Cutting the rhizome before dividing?

[ALToronto]

Originally Posted by silken

Does anyone do this on a plant they don't really intend to divide or re-pot anytime soon, just to get more centre growths and bloom spikes?? When I see people with so many blooms I wonder if this is sometimes done. I have some that get new growths in more than one place but many often just travel along the rhizome and only grow a new pseudo bulb on the latest new growth, so how else do you ever get multiple growths and blooms?

Yes, it is done, and it is illegal for judging. So some sneaky growers will unpot the plant, cut the rhizome with a razor blade from the underside almost all the way through, but leave the top (exposed) portion of the rhizome intact. The plant (usually a cattleya) will still grow new leads, but the cut will be invisible. Without unpotting, the judges have no way of determining the cheat, so such plants do get awarded.

[silken]

Originally Posted by ALToronto

Yes, it is done, and it is illegal for judging. So some sneaky growers will unpot the plant, cut the rhizome with a razor blade from the underside almost all the way through, but leave the top (exposed) portion of the rhizome intact. The plant (usually a cattleya) will still grow new leads, but the cut will be invisible. Without unpotting, the judges have no way of determining the cheat, so such plants do get awarded.

Wow! I wondered, but had no idea it was illegal as far as AOS judging. I just want more blooms

I wonder how much it is actually done when you see these small plants just loaded with blooms.