How to divide and repot? Let me teach you proper division and sensible repotting

OrchidsWhat counts as proper division and when repotting is sensible - in the orchid world, practices vary as widely as the eight immortals crossing the sea, each showing their own magic; each side has its own reasoning, and everyone sticks to their own view. Some people advocateOrchidsdividing and repotting every year. They say that planting as single divisions can raise the propagation rate, and that repotting every year can increase the fertility of the growing medium. Orchid writings say: "Orchids like to grow in clumps and dislike being planted alone." Single-plant cultivation, especially of grandfather-generation plants, may encourage more leaf buds, but if a single plant is not a strong seedling or nutrients do not keep up, most of the sprouted leaf buds will be weak seedlings. Many buds with weak seedlings, or strong seedlings with few buds, ultimately still cannot raise theorchidpropagation rate; only many buds with strong seedlings can truly raise the orchid'spropagation rate. However, specific situations must be analyzed specifically. Some varieties with a high sprouting rate, such as Jinsi Mawei, can be selected as strong seedlings for single planting. Repotting every year is not necessarily needed either; the key issue lies in whether the chosen medium contains enough fertilizer and whether its fertilizing range is broad enough. As long as the growing material is chosen appropriately and the ratio is scientific, the nutrients in one pot of orchid soil are enough to supply an orchid's needs for three years. Each time an orchid is repotted, the acclimatization period takes half a month to one month. Frequent repotting will inevitably damage the root system, slow the growth of the aboveground part, and weaken the absorption function, which is not good for the growth of the orchid plant. If the potting soil is too wet or other reasons cause root rot and leaf withering, triggering diseases such as southern blight, then after weighing the pros and cons, it is necessary to turn out the pot and change the soil immediately. For division and repotting, my method is: 3-6 plants joined together as a clump, one clump per pot in a pot with a 20 cm diameter, using the growing material formula described above in this article, and repotting once every three years. To encourage the dormant buds of the pseudobulbs of grandfather-generation plants to sprout, gently move the connection point between the pseudobulbs of the grandfather-generation plant and the mother-generation plant to a half-separated state, so as to speed up sprouting of the grandfather-generation plant, and cut off the old leaves and residual leaves of the grandfather-generation plant, so that its underground part grows more slowly and the aboveground part is promoted to grow. (Longyan, Fujian - Zhang Bingfu)