The main breeding options for orchids at home: cuttings, peduncles, roots and others

Nutrient medium for sowing seeds

For seeds to germinate, they need a special nutrient substrate. In consistency, it is a jelly-like mass with a high content of vitamins and sugars.

Figure 5. Substrate for an adult plant

At the heart of the nutrient substrate is agar-agar (a special powder made from red and brown algae). It is dissolved in boiling water (heated distilled water). Cooling down, agar-agra becomes like a jelly. It is worth noting that seeds can only be planted in such a mass, since in a solid they will not be able to build up a root system, and in a liquid they will simply drown. If you plan to germinate seeds, it is better to buy the nutrient medium in special stores, and not prepare it yourself, since it is difficult to create the necessary sterile conditions at home. For mature plants, a different substrate is required, an example of which you can see in Figure 5.

Propagation of phalaenopsis by seeds

This method is rather laborious. Pollination of a flower does not cause problems for anyone. The fruits ripen for about 3-6 months - that's when the main difficulties appear. After all, you cannot sow an orchid, like, for example, a salad or a radish. Its seeds are so small that they resemble dust. They are devoid of nutrients and the embryo is greatly reduced.

Therefore, it is necessary to sow such seeds on agar-based nutrient medium. It is necessary to create absolute sterility so that subsequently there is no contamination of the environment and seeds, which will lead to their death. We'll have to be patient, because their germination is a long process, and even if small plants are successfully obtained, it will take more than one year to wait for the first flowering.

Possible breeding errors

When breeding Phalaenopsis, it is better not to use the root division method, in the case of this type of orchid, this is the most unsuccessful method.

If the orchid is sick, then it is better not to use the plant for reproduction. Although in some cases it is possible to save a unique specimen using the breeding method in water.

Important! If you do not sterilize the instrument and process the orchid slices, the plant will die. It is not difficult to take care of Phalaenopsis, but the plant is very demanding on the conditions of detention.

With the right approach, you can grow a whole greenhouse of unique orchids at home. The Phalaenopsis flower, reproduction at home of which occurs quite quickly and simply, is very beautiful, it is adored by flower growers: professionals and amateurs

It is not difficult to care for Phalaenopsis, but the plant is very demanding on the conditions of detention. With the right approach, you can grow a whole greenhouse of unique orchids at home. The Phalaenopsis flower, reproduction at home of which occurs quite quickly and simply, is very beautiful, it is adored by flower growers: professionals and amateurs.

Tips for a successful procedure:

it is necessary to sterilize all sections; during reproduction, the plant is recommended to be protected from direct sunlight; it is important to maintain the required temperature, humidity and lighting. Changes in these indicators can lead to irreversible consequences.

The propagation method based on root division is considered to be of little success.

Phalaenopsis can be propagated using different methods. A new flower begins to bloom in the second or third year after planting in the substrate. This fragile exotic plant needs to maintain certain conditions for the formation of a strong root system and further full development. In return, it will thank you with extraordinary flowering.

How to propagate by cuttings?

This method is not easy, but more effective, it requires special attention and care. The advantage of this breeding is that the stalk will receive all the data from the mother flower. This method is indispensable for those who grow rare and unique orchid species. For the peduncle, not only the temperature regime is important, but also the level of humidity, which must be systematically maintained. The disadvantage of cuttings with peduncles is that not all of them take root, many of them simply rot and die. This type of cuttings is more demanding and needs more maintenance than regular cuttings taken from the top of the flower. For vegetative propagation of a plant, you will need:

a sharp knife, you can use a scalpel, the main thing is that the tool is sharp and the peduncle is cut off without damaging the plant itself;
antiseptic;
activated carbon tablets;
a plastic bottle in which you will plant a peduncle.

It is necessary to choose a peduncle only at the beginning of spring. During this period, orchids actively reproduce, they are full of strength and ready for vegetative propagation. You need to take the peduncle that has already faded.

Step-by-step instruction

Most often, orchid grafting is carried out in two ways: by separating the top of the stem or by cutting off a faded peduncle. Both of these methods can be used at home.

Scion selection

If a faded peduncle is used as a cutting. Before separating it from the mother plant, they wait until the orchid has completely bloomed. The peduncle is cut with a sterile instrument, and divided into several cuttings of 5-7 cm. If the top of the stem is used, then cut it off only when it has several healthy and succulent roots.

Cutting and processing the cut point

The peduncle is cut off closer to the base, and the cut points are treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then sprinkled with coal powder (crushed activated carbon).
The cut is processed both on the mother plant and on the cut cuttings.
After that, the peduncle is divided into parts, for this, a sterile blade or a sharp scalpel is used, the cuts are made at a slight angle.
All cut sites are treated with a fungicide (antifungal agent) and sprinkled with charcoal powder.
When separating the upper part of the stem, it is cut off with a sterile instrument, leaving several roots on the cuttings, and the cut sites are treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

A video lesson on the choice of a scion is attached:

Preparing the pot and soil

You should purchase fresh or dry sphagnum moss in advance, it will serve as a soil for rooting cuttings. A medium-sized container can be used as a greenhouse.

The moss is placed on the bottom of the container, then abundantly sprayed with a biostimulant solution.
Cuttings (cut from the peduncle) are laid out on top at a distance of about 1.5-2 cm from each other.
The container is covered with a plastic bag or glass and placed in a warm and bright place.
As for the separated top, it will need ordinary soil, as for an adult orchid (crushed and sterilized tree bark, sphagnum moss) and a small transparent pot with holes.

