Orchid sprouting rate not high? Try these methods to improve it

    1. Understanding the rules of orchid sprouting is the theoretical basis for improving the orchid sprouting rate.

    As everyone knows, new orchid plants grow from the pseudobulbs, so to clarify the rules of orchid sprouting, we must first understand what a pseudobulb actually is. The orchid pseudobulb is a modified stem of the orchid, mostly oval in shape, with the function of storing nutrients, and is the carrier for growing leaves, roots, sprouts, and flowers. It usually consists of 10-16 shortened nodes, each with a bud point. The top few nodes grow leaves and perform photosynthesis and transpiration; the bud points on the middle-upper nodes are wrapped by the foot sheath (leaf sheath) and are called upper-position buds, most of which develop into flower buds, though a few develop into leaf buds; the bud points on about 6 middle-lower nodes are mostly wrapped by membranous scales and are called lower-position buds, most of which transform into shoots; the lowest few nodes grow roots to absorb nutrients and provide support and fixation, and sometimes sprouting also occurs there. Therefore, in theory each mature plant can produce at least about six orchid shoots, but under normal circumstances it only produces one shoot, sometimes two shoots, and a few produce three shoots, while the remaining bud points remain dormant.

    Now that we understand the rules of orchid sprouting, our task as orchid growers is, on the basis of respecting objective laws, to give full play to subjective initiative and take necessary measures not to let dormant buds remain asleep, finding ways to awaken them so as to achieve the goal of producing more shoots.

    2. Moderate division is the main measure for improving the orchid sprouting rate

    Theoretically speaking, the nutrients of orchid plants are transported in a chain. After a new growth center forms, it absorbs the nutrients produced by adjacent orchid plants. This is what we usually call "apical dominance," thereby inhibiting the germination of other dormant buds. Accordingly, we can adopt the method of cutting off the nutrient chain to induce orchid plants to sprout, which is usually called "division," in order to promote the germination of dormant buds and achieve the goal of producing more shoots.

From practical experience, moderate division is also completely necessary.

    First, when there are too many orchid plants in the pot, there are too many mouths to feed and nutrient supply cannot keep up, which inevitably leads to fewer shoots and smaller shoots.

Second, when the orchid clump in the pot is large and there are many plants, the orchid roots become tangled and knotted into a mass in the pot, the orchid buds growing below cannot squeeze out and may even bore into the roots and suffocate, causing them to die young. Even if sprouts emerge, the roots of the new shoots have no place to stand, and the shoots grow very weakly.

    Third, old shoots and new shoots of several generations live together. The old orchid plants not only fail to sprout but also consume nutrients and need to be "supported by their children and grandchildren," affecting the sprouting of new growth.

    Fourth, the ancients said in orchid growing that "when extremely weak, combine; when extremely strong, divide." Dividing means "division." In overly strong, large, and dense orchid clumps, the sprouting rate is often extremely low, wasting resources for nothing.

    I have a pot of a very strong Cui Mei, which won a silver award twice at orchid expos. Because the plants were extremely large, I was reluctant to divide the pot. That year seven large plants produced only three shoots. Last year I divided these 10 plants into 5 pots, with 2 plants per pot. Of these, two pots produced 3 shoots each, and each of the remaining pots produced 2 shoots, for a total of 12 shoots. If I had not divided them, at most only 3-4 shoots would have been produced. This shows that timely division is conducive to producing more shoots, and this is an indisputable fact.

    3. Replanting old plants separately is an important method for improving the orchid sprouting rate

    Generally speaking, old plants make nutrients and silently deliver them to the next generation, which can be described as "bending one's back to the task until one's dying day"; but some old plants without roots or with very poor roots themselves need nutrients provided by the new plants. This is the so-called "relying on children for support," and such old plants will inevitably affect the growth and sprouting of the new plants.

    Therefore, division must be done scientifically and reasonably. The most important method among what is called "scientific and reasonable" here is "replanting old plants separately."

    When predecessors talked about division, they always said to "separate from the road" and insisted on "three generations living together." Taken in two ways, this has its rationale: first, the wound is small, which helps the orchid plants recover; second, the survival rate is high, which can ensure that the front growth grows vigorously and can bloom; third, it can produce large plants and strong plants. But there are also drawbacks, mainly that old plants and new plants remain connected, with several generations living together, and it is difficult for the old plants to sprout new shoots again, so they can only spend their remaining years waiting to be "pensioned off and buried."

