Never to propagate Orchid... why?

[flowlover]

Hi. I spent a lot of money because of my love for orchids. Because I was never successful in propagating it. Keiki, seed, I tried many methods. I'm about to give up. Why is orchid difficult when propagating other flowers (hydrangea propagation, and plants is so easy? Also Alstroemeria propagation is very very easy.

[estación seca]

Growing orchids from seed usually requires a sterile laboratory. It's not easy. Most of the "orchid seeds" sold on Amazon and eBay are not orchid seeds.

Growing orchids from divisions isn't difficult if you know how to do it. But it is slower than propagating some plants.

[Roberta]

Also, propagating orchids from division is often a matter of timing - only when it is producing new roots will it want to establish. There are a few orchids that can be propagated from cuttings (such as Vanilla) but those are the exception. It's all about roots. You need to have actively growing new roots to have any chance of success at all. Other groups of plants will readily produce roots from cuttings. Not orchids, they root only from very specific tissue and only at the right time.

[Orchids hate me]

Originally Posted by flowlover

Hi. I spent a lot of money because of my love for orchids. Because I was never successful in propagating it. Keiki, seed, I tried many methods. I'm about to give up. Why is orchid difficult when propagating other flowers (hydrangea propagation, and plants is so easy? Also Alstroemeria propagation is very very easy.

This works on Phalaenopsis, on the spike, below the flowers, carefully remove the sheath over the bud. Take half a paper towel and fold it down to an inch or so, take one of the clamps used to hold up the spikes clamp the paper over the bud, and keep it wet occasionally. I have also put 6-BAP in the water, with only 2 drops to 200 ml.
I should have said I use an eye dropper to wet the paper.
Plus it takes a long time for things to happen, well it's an orchid, everything takes a long time.

[Roberta]

Originally Posted by Orchids hate me

This works on Phalaenopsis, on the spike, below the flowers, carefully remove the sheath over the bud. Take half a paper towel and fold it down to an inch or so, take one of the clamps used to hold up the spikes clamp the paper over the bud, and keep it wet occasionally. I have also put 6-BAP in the water, with only 2 drops to 200 ml.

Some Phals make keikis more readily than others. If you get one, make sure that the roots are well established before separating it from the mother plant. And be prepared to wait for several years to get flowers, in most cases.

[Orchids hate me]

I have never had a Phals make a keikis all by itself, but I have had a new short spike making flowers.