How to propagate an orchid at home quickly and easily? Simply with a banana peel. Here’s how to do it.

Orchids and bananas

Aesthetically very beautiful, elegant and sophisticated, orchids are probably the most demanding houseplants. Although they are minimalist plants, their flowers are capable of really coloring and beautifying any environment. Caring for them requires a little attention but is not particularly difficult. In fact, it is possible to propagate this idea at home with a few simple steps and with a few natural ingredients. Let’s see how to do it.

How to propagate an orchid at home.

Propagating an orchid indoors can seem like a difficult task. In reality, all you need is a branch of a withered orchid that might look almost dead, a small banana, some ground cinnamon, a clove of garlic, some moss, a candle, a plastic bottle and some water. The process is simple and only requires a little time and patience until the orchid takes root.

Propagating an orchid


First you must identify the branch to be cut. It is best to choose a branch without flowers or buds. Cut it off from the rest of the plant and cut the ends again until you can see the bright green color inside. From this branch our new orchid plant will emerge. At this point it is necessary to peel a clove of garlic and use it to pass the ends of the branch inside. With the clove of garlic you must massage the two green sides of the branch well. This will prevent the formation of mold or mildew and prevent the branch from rotting.

Now take a candle and light it. When the wax starts to flow, use it to seal the ends of the branch. It may seem like a procedure that prevents the plant from breathing or sprouting, but in reality this technique will help prevent our branch from losing water. Now that you have prepared the branch for propagation, all you have to do is proceed with the procedure.

The propagation process
Take your small banana, peel it and put the fruit and the peels in a blender. Then add a liter of water and mix everything well. When you have obtained a liquid mixture, equip yourself with a strainer and filter the substance obtained into a glass jar.

Banana for orchid propagation.

This liquid will act as an activator for the branch, which will remain completely submerged in a hermetically sealed container for at least 20 minutes. Meanwhile, pour a teaspoon of cinnamon and a liter of boiling water into another container. Mix this mixture well and let it cool.

Once it has reached room temperature, also proceed in this case and filter everything well. The mixture of water and cinnamon will serve as a disinfectant for the moss in which we will place our future orchid. Then immerse the moss in the mixture and let it soak for 20 minutes. Once the time has elapsed, squeeze it well and let it dry on a paper towel.

Now you just have to build your miniature greenhouse in which to place the orchid branch. Take a large water bottle and cut it a third of the way from the bottom, leaving a part together so that you can open and close it.

Bottle for mini greenhouse

Place some pebbles at the bottom of the bottle, which will act as a drain and prevent water from stagnating. Then put the moss on top and place the orchid branch horizontally on top. Moisten it with the same water in which you dipped it.

Spray it completely with a little water and close the bottle to maintain humidity. Continue spraying at regular intervals and after a few weeks you will be able to see the first shoots. We recommend that you keep the branch in the DIY greenhouse for at least a couple more months. After that you will have a rooted plant that can be buried in the bark.