    I think the best approach is: depending on the condition of the orchid clump, when dividing, cut off 2-3 plants from the lead growth respectively so as to promote strong buds and large plants, while the old plants are separated into clumps of 2-3 plants each and replanted separately. In this way, old plants that have not sprouted for several years can "let the red apricot lean over the wall," regain their youth, and bear noble offspring again.

    This year I replanted two old plants of Duanhui separately, and they unexpectedly produced three buds; two old plants of Da Yipin replanted separately also produced two shoots. It can be said to be a hundred percent success, with good news arriving frequently. Interested orchid friends might as well give it a try.

    4. Twisting the pseudobulb connection is traditional experience for improving the orchid sprouting rate

    Twisting the pseudobulb connection to promote more sprouting is traditional experience accumulated by predecessors in China's orchid circles. It is correct in theory and also successful in practice.

    Theoretically speaking, when the pseudobulb connection is twisted and injured, the transport of nutrients between orchid plants is affected, and the nutrients made by the old plants encounter difficulty being transported forward, thereby stimulating dormant buds and producing new plants.

    The specific method is: in spring from March to April, take out the orchid plants, pinch the middle-upper parts of two pseudobulbs with both hands (do not bruise the bud points), and twist them in opposite directions by 90-180 degrees respectively until a "snap" sound is heard. Be careful not to completely break the connecting stem; make it semi-separated. Apply thiophanate-methyl powder to the twisted area to prevent bacterial infection, then plant the orchid plants into the pot. Before long, the semi-separated pseudobulbs of the grandfather generation, father generation, and child generation can each send out new shoots, and some can even produce double shoots. The shoots produced by this method are also relatively robust.

    This spring I introduced three strong plants of old Tianlv with plump pseudobulbs. The lead growth had already shown one leaf bud. Using the above method, I twisted and injured two connecting stems respectively. Now each pseudobulb of the grandfather generation, father generation, and child generation has produced one shoot; on the same day, without stopping, I treated two plants of "Shangpin Yuanmei" in the same way, and now the two generations of plants have also each produced one shoot. Truly every shot hits the mark, every attempt succeeds.

    It must be explained that this method is only suitable for Cymbidium goeringii. As for Cymbidium faberi, because the pseudobulbs are relatively small and the connecting stems are short and thick, it is difficult to treat them into a semi-separated state. Whether it is feasible, I have not yet practiced.

    5. Single-plant propagation is a necessary means for improving the orchid sprouting rate

    The ancients said: orchids "like clustering and fear leaving the mother," so single planting was not advocated, and all believed that planting 3-5 plants per clump was best.

    What the ancients said makes sense, because single-plant planting produces small plants that are difficult to grow. However, because orchid prices are currently high and rare varieties are in short supply, new attempts at single-plant propagation have emerged.

    It should be said that the theoretical basis for splitting into single plants is the same as the principle of twisting the pseudobulb connection, namely cutting off the nutrient transport between pseudobulbs and stimulating the germination of dormant buds on the pseudobulbs. It is completely correct in theory.

    Single-plant propagation should be carried out in late spring and early summer from April to May, when the temperature is more suitable for orchid sprouting and rooting.

    There are two ways to do single-plant propagation: one is to repot, split into single plants, and replant separately. This has many drawbacks, the plants produced are also small, and management is relatively difficult. The other method is not to repot, but to remove the potting medium above the pseudobulbs to expose the connecting stem between two pseudobulbs, use sterilized scissors or a scalpel to cut off the connecting stem, apply thiophanate-methyl powder to the wound for disinfection, strictly prevent virus infection, and after a few hours fill in sterilized potting medium, preferably Kanuma soil. After about twenty days, new buds can be seen stirring. In this way, the absorption capacity of the original orchid roots can be preserved, and the time for the plant to re-establish itself is reduced. Not only do sprouts appear earlier, but the sprouts are also relatively much more robust.

    During this year's May Day period, I made one cut each on four rare varieties: Lao Duoyun, Lao Fengqiao, Green Peony, and Xinhua Mei. Now Lao Duoyun has produced two shoots, and the rest have each produced one shoot. This can also be called "invincible, ever victorious."

    It must be explained that the premise of single-plant propagation is that the plants are strong and the roots are well developed. Orchid plants with weak shoots and poor roots are not suitable for splitting into single plants for propagation. At the same time, it is limited to measures taken for rare varieties in order to preserve stock, since after all the plants produced are small and weak. As for ordinary varieties, there is no need to make such a big fuss; producing a few small plants is really not worth the loss.