What are the similarities and differences between the division methods for Phalaenopsis seedlings and side shoots?

When it comes to the division methods for Phalaenopsis seedlings and side shoots, they really are not the same thing at all. There are clear differences in how you go about it, and you need to choose the right approach based on the condition of the plant. If beginner growers mix them up, they can easily ruin the plant.

When a Phalaenopsis reaches a certain stage, separate little plantlets will sprout beside the mother plant. These plantlets look just like miniature Phalaenopsis, with their own complete root system and fairly spread-out leaves. When dividing, you have to wait until the plantlet has grown 3 - 4 leaves and at least 3 or more roots, and those roots must be healthy white or light green ones.

When dividing, the movements must be gentle. First take the whole plant out of the pot and gently shake off the sphagnum moss or potting medium from the roots. Then look carefully at the connection point between the plantlet and the mother plant, find the looser spots, and carefully cut them apart with sterilised scissors, trying not to damage the roots of either side. After separating them, trim the plantlet's roots a little, cutting off any rotten or hollow roots, then soak them in a carbendazim solution for about 10 minutes. Once dry, they can be potted up, simply wrapping the roots in fresh sphagnum moss.

Now look at dividing side shoots. Side shoots generally grow from the stem of the Phalaenopsis. At first they may have only one or two small leaves, and their roots are not well developed, or they may not have grown roots at all. At this point you must not rush to divide them. You have to wait until the side shoot has grown to more than 5 cm, and preferably until it has already put out 2 - 3 aerial roots, before you start, otherwise it will be very hard for it to survive once separated.

When dividing side shoots, you also need to take the plant out of its pot first, but the side shoot is quite tightly connected to the mother plant, so sometimes you have to gently cut it apart with a blade. If the side shoot has not yet grown roots, after separating it you can first place it on moist sphagnum moss and keep the environment warm and humid, then pot it up once new roots have grown. Also, after the side shoot is removed, the wound on the mother plant must be treated, dabbed with some carbendazim to prevent infection.

Dividing plantlets is relatively simple, because they already have a complete root system and a high survival rate; whereas side shoots must be divided only after they have grown to a certain point, especially once their roots are well developed, and you need to be more careful when handling them. Growers must not confuse the two, otherwise the Phalaenopsis they have worked so hard to raise may come to grief. In fact, as long as you grasp the right timing and method, whether it is a plantlet or a side shoot, it can be divided successfully and grow into a beautiful new plant.