What to do when a Phalaenopsis orchid grows a young offshoot on its side, and does it need to be divided into a separate pot?

A perfectly healthy Phalaenopsis orchid suddenly sprouts a small tender shoot on its side. It looks quite cute, but you are not sure what to do with it. Should you keep this little offshoot or remove it? Should you hurry to divide it into its own pot?

Phalaenopsis orchids are different from other flowers: their side shoots usually grow on the flower spike, and sometimes they also emerge near the roots. This shows that your Phalaenopsis has been kept rather well, with enough nutrients and a comfortable environment, which gives it the strength to produce a small offshoot. So do not panic, this is not a bad thing.

So should this little offshoot be divided into its own pot or not? Do not rush to act; you need to see what the offshoot looks like. A newly emerged tender shoot is just like a tiny dot with no roots at all. At this point, absolutely do not touch it; dividing it would only harm it. A Phalaenopsis offshoot must grow its own aerial roots, and the roots need to reach more than5cm, and it is best if it also has2-3small leaves. Only then is it considered "grown up" and able to live independently. Only then is it reliable to divide it into its own pot.

If the offshoot has not grown well yet, what happens if you force a division? The mother plant has not yet supplied enough nutrients, and the offshoot itself cannot absorb nutrients on its own, so once separated it will definitely not survive, and the mother plant may also get sick from wound infection. The loss outweighs the gain. So be patient and wait until the offshoot grows strong before doing anything.

Once the offshoot meets the conditions for division, how should you do it? First prepare your tools. The scissors must be sterilized; wipe them with alcohol, otherwise they can easily carry bacteria. Then gently push aside the sphagnum moss or potting medium around the mother plant, find the spot where the offshoot connects to the mother plant, and carefully cut it off without breaking the offshoot's roots. For the cut-off offshoot, you can apply some carbendazim to the wound and let it dry for half a day to prevent root rot.

Next comes potting. Use a smaller pot for the offshoot, not too large. Use pure sphagnum moss as the medium. Soak the sphagnum moss, squeeze it dry, place the offshoot in, spread the roots out, and do not bury it too deep; the leaves should remain exposed. After planting, place it in a ventilated spot with indirect light, do not expose it to direct sun, and do not water too frequently. Just keep the sphagnum moss slightly moist. After half a month, once the offshoot has adapted, gradually give it a little light.

There is another situation: if you do not want to divide it, or you think the offshoot looks nice growing beside the mother plant, you can also leave it undivided for the time being. But note that the mother plant's nutrients may be taken away by the offshoot. At this time, give the mother plant more fertilizer, using diluted Phalaenopsis-specific fertilizer once every half month, to ensure both mother and child have nutrients to eat. Otherwise, the mother plant may grow weaker and weaker, or even fail to bloom.

When a Phalaenopsis orchid grows an offshoot, do not rush to divide it. Observe first, and act only after the offshoot has grown strong. When dividing, pay attention to sterilization and protecting the roots, and care for it well afterward. Basically, they will all survive.