How should many dried-up pseudobulbs be handled when dividing orchids?

When an orchid clump grows larger, it needs to be divided, and at this time we often see some "older" old pseudobulbs that have no shoots on them. What should be done with these old pseudobulbs? Should they be cut off and discarded? Haoshe Farmer will tell you from his own experience.

Pseudobulbs are the energy storage warehouse of orchids. If a pseudobulb is still viable (not dead inside), even if it looks dried up on the outside, it is still useful. When dividing, you can give it one shoot, and with proper care it can still send out new shoots.

In the photo below of a Cymbidium goeringii, can you tell what it once looked like? It is a truly old pseudobulb. Haoshe Farmer cut it off separately when dividing, and at the time it had one old shoot with only a single leaf. The reason it was not discarded is that the inside of the pseudobulb was still fresh. When it was cut off and planted, there was no special care either; it was managed together with the other orchids.

This year this old pseudobulb sent out two new shoots. Now the old leaves have completely died off, while the new shoots are slowly growing. After brushing aside the potting medium to check its roots, new roots have already formed. Given time, this pot of orchids can likewise be grown to bloom.