Orchid Repotting
Orchids in cultivation require regular repotting. An adult plant should be repotted on average every other year, or perhaps once a year, depending upon porri the type.
Most orchids will be happy in ordinary plastic pots; in fact, these are preferable to clay pots owing to the dry nature of the compost. Clay pots are useful for top-heavy plants, standing the plastic pot inside a slightly larger clay one. Those orchids which persist in making aerial roots can be treated differently; they can be put into hanging baskets, or wired onto a piece of cork bark. Cork bark is best because it takes a very long time to rot and because the roots can easily adhere to the rough surface.
The plant is removed from its pot by turning it upside down and sharply tapping the top edge against the potting bench. Tap it well away from the new growth which could he damaged. If the plant does not give, try squeezing the pot or rolling it between the hands and tap again. The pot will be easier to remove if the plant is dry. There will be a solid ball of thick roots. Most of those on the outside will be alive, but the older dead roots inside the root ball should be removed after breaking up the root ball.
Whereas the propagation of many orchids is easy and rewarding, the raising of orchids from seed is far more complicated and cannot be achieved as easily. Nevertheless, it is not beyond the scope of the amateur grower, and two methods of seed raising are described. Whether you are propagating or seed raising your orchids, both are long-term projects which can take from three to six years to achieve flowering plants.
A further method of propagation is by mass tissue culture known as meristem culture. This is a laboratory technique requiring professional skill and involves the taking of the growing meristem tip from within the new growth, and culturing the nucleus of cells in a similar way to germinating orchid seed artificially. The results are any number of identical plants, all multiplications of the one clone. Only the very finest orchids are treated in this way, making them generally available at reasonable prices.There should now be no old compost left around the roots, which can be trimmed accordingly.
A plant which has been reduced in size by the removal of backbulbs will often return to the same sized pot. Sufficient crocking material should be used to cover the bottom. Polystyrene pieces of packing material are ideal for this purpose.