When is the best time to divide orchids?

When is the best time to divide the plants?

Because orchids have a relatively developed root system, their growth is restricted by the flowerpot, and they become tangled and intertwined inside it, with nowhere to stretch, so fertilizing and watering them are very unfavorable. Moreover, the pot is crowded and has poor air permeability, making it easily threatened by pests and diseases, and it is also difficult to divide the plant. Therefore, the pot is usually changed every two or three years after planting. If the variety is more expensive, it can be changed every three or four years. However, the density of roots in the flowerpots is different, the potting soil, pests and diseases, etc. are different, so the time for division will also be different.

If we divide the plant before it blooms, it may result in fewer or no flowers at all. If the plant is divided when the leaf buds are tillering, there is a possibility that the leaf buds will be damaged. Moreover, different varieties have different living environments and are subject to different external interferences. As a result, it is impossible to find an accurate time to divide the plants without harming them.

When an orchid blooms, its growth and development is in a dormant stage. After blooming, the reproductive genes will begin to go dormant and then enter the growth stage again. Therefore, you can change the pot within half a month after the flowers fall, so as not to affect the flowering of the plant and the leaf buds of the plant will not be damaged. Division during this period will also help leaf buds differentiate better. Generally speaking, the best time to divide orchids is after they bloom.