Can my Oncidium be divided?

[Sweetpea7458]

I've been growing orchids for a little over a year with pretty good results. In particular, one of my oncidiums has two shoots coming off of a main pseudobulb and each shoot has their own roots. I was wondering if they can be removed and started as individual plants? Any help regarding this matter would be greatly apreciated.

Thanks,
Fran from Indiana

[digitalgate]

they need their "mother" to grow properly. Which also tell me that you might not have enough light for your plant. Usually they only have one keiki. Two of them developing together suggest that you move to a brighter location

[chickita]

sweetpea758... Fran, i can't answer yur ? sorry but i'm just here 2 say this 2 this forum!

Chickita,

[kmarch]

sweetpea,

In order for a division should have at least 3 fully mature pseudobulbs for the best chances of a successful division...

...but...

...why divide at all when a larger plant is more vigorous and produces more flowers?

[jerrymeola]

Keep in mind that removing the new growths will probably prevent any flowering this year.

Flowers will come from the new growth is attached to the main plant. When you remove them the stress may cause them to skip this year.

I have potted single Oncidium bulbs for propagation. The three bulb rule is more appropriate to Cattleya than Oncidium, but it may well delay flowering a year. Planting large divisions, will usually not skip a flowering season.

When re-potting Oncidium, consider removing leafless back bulbs and potting them. I pot single back bulbs every season in the winter. I then get new 6 inches of keiki growth over the next 6 months. I lose about 1/3 of the bulbs and some take much longer to start. This is a small price when I get 4-6 back bulbs and a good 4 inch flowering plant from an overgrown Oncidium.

[kmarch]

Jerry, in your more ideal commercial greenhouse environment, and to serve commercial interests (namely obtaining more plants at a lower per-plant cost) I understand that you might divide into 1-bulb divisions, but certainly you'd agree that this would never be recommended for the hobbiest, especially in this instance when it sounds like these are just sprouts and not mature growths.

And I reiterate my previous comment: Why divide and end up with several plants that don't flower because they're too weak or which flower poorly when you can leave the plant intact and get more and better flowers?

[jerrymeola]

I think I made it clear that divisions will often delay flowering. I only stated that it could be done if you were willing to accept the results. Single divisions of Cattleya almost always do badly.

That is why I recommend the alternative of taking back bulbs from mature Oncidium and leaving the new growth attached. This will result in additional plants with little stress to the original plant.

I try to avoid mentioning prices on this forum. But here I think an example is in order. I see a lot of people want to divide their plants, thinking that it is a cheap way of increasing their collection.

Oncidium division 2-3 bulbs are not very valuable. At the end of the season in April many wholesalers will cut up their plants and sell the divisions. They are not worth the shelf space to keep them over a winter (usually you need 1000 of the same plant to be commercially feasible.)

This past April I was selling Oncidium divisions for $2. Sweetpea compare this to the beautiful plant you have now and think again if you really want to divide it.

[Sweetpea7458]

Thank you for the information. I will take your advice and for go the division of my oncidium and enjoy the large, lush plant I've grown and simply put it into a larger pot.

[norris]

I divided a large plant a few years ago, when I was new to growing, and hadn't found this forum I had about 6 growths each half. I regret it now, thinking about how I could have had one really large specimen by now

[kid a]

Hello! From Indiana also welcome to the forum!