for planting, but how exactly does this need to be done so as not to ruin both flowers? There are a number of conditions that must be met for a guaranteed result.
Preparation
To get an orchid baby after flowering, it is necessary to shorten the peduncle to the upper dormant bud a couple of centimeters above it.
Watering
Orchid is a tropical plant. For its normal life, you need to monitor the moisture content of the substrate and water it as needed. In winter and autumn, it is enough to water the flower once a week. In summer and spring, the frequency of watering is increased to 2 - 3 times a week.
For irrigation, use settled water at room temperature
It is important to organize a warm shower during the hot season. To do this, a pot with a plant is placed in the bathroom and poured on top with warm water from the shower for 5-7 minutes
Such a simple procedure promotes the appearance of children.
Sometimes, to stimulate the appearance of young shoots, it is beneficial to arrange a "drought" - not to water the flower for 1.5 - 2 weeks.
Fertilizer
Soluble mineral fertilizers are used as fertilizers. In such complexes, all vitamins and microelements are maximally balanced.
Fertilizers should be used strictly according to the recommendations and scheme prescribed in the instructions. After blooming most of the buds, you should start feeding the orchid once a week. After the cessation of flowering, the flower is fed for another week. Then they do not disturb or feed the plant for two weeks.
Mandatory conditions
The process of formation and growth of orchid babies is actively carried out under the following conditions.
Air and water temperature
The ideal temperature for growing is + 27 - 30 ° C. But often, under ideal conditions, the orchid does not bloom and does not give children. In this case, it is necessary to ensure the temperature difference: at night + 15 ° С, during the day + 30 ° С.
The water temperature for irrigation should be higher than the air temperature. In such conditions, the greatest probability of awakening dormant flower buds.
Humidity
Sufficient humidity is a prerequisite for the appearance of children. The best results can be obtained by increasing the humidity to 70 - 80%.
You can create such humidity in a specially equipped greenhouse with backlight.
At the same time, it is important to ventilate the greenhouse regularly, since the risk of bacterial and fungal infections increases in humid air.
Pot
The container for the orchid should be transparent, of the optimal size and with a drainage system.
When to expect the result?
Many constraining factors affect the formation of children:
- ambient temperature;
- proper care;
- individual characteristics of the plant.
But usually, if all the conditions are met and the necessary stimulating measures, children appear in 3 to 4 weeks.
When to plant?
The time for the growth and development of the baby on the mother is six months. During this period, a shoot is formed, leaves, roots grow, and strength is gained for an independent life.
The baby can be transplanted into the ground after its roots reach 5 - 6 cm.
You can learn more about how to separate an orchid baby here.
What is baby?
How she looks like?
If, after flowering, the peduncle is not removed, then after a while (3-4 weeks) 2-3 buds can be found on it. It can either sprout a new peduncle, or a baby phalaenopsis, or a keika.
By the appearance of the developing kidney, it is possible to determine what will grow:
- if the sprout is pointed, this is a sign of the appearance of a peduncle;
- a rounded bud indicates the appearance of a baby, which over time forms a rosette, very similar to the mother plant.
Where does it grow?
An orchid shoot can grow:
- on a faded peduncle, if not cut off after flowering;
- on the stem between the leaf axils of the plant;
- on the root collar.
When is it formed and how to get it?
At home, the orchid usually begins to multiply in the spring: an increase in daylight hours gives a signal to the plant about the onset of a favorable period. At the same time, other conditions should also contribute to the formation of a healthy flower that can produce offspring.
- Warm and humid air with a temperature of 23-25C and a humidity of 60-80%.
- Adequate nutrition - regular feeding with special fertilizers for orchids. However, overfeeding the plant can result in a long-term lack of flowering.
- Watering is plentiful, but rare. No more than once a week, a pot of phalaenopsis should be placed in a container with water and kept for 20-30 minutes to saturate the flower tissues. It is also advisable to water the leaves from a watering can or shower. After this procedure, make sure that there is no water left in the sinuses.
- Good lighting, but no direct sunlight.
The orchid should bloom and have a peduncle, which should be cut to the top bud. The plant is at least 2 - 3 years old. Under favorable conditions, shoots can be expected to appear.
If the orchid does not give babies on the stem or other parts, stimulating measures should be taken to grow them; here's how to do it:
- Light stimulation. In February-March, the plant is positioned so that the sun hits the peduncle for 5-6 hours a day. The plant itself should be protected from direct sunlight to prevent burning the leaves.
