To drop on a plant, remove its pot by up-turning and tapping the pot on the edge of the bench. It should slide out easily, and you should see a ball of white roots holding the compost in place. Select a new pot that is about 5cm (2in) larger to give sufficient room for another one to two years' growth.
Any leftover pieces of less than three rood pseudobulbs will not flower for another two to three years. Because such plants may have been in their present pot for more than two years, they will be extremely potbound and difficult to remove. You can try tapping out, and running the pruning knife around the inside rim to loosen the roots, but if it is still firmly attached you may have to cut away the pot. This is often necessary with cattleyas, whose roots will adhere to the inside of the pot. Before you start, lie some newspaper on the bench and keep the plant on this.
Stand the plant on this, ensuring that the base of the new growth is level with the rim of the pot If it stands higher, remove a little of the old compost from around the base until you can sit the plant deeper in the pot.
Once the plant is in position, hold it firmly and place a band of thin, plastic-coated wire around the base to secure it in position. 'rake care to pass the wire around the medium and rhizome, without cutting into a pseudobulb. Pull the wire tight and twist it using the pliers, then cut off the ends. Place another tie farther up, if necessary. When finished, the plant must be secure on its bark. If it is loose, it will not root into the bark or progress well. Finally, trim the base material with a pair of scissors to give a neat, professional finish to your work. Spray the plant daily and give it an occasional soak in water to make sure that the base remains damp. !Pam growing in this way will need mailar spraying and watering to them moist than ones in pots.
If you wish to add to your stock of plants by propagating, these back bulbs can he potted up on their own. They will often produce a new growth, which can be grown on to flower within a few years. Where before you had one untidylooking plant, you will now have two or more smaller, neater plants. Repot these in pots of a similar size to the one the old orchid came from; this should leave sufficient room in each pot for the plant on for another two years.
Place plant to one side of the pot, with the adest pseudobulbs at the back and the growths facing forward. Crock the ease of the new pot and place sufficient mmpost (growing medium) on top so that when you insert the plant, the base al the new growth will be level with, or nst below, the rim of the pot. Fill in with artnpost - tucking some under and mound the roots to ensure that there are a, open spaces - until the plant is firmly a position and the compost finishes -Mow the pot rim. This will ensure that when you water the plant the compost la not be washed over the rim.
Not all large plants need to be divided into smaller pieces, unless you rant to increase your stock. Smaller- !rowing species that will not become =manageable can be left as one specimen plant, provided that most or all of the pseudobulbs are leafed. Where there is a cluster of leafless pseudobulbs a( the centre of a plant, these need to be removed or reduced in number before they weaken the plant. The exception here is with the deciduous lycastes and angulocastes, where only the leading pseudobulbs are in leaf at any one time. When you have divided your plant, remember to write out new labels for cath piece of the plant. Return the plants to their growing area and give them a light overhead spray to prevent any dehydration through their leaves after the root pruning.
Separate the orchid into as many divisions as you wish, but bear in mind that to maintain flowering, a division will need to have at least three pseudobulbs in leaf with one new growth.
Any leftover pieces of less than three rood pseudobulbs will not flower for another two to three years. Because such plants may have been in their present pot for more than two years, they will be extremely potbound and difficult to remove. You can try tapping out, and running the pruning knife around the inside rim to loosen the roots, but if it is still firmly attached you may have to cut away the pot. This is often necessary with cattleyas, whose roots will adhere to the inside of the pot. Before you start, lie some newspaper on the bench and keep the plant on this.
Stand the plant on this, ensuring that the base of the new growth is level with the rim of the pot If it stands higher, remove a little of the old compost from around the base until you can sit the plant deeper in the pot.
Once the plant is in position, hold it firmly and place a band of thin, plastic-coated wire around the base to secure it in position. 'rake care to pass the wire around the medium and rhizome, without cutting into a pseudobulb. Pull the wire tight and twist it using the pliers, then cut off the ends. Place another tie farther up, if necessary. When finished, the plant must be secure on its bark. If it is loose, it will not root into the bark or progress well. Finally, trim the base material with a pair of scissors to give a neat, professional finish to your work. Spray the plant daily and give it an occasional soak in water to make sure that the base remains damp. !Pam growing in this way will need mailar spraying and watering to them moist than ones in pots.
If you wish to add to your stock of plants by propagating, these back bulbs can he potted up on their own. They will often produce a new growth, which can be grown on to flower within a few years. Where before you had one untidylooking plant, you will now have two or more smaller, neater plants. Repot these in pots of a similar size to the one the old orchid came from; this should leave sufficient room in each pot for the plant on for another two years.
Place plant to one side of the pot, with the adest pseudobulbs at the back and the growths facing forward. Crock the ease of the new pot and place sufficient mmpost (growing medium) on top so that when you insert the plant, the base al the new growth will be level with, or nst below, the rim of the pot. Fill in with artnpost - tucking some under and mound the roots to ensure that there are a, open spaces - until the plant is firmly a position and the compost finishes -Mow the pot rim. This will ensure that when you water the plant the compost la not be washed over the rim.
Not all large plants need to be divided into smaller pieces, unless you rant to increase your stock. Smaller- !rowing species that will not become =manageable can be left as one specimen plant, provided that most or all of the pseudobulbs are leafed. Where there is a cluster of leafless pseudobulbs a( the centre of a plant, these need to be removed or reduced in number before they weaken the plant. The exception here is with the deciduous lycastes and angulocastes, where only the leading pseudobulbs are in leaf at any one time. When you have divided your plant, remember to write out new labels for cath piece of the plant. Return the plants to their growing area and give them a light overhead spray to prevent any dehydration through their leaves after the root pruning.
Separate the orchid into as many divisions as you wish, but bear in mind that to maintain flowering, a division will need to have at least three pseudobulbs in leaf with one new growth.
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