When a Dendrobium nobile sprouts cuttings, we don't let this gift pass us by. With the right care strategy, the child turns into an orchid that is just as magnificent as its mother plant. Read here how to properly cut and care for an offshoot.
The child may only be removed when it has at least two aerial roots
What to do if a child sprout?
Out of the blue, small roots and leaves sprout on a dendrobium bulb, where we actually expect flowers. Anyone who is surprised by this gift for the first time rightly asks how to proceed now. How to do it right:
- Leave the baby on the bulb until it has several aerial roots and at least 2 leaves
- Until then, care for the mother plants as usual
- In addition, spray the offshoot daily with soft water
There is no rush to separate the child from the mother plant. As long as the stalk is still green, the offshoot is supplied with water and nutrients. If the bulb slowly retracts, cut off the child with a sharp, disinfected knife. Start the cut about 2 cm below the aerial roots, leaving a small piece of the parent stem attached to the cutting.
Potting and caring for Dendrobium Kindel - This is how it works
After separating from the mother orchid, pot the offspring immediately. For this purpose, fill a small, transparent culture pot with fine-grained pine bark substrate. If the aerial roots are still too small to gain a foothold, use a mix of coconut fiber soil and lava granules.(13.99€)
The care program for a daughter plant does not differ from adult Dendrobium nobile - with one exception. Cover the growing pot with a transparent hood until a strong system of aerial roots and leaves has developed. The warm, humid micro-climate generated in this way simulates the natural rainforest climate so that a child can survive this delicate phase unscathed.
tips
If a Dendrobium nobile sprouts at a young age, this can be an indication of root rot. The mother plant sees its existence threatened and strives to survive in this way. If in doubt, unpot the orchid to check the root ball for waterlogging. Timely repotting in dry pine bark substrate can save mother and daughter plants.