back bulbs off divided cymbidium to propagate?
 

Hi! So I just divided my cymbidium for the first time and popped off some old bulbs. I have seen somewhere claims you can plop them into a pot and they will propagate? Is this true even if there are no roots attached? because i've got some sphagnum laying around..... ;)
Anyone have experience with this?

Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't... Another approach is to put them in a paper bag, put in a dark place, and ignore for a few months. But don't forget them... I tried this once., found them a year later having totally forgotten them, they had sprouted but without being potted up and watered, they eventually shriveled. It's fun to try, but unless it is a really special plant, a lot of trouble for something that, if it does sprout and survive, will be quite a few years to blooming. The way Cyms grow, you'll multiply your plant a lot more easily just by making divisions (remembering that your divisions need to have at least 3-5 pseudobulbs to have enough energy to grow well. Leafless but firm back bulbs count toward that total.)

Seal a cleaned BB upright in a Ziplok quart plastic bag with a large handful of your moistened mix and a label. Place in a cool, shady location and wait. Germinating BBs can be a lot of fun and rewarding in obtaining plants to share. There are many ways to do this, some more successful than others.

Years ago I went to a sale at Santa Barbara Orchid Estate. Along with everything else they had a huge box of unlabeled back bulbs at 5/$5.

Did you buy any? If so, did any of them grow up for you?

It was approximately 1999. I bought ten. Not one sprouted. That certainly may have been my fault.

Some 30 years ago or more, there was an article in the AOS bulletin about nestling the bases of the back bulbs in a tray of moist perlite. 2” depth of perlite, 1” depth of water, nestle the bulbs in no more than about 1/2”. I tried it and it worked quite well.

That’s where I got the idea that led to semi-hydroponics.

That's what I do with all back bulbs, Cymbs or not. But I use pots and bark. The key is keep the medium around the bulb base always moist.
My sucess rate is around 80 to 90%.

[QUOTE=Ray;981858]Some 30 years ago or more, there was an article in the AOS bulletin about nestling the bases of the back bulbs in a tray of moist perlite. 2” depth of perlite, 1” depth of water, nestle the bulbs in no more than about 1/2”. I tried it and it worked quite well.

That’s where I got the idea that led to semi-hydroponics.[/QUOTE
Nice!!! I will try that!!!!