encouraging growth on Prosthechea cochleata

[Polypodiaceae]

This is a question from my dad - you get one cattleya to bloom and suddenly you become the source of knowledge!

He's the original orchid grower in this family and has an established Prosthechea cochleata with some back bulbs that have already bloomed. His reading says those could be separated from the plant and used to propagate. His question is can that growth be stimulated without separating, so the plant is growing in a couple directions. I got him a Bc Yellow Bird for Christmas which is growing in multiple directions.