Orchid propagation is a bit more complicated than the propagation of other garden plants. Here I will describe the different orchid propagation methods, some of which you can do at home.

There are a few methods of propagating orchids, but the most common are division and using back bulbs. When the orchid plant has out-grown its container, carefully remove the plant from the orchid pot (watering the potting mix before hand will help) and wash off the old potting mix. Remove any damaged, or dead, roots and then use a clean pair of cutters to cut through the rhizome. Ideally you should be able to make two or three divisions, but that depends on the size of the plant. Each division ought to have three or four pseudobulbs. Once the divisions have been made, you need to repot the new plants as soon as possible. Add fresh potting mix into a container and place the new orchid plant into the pot, packing the potting mix firmly around the plant. Back bulbs are simply pseudobulbs that have not flowered, or have previously flowered. These can be separated when you are dividing the plant during orchid propagation.

Propagating orchids from seed is a bit more complicated as the seeds are so small. Because orchid seeds have no nutrient storage reserves, they need to have instant access to nutrients in order to germinate and grow. Most orchid propagators use a sterile medium to place the orchid seeds on and the seeds then grow in these culture vessels. By imitating pollinating insects, nurserymen can pollinate orchid flowers using a toothpick. The seed pod will develop and after several months, the seeds can be harvested from the pod before it splits open. Another orchid propagation method is meristem culture. This involves removing the meristematic tissue from growing tips and then culturing the cells on a sterile environment. Meristem propagation is usually done by large commercial growers who have their own tissue culture laboratory. Other orchid propagation methods are aerial cuttings (often used for propagating Dendrobium orchids) and keikis. Phalaenopsis orchids produce keikis (new plantlets) which grow on nodes along the flower spike.

These are some general methods for propagating orchids. For more valuable orchid growing information, have a look at the excellent guide, the Orchid Care Expert.

Learn How To Care For and Grow Amazing Orchids Using Easy To Follow, Step-By-Step Techniques

• Find out how much light your type of orchid needs.
• Does your Cattleya need to be watered at different intervals to your Epidendrum? It certainly does...
• Follow the 7 step procedure for producing hybrids.
• Find out how the use of bamboo skewers can solve your watering problems.
• Are you using fertilizer on your orchids? Learn to use it in the correct frequency.
• Find out how to care for your orchid throughout the year with the Taking Care of Your Orchids For Every Season chapter.
• Hot tips for buying the right orchid.
• Learn about growing orchids in a hydroponic garden.
• Recommendations on which orchids are suitable for experts or which can be grown by beginners.
• Hot tips for growing virus free orchids.

For more information on this unique orchid care guide, visit the Orchid Care Expert.

For the newbie orchid grower, starting off with younger orchid plants is a great way to learn how to care for them as you watch them grow and blossom. When getting a young orchid plant for the first time, try and find out as much about it as possible. Knowing what species it is is very important, as is the sort of environment it is found in the wild. From here you'll have a better idea what watering, temperature, light and humidity requirements it needs.

Make a list of supplies you may need for your young orchid plant. This should include the correct potting mix and a specialized orchid fertilizer. Keep a plant pesticide and fungicide handy in case your plant suddenly gets attacked by something. Orchids generally need repotting once a year so there is no hurry to get another pot just yet. A water sprayer is handy as it is easier to control the quantity of water you give your plant.

It is essential that you get the potting mix right. Most orchids do not grow in the standard garden soil or garden plant potting mixes. There are species of orchid that prefer a bark potting mix and others that prefer a sand mix. Always leave the young orchid plant in the potting mix that you received it in. Don't repot the plant until it has grown to a size where it has overgrown the existing pot. When you do repot, select a pot size slightly bigger as orchids do not like being transferred to containers that are much larger then the one they are in.

Often young orchid plants are kept in potting media that appears quite dry. This is done on purpose to prevent fungal infections. Orchid roots rot very easily if they are over watered. It is much better to gradually water the plant over time, rather than do a sudden soak if the potting medium is very dry. Because young orchid plants are not yet flowering, they require different light intensities to those needed by mature orchids. If the lighting is too low, the leaves will start to turn a dark green color. Gradually increase the light by changing the plant's position and when the leaves appear a healthy light green color then that should be fine.