How to go about dividing reed stem epidendrums? - Orchid Board

Ordphien · #1 03-04-2013, 05:32 PM

I smelled something simply amazing thus mourning when I stepped outside.
I spent about an hour walking up and down my street locating it.
Turns out it was a giant mound of freesias.
Anyway... that, in turn led me to another yard which I've always greatly admired.
And I noticed today that the whole left bank of a wall of reed stem epidendrums!
The cheapest I've seen an epidendrum on my area was $35 which was to rich for my taste.
I asked and got a "go for it" and "just don't destroy them".

What would be the best way to get some plants from these mounds?
These are about 2 feet taller than me and I didn't see and keikis.

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bellini girl · #2 03-04-2013, 06:07 PM

If they are any fully formed keikis you may want to detach them. I would imagine this would be less stressful for the plant. Just my 2 cents worth

greengarden · #3 03-04-2013, 10:15 PM

Haha, the orchid peeps over here pretty much think of them as weeds, every second garden has one here. Just snap a few keikis off, throw them in some potting mix and they'll go, I have found they do best in regualr soil rather than bark chip.

Ordphien · #4 03-04-2013, 10:25 PM

I stated this earlier I'm pretty sure but there are no keikis available.
None of them have keikis.

I was hoping I could just dig up a section.
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Stray59 · #5 03-04-2013, 10:36 PM

I noticed in your post that you stated there were no keikis to be had on these plants - somewhat odd as they keiki so freely! I have several of these and, under house culture, they tend to send a lot of aerial roots out, so I just cut them below a couple of aerial roots and repot them - they take off pretty well.
If the clump you are looking at don't have such roots, I would think about air-layering them. You can do this pretty easily with a clump of wet moss wrapped around the stem where there is a root node showing and then wrap the entire clump with plastic wrap; secure the wrap to the stem above and below the moss with string or tape and wait a few weeks - they should send out roots. You can google "air layering" to have a better description of this method - most likely Youtube has a video of such!
Or just take a cutting. Be sure you cut a long enough stem off - maybe 10 inches or so BELOW the bloom stalk. You have to have several leaves to be able to get the cutting to survive - remove any leaves that are going to be below the rooting medium as they will rot and set the stage for infection.
Use a some rooting hormone, with either the air-layering or cutting method - the roots should be easy to draw out of the stem - just be sure not to keep the medium too wet, maybe just misting the cutting daily and let the medium almost dry out between watering.
Hope this helps! Best of luck!
Steve

greengarden · #6 03-04-2013, 10:50 PM

Yeah then just cut a bit with some aerial roots and plant it, even if it dies down you'll find it will resprout. I had some that i put in pot and thought I'd killed them completely and then all of a sudden there was new green shoots coming out of the pot.

Stray59 · #7 03-05-2013, 01:20 AM

If the owner will allow you to dig up a stem, then this is the best way to go! You should be very thankful for this generous neighbor. Either way of propagation will work, but you will probably have better luck if you can get the whole stem with roots attached. Just choose a healthy stem near the edge, dig down a few inches and gently pull it away from the clump. Shouldn't be that hard - just repot it and mist it often and it should love the inside attention it gets.
Best of luck again -
Steve

Ordphien · #8 03-05-2013, 05:32 AM

So I can just gently dig a stem out...
She said that was fine. As long as I "maintained they integrity of the hedge"

I think she's being very generous.
Especially considering how expensive they are around here.
And she said I could take one of every color.

She actually has quite a number of various orchids growing on her patio.

Maybe a division of my maxillaria tenuifolia, and a rooted cutting off my vanilla orchid would be a good thank you
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Stray59 · #9 03-05-2013, 04:42 PM

I Think those would be great Thank You presents! You need to cultivate a close relationship with this neighbor! Congrats!
Steve

Ordphien · #10 03-05-2013, 09:15 PM

I think I will.
I took a peek at her yard today. Most to make sure I wasnt gifting orchids she she owned lol.
I didn't see anything beyond basic big box super collection.
But man was it healthy!
Her orchids are incredible.
And all her phals are outside year round.
Which I guess means our 30 weather is just fine for them.
Not that I'm surprised.
All tropicals do really well here despite out coldish winters.
Thanks everybody.

I'm lucky to be getting these especially since this is going to my last orchid addition for a while..

Guess who flooded the upstairs bathroom and found it pouring out of downstairs ceiling?

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