Rooting

It will take about a month for the cuttings to take root.

In this case, the greenhouse is ventilated every day.
The substrate is regularly moistened, the soil should not dry out.
The air temperature inside the greenhouse is not lower than 26-28 degrees, humidity is 70%.
Daylight hours for rooting shoots - at least 14 hours, if necessary, you need to use a photo lamp.
Water for moistening the substrate must be settled or filtered, at room temperature. Some growers advise using boiled water.

A young plant should have 2-3 roots 3-4 cm long. In this state, it is already capable of feeding itself and can be transplanted into a pot.

A video tutorial on rooting an orchid is attached:

Planting in a pot

After the roots and young leaves appear, the shoots are transplanted into a small transparent pot with holes. The substrate is the same as that of an adult plant.
Before planting, all components of the substrate are sterilized, for this they are kept with a fungicide.
Then it is steamed in the oven so that the young plant is not susceptible to fungal or infectious diseases.
If reproduction is carried out with a cut off top, then it is immediately planted in the prepared soil.
To do this, cover the bottom of the pot with perlite (to retain moisture), place the stalk there and hold it with your hand, fill the pot with chopped bark and moss.
Cover the top with a transparent bag or half a cut plastic bottle.

Attention! A greenhouse with cuttings should never be in direct sunlight. But at the same time, they need sufficient illumination.

The best option is a shaded southern window sill.

A video lesson on planting children is attached:

Phalaenopsis reproduce in many ways, one of which is seed propagation.

What remedies can help?

In the propagation of plants, various auxiliary agents, for example, cytokine paste, can have a significant effect. Cytokine paste is a yellow or yellowish ointment.

Cytokine paste is a hormonal preparation containing substances that stimulate the growth of cytokinins. There is a more expensive analogue of this drug - "Keikigrow Plus", but in practice the action and result do not differ.

It is also worth mentioning that these ointments can be made independently. To do this, mix 1 gram of lanolin and 10 mg of kinetin with 1 ml of water. Further, we bring all this to homogeneity. The result should be a homogeneous white mass - this is our finished ointment. The drug must be stored in the refrigerator and used only if one shoot grows during reproduction.

The drug is used quite simply. The orchid is treated with this paste and placed in a greenhouse with a temperature of + 28 ° C, where it will remain at this temperature from 1 to 5 days. After that, you need to process the plant again.

Stimulating the plant with the aim of forming a new bud with this ointment is carried out in several steps:

create a scratch on the stem with a syringe needle - the needle must be sterile;
cover the scratch with a drop of paste;
the birth of a new baby will begin in a couple of weeks;
stimulation of the kidney to awakening - apply a scratch on the kidney scale with a sterile needle from a syringe;
apply ointment to the scratch site.

It will take literally a week and a half to wake up.

Important points to consider:

The most appropriate time for stimulation is when the orchid is growing, or when it comes out of dormancy before waking up.
On one orchid, more than three buds cannot be stimulated at the same time.
Determine the purpose for which you are applying the paste. And remember that to create the point of origin of the peduncle, the paste must be applied minimally, and for the birth of babies - in larger quantities, compared to the peduncle.
Too much ointment for the birth of children also does not need to be spent, otherwise, otherwise, several very weak shoots will come out of one point.
When stimulating, do not forget about the warm climate, lighting and recharge.

We offer for viewing a visual video about the awakening of sleeping kidneys with cytokinin paste:

Breeding conditions

In their natural habitat, most species of this orchid grow as epiphytes under the crown of large trees, and some of them adapt to rocky surfaces

Their internal clock is focused on optimal conditions for growth, so it is important to mimic their habitat in a quality manner when breeding. Phalaenopsis orchid blooms beautifully and reproduces at home

The plant prefers to grow in partial shade, as in its natural habitat. Low light intensity or filtered light is optimal for this flowering plant variety.

It is simple to determine the level of lighting, it is enough to avoid exposure to direct sunlight and it is better to place the flower on a windowsill where the rays do not fall. If this condition is not met, then burns appear on the leaves. You need to provide plenty of natural light, but without direct sunlight from 11 am to 4 pm. The best position is east or west. Plants also grow well on the north side.

The orchid loves high humidity indoors, where it should be at least 60-70%. Such a requirement is a prerequisite for the healthy growth of phalaenopsis. If the room has a low level of humidity, then it is worth taking marble or decorative stones and placing them in a shallow tray, pouring water and placing an orchid in a pot above the stones. This will help increase humidity while preventing other environments from absorbing water.

The favorable temperature for breeding indoors is 25 to 35 degrees Celsius. To keep the air moving inside, you can set the ceiling fan at low speed for several hours every day. Proper watering is the most important condition for the germination of any planting material. Water the flower with warm tap water, the soil should remain slightly moist, but in no case be wet. Over-watering will cause rotting rather than germination.

Insufficient watering is also harmful, since in this case neither seeds nor cuttings will have anywhere to take moisture for the development of the root system. After planting, it is necessary to create greenhouse conditions, that is, cover the plant with foil. You can then moisten the soil with a spray bottle. It is best to pick up cuttings for planting after the end of the flowering period.