How to divide orchids? Detailed explanation of the correct method and steps

Orchid propagation is done by division (that is, dividing the clump) once the pot is full. Orchid division can be carried out twice a year, once around Qingming and once around the Autumn Equinox. Spring-flowering Cymbidium goeringii and Cymbidium faberi are best divided in late autumn, between September and October, when growth has stopped; repotting can also be done after flowering. Autumn-flowering Cymbidium ensifolium and others are best divided in spring, between March and April (before new shoots emerge). Because orchids produce new roots and new leaves only once a year and grow slowly, they generally need 3-4 years before they can be divided.

When dividing, the potting soil should be somewhat dry; repotting in wet mud is inconvenient to handle and easily breaks or injures the roots. After the mother plant is turned out, gently remove the soil, separate it according to the natural clumps, and prune away rotten roots and dead leaves; when pruning, do not injure the leaf buds or the fleshy roots. Then wash the roots clean with fresh water and place them in a shady spot until the roots turn pale and dry, then repot. If the weather is humid, first sun them in the sun for 10 minutes. When potting an orchid, the soil must be firmed in; if the roots do not touch the soil, they will certainly wither. After planting firmly, water it, place it in a bright spot for half a month to two months, and after that expose it to morning and evening sunlight. After division, be sure at first to restrict water, provide shade, and avoid direct sunlight; do not be careless.

Home growers of orchids sometimes see flowers the first year, no flowers the second year, and death the third year. Besides not having mastered cultivation and management methods, the key reason is that too few pseudobulb clusters were left at planting in the first year (orchid leaves emerge from the rhizome and usually grow in clusters; each cluster of leaves is called one "pseudobulb cluster"). Generally, Cymbidium goeringii needs 7-8 or more pseudobulb clusters before it can be divided, and Cymbidium faberi needs 11-12 before it can be divided. Moreover, when it flowers the first year, keep only a small number of vigorous flower buds and remove the rest so they do not consume too many nutrients; in this way, under normal conditions it can still bloom the second year.