Hello, I enjoyed looking at your web site.  I only have two orchids but I am thrilled each spring when they put out flower shoots.Question?  My petite orchid with 2 prongs had one accidentally broken off at a pseudobulb without roots.   Will it root if I put it in potting soil?  It is very healthy.  I hate to just throw it away.  Help!!!Peggy

Dear Peggy, all you can do is to try. I always say - give it a chance. I'll suggest leaving it in original pot  and if it roots more power to it! And if not, oh well. I hope you don't really use a potting soil for your orchids? Make sure to use Orchid potting mixture based on bark, charcoll, sphagnum moss, lava rock.... wich you can find at any Lowes, Home Depo, Wal Mart.... Good luck!

I have a large white Phal with a small new plant coming out at the base of the plant. It already has three leaves but I can't see any roots yet. It is getting larger all the time and I don't know quite what to do with it. I had one do this before and after seeing three roots, I separated it from the mother plant and potted it. It has a good root system now but the leaves (two are left) are very limp.   This particular orchid is beautiful right now with large white blooms cascading down a stem and I don't want to do anything to hurt it but am afraid that this "new" plant is taking energy from it. Can you give me any info on what to do? Thank you very much, Betty

Hi Batty, the best time to re-pot or divide Phalaenopsis is just after flowering. After dividing and repotting place your plant in shady and humid area until continued new root growth is observed. If the leaves are soft and limp the plants are probably very light-sensitive, and should not be placed in a sunny south-facing window. Or the cause is lack of water or dehydration. The next step is to determine why the plant is not getting sufficient water. First, look at the roots. If they appear a healthy white or green and are plump, and the medium is in good shape, suspect underwatering, especially if the roots are white and the pot is very light. If, on the other hand, the roots are in poor condition, suspect root loss. If the plant has no roots, it cannot take up any water, no matter how much you give it. In this case, the cause may be root loss owing to overwatering or medium deterioration, or a recently repotted and poorly established plant. The immediate solution is to raise humidity in the plants vicinity to reduce stress on whatever roots there may be, and then simply wait until the plant establishes. You don't have to divide your orchid, it may be shifted into a larger pot. Phalaenopsis should be repotted in a fresh medium every one or two years. Good luck

Dividing and repoting cymbidium orchids Hello,   I live in the Bay area of Northern California.  I would like to share an orchid with a dear friend who is leaving soon.  Can I divide and repot my orchid now without killing or seriously damaging it?  I have several.  Two have blooms and the others do not.  Would it be best to divide the ones with or the ones withoug blooms?  Do I have to wait until new roots grow to repot after dividing?  I've never divided or repoted, so I'm a bit nervous about possibly destroying the plants.  Thanks for your web site!

Hi Rene, Yes you can divide your orchid if it has enough of growth. Cymbidiums usually easy to split, first water your plant and than pop it out of the pot, look if you can spot a division (clump of pseudobulbs not less then 4) and just pull a part. Use scissors if necessary to make a cut on a rhizome. If your plant is very big you might have to use a heavy duty cutters or a saw. The plant you'll separate will have roots. Pot it in orchid medium, make sure to keep the bulbs above the potting material and pack roots tight. Don't be nervous orchids are tough. You can divide an orchid with flowers but you may lose them in process. Good luck

I recently received an orchid plant as a gift.  It has finished blooming.  Do I have to cut off the stem that held the blooms?  Thanks.

Depends on a type of orchid, if you have a Phalaenopsis, cut right below finished blooms. In time, about two months, an orchid may re bloom. Cattleya type of orchid will not re bloom in the same pseudobolb. Just for esthetics, cut the stem off at the bottom. Flowers appear again on a new growth.

I have an orchid (Phalanopsis I think)  after it flowered I cut the stems (2)  back to about six inches from the base. After a few months both stems sprouted new plants which are now about three inches across and are sending out clusters of six or so roots about two or three inches long. Can I cut these free from the mother plant? How should I do it? Laird

Hi Laird, hear is some info for you. Remember, Phalaenopsis needs change of potting material once a year. you don't need to divide unless you wish to share with someone or produce more plants.     Orchid plants need repotting for one or a combination of two main factors: Potting mix breakdown, often evidenced by dead roots; or plant over-growing the pot, growing over the edge. In the first case, a larger pot may not be required, simply replacement of the growing media. In the second case, the plant may require dividing or may simply be shifted into a larger pot. Fresh media should always be used. Freshly repotted plants should be placed in a shady, humid area until continued new root growth is observed. In general, if in doubt, pot in the spring.

dancing lady orchids what is the best way to cut the flowers bracts from a dancing lady orchid? Joe

Hi Joe, You may cut right below the last flower, living the steam to produce new spray of flowers. It takes couple of  month and no way to know if it will make another bloom. Otherwise, just cut it off low close to the bulb.    click here to see attached picture.

I have small orchids groowing on the  main orchid plant. They look like miniature orchids. What do I do with them? Can I cut them off and replant them? Thank you for your help.                         Carol

Hi Carol, I gess you have a dendrobium orchid. At times they will produce so called "keikis" (Hawaiian word meaning baby) on the old canes. The keiki can be removed from the cane with its roots attached and potted in a seedling grade of orchid potting medium. The best time to remove the keiki is when root growth is just beginning, before the roots get so long that they will be injured during repotting. Allow the potting medium to dry well between irrigations. Too much moisture around the roots will cause the roots to rot. Keep the plant in a location with high humidity. If plants produce all keikis and no blooms, too much fertilizer and temperatures too warm at night are usually to blame.

the main plant stem (not a flower spike) on my dendrobium orchid has been broken off by one of my pets.  It is about 8 inches tall and i would like to save it. Should i put the stem in water or into orchid bark medium? can it be saved? cj

Hi GJ You may lay the broken stem on the top of sphagnum moss, with time it may sprout keikis from thejoints. When you see some roots developing, cut the stem in sections and pot them. Good luck