Due to their beauty and long flowering, orchids are very popular tropical plants. However, over time the roots can overflow the pot due to lack of space; These sooner or later end up drying out and rotting. In addition to transplanting them, you should also think about reproducing your orchids. We show you a simple trick!
Orchid: a brief history…
The orchid is one of the largest plant families, with more than 25,000 species. With its beauty, spectacular shapes and colors, the orchid has fascinated plant lovers for centuries. Appearing almost 200 million years ago , these sumptuous flowers have since spread throughout the world. In fact, the first document that refers to orchids is found in the work “Inquiry into Plants”, dated around the year 300 BC. C., written by Theophrastus, considered the father of botany. However, the plant was identified as an “orchid” in the 1st. century by Pedanius Dioscorides, Greek botanist, pharmacologist and doctor in the Roman army, in his encyclopedic work “De Materia Medica” which lists medicinal plants and their healing power. Given its popularity, lovers of this plant have shared several tips. We make you discover a very simple method to reproduce your orchid .
How to raise an orchid with the plastic bottle trick?
You don’t need to be an expert or have a green thumb to get orchids to bloom in your home . All you need is a plastic bottle and a few minutes of concentration. We show you the steps to follow below:
Reproduce an orchid: what you need:
- At least 2 branches of orchids
- A little moss (Sphagnum)
- 2 elastic bands
- An empty plastic bottle
- A cutter or scissors
- a little alcohol
Reproduction of an orchid: how to proceed?
- First, cut a cutting from your plant with a sterilized utility knife or scissors. You can also take a single cutting and cut it in half to get two stems of the same size.
- Cut the flower if it is still present.
- Place the foam in a bowl, sprinkle it with a little water and squeeze it out with your hands. Generally, sphagnum moss is an ideal moss that is very suitable for growing orchids. Therefore, it helps to establish the tropical atmosphere around the roots of the orchid.
- Wrap the hydrated moss around the end of each cutting and secure it with the rubber bands so it stays still.
- Now is the time to prepare your plastic bottle. Cut it in half with a cutter so that you can join the two parts.
- Fill the bottle with 2 centimeters of water and then place your cuttings at the bottom so that the moss is well submerged in the water.
- Close the bottle by inserting the top into the bottom.
- Then, make some holes in the cork with a needle or punch (you can heat them up to make it easier).
- Close the bottle and place it in a well-lit place for 2 weeks. Be sure to keep your plant away from drafts and excessive heat.
- When the roots appear, it would be time to plant the cuttings in a pot.
With this simple trick you can easily reproduce orchids at home and surround yourself with their beautiful and refined flowers.