- Provide temperature difference: in the daytime - 23-25 C, at night - 15-17 C. Such conditions will be created if the plant is placed on a window on the east or west side of the house.
- Reduce watering by 2 times compared to usual. Adhere to this regime for a month.
- Do not fertilize during this period.
Ideally, if the plant has bloomed in the fall, over the winter it has rested and gained strength.
So, everything is done correctly, shoots begin to develop from the dormant buds on the peduncles. The emergence of sprouts can be stimulated by:
- treating the plant with succinic acid;
- application to the kidneys of a cytokinin paste containing growth hormones.
Basal, or basal, babies are formed when the plant is in danger, it is impossible to influence their appearance.
Step-by-step instructions for growing at home
In addition to growing children on a peduncle, there are several more ways and we will describe each of them in detail.
How are they formed naturally?
After the orchid finishes blooming, in order to grow a baby on a peduncle, it is necessary to recreate special natural conditions for the plant and arrange a little kind of stress.
- The best time of the year to grow babies on a peduncle is spring. Kidney stimulation can be started as early as February, when daylight hours begin to gradually increase up to 10 hours.
- By early spring, move the pot to the west side window. Thus, the plant will be exposed to sunlight for about 5-6 hours a day.
- It is also necessary to ensure sudden temperature changes. In the daytime, the temperature should be kept at a level from +25 to +27 degrees, and at night it should fall to + 15-17 degrees.
- Watering should be done no more than once every 7-10 days.
- Until the bud wakes up, do not fertilize or feed the orchid.
Can a culture produce keiki after stimulation?
In the event that the orchid for some reason does not reproduce on its own, then this process can be stimulated with a special tool. Cytokinin paste has proven itself best in this matter.
The process of stimulation with cytokinin paste is as follows:
- First of all, you need to warm the pasta to room temperature.
- Decide on the flower stalk you want to grow your baby on and choose the healthiest bud available.
- Disinfect the knife and use the tip to gently peel off the scaly skin on the kidney.
- Moisten the opened area with water, and then, using a fine needle, evenly apply a small amount of cytokinin paste.
- The result should appear within two months.
You cannot process more than 3 buds on one orchid. If several children appear at once, you must choose the strongest one, and remove the rest.
How to grow in water on a peduncle stalk?
This method is suitable for growing babies on sick, young or weakened plants. In this state, the orchid is simply not able to form a baby on its own, but this does not mean that you cannot stimulate this process. To do this, you need:
- Separate the peduncle from the plant and cut it into separate parts so that each is still.
- Fragments of the peduncle must be supplied with water with activated carbon. The water level should be a few cm above the cut. It is necessary to change the water every 3-4 days.
- As soon as the children are formed on the fragments of the peduncle, it is necessary to begin to spray them with nitrogen fertilizers. This must be done once a week.
How to get from plant parts?
Another way of raising babies is by dividing the mother plant into parts. The division takes place as follows:
The plant must be removed from the pot and properly shaken off the substrate.
Then the root system must be soaked for half an hour in warm water.
Next, the bush must be carefully laid out on the newspaper and with a sharp disinfected knife, cut off the upper part of the plant, while capturing several air roots
Please note that there must be at least 5 sheets of paper on the cut part.
All cut points should be thoroughly dried and treated with activated carbon or ordinary brilliant green.
The plant will dry out within 24 hours, after which the upper part must be planted in a substrate and a small piece of foam plastic should be placed under the stump - this will help to avoid decay.
The lower part is also carefully planted back into the pot and continues to care for it, as before, but reducing the watering of the plant in half.
After a while, babies should appear on the lower part of the plant. If there are about 3 of them, then do not write off to remove them and then in the future you will get a beautiful and fluffy bush.
How to separate the scion from the mother?
After the process appears on the plant, it must be separated from the mother. This process is quite painstaking, during which you need to take into account some important points.
- Before separating the baby, make sure that the roots are more than 5 cm long, and at least 2 leaves have formed at the top.
- First you need to prepare a small transparent pot and pre-moistened pine bark.
- Take a sharp, disinfected knife and separate the baby from the peduncle, leaving 1 cm on both sides.
- Treat the cut with ground cinnamon or activated charcoal.
- After the treated areas are dry, place the baby in the prepared pot and sprinkle with bark on top.
Be sure to make drainage holes in the pot, as well as a few holes on the sides for ventilation.
We suggest watching a video on how to separate an orchid baby:
