Dividing Your Orchid

Dividing your orchids is an important step in expanding your collection as well as ensuring healthy growth for the future. There are a number of reasons why you may need to divide an orchid such as:
(1) out growing an existing pot and
(2) the deterioration of potting medium over time.

How Often Should You Divide?
Most orchid medium starts to deteriorate within two to three years. Refreshing the potting medium is important for the plant to absorb fresh nutrients and avoid root rot, fungus or bacteria. Depending on the orchid variety, most plants will be ready for splitting or a larger pot within two to three years of active growth.

There are two recommended times to divide your orchids:

• following an active flowering season
• when new roots and pseudo bulbs begin to form

It is not recommended to divide your plants when new spikes and/or blooms are forming. The disruption could result in dropped buds or stunted growth.

Steps to Take When Dividing
​Your Orchids:

1. Scrub and clean your pots with a water and light bleach solution to ensure that any bacteria or fungus has been removed.
2. Sterilize your cutting tools with rubbing alcohol, a blow torch or Physan 20.
3. Remove the plant from its current pot. You may need to break the old pot depending on how overgrown your plant may be.
4. Remove and dispose old bark, charcoal or rocks to expose the bare roots of the plant.
5. Cut away dead roots and or rotting pseudo bulbs with your sterilized trimmers. Select a good place to cut the rhizome between plants. At a minimum you need to leave at least three to five pseudo bulbs for each new plant. Larger divisions will ensure healthy new plants.
6. Consider dipping the roots of the plant in a rooting hormone such as Rootone to stimulate new growth.
7. Repot your plant in fresh potting medium and ad a controlled release fertilizer.
8. Secure your divided plants with wire or pins to prevent your orchids from tipping over until the plant is established with new roots.
9. Water after repotting and resume your normal watering schedule.
10. Watch for new growth and enjoy!

​​Dividing your orchids will ensure healthy future growth while also allowing you to double your collection or share plants with friends and family. Happy blooming!

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