The Art Of Breeding Orchids

Breeding orchids can be a highly challenging endeavor. It needs a lot of patience because the orchid seeds are characteristically small and mortality rate of both the seeds and the sprouts are high. In the wild, new orchid plants grow relatively close to the original orchid. This is probably because the seeds of the original plant will have fallen somewhere close unless taken away by insects.

Since breeding orchids can be exhaustive and sometimes absolutely discouraging, many people and orchid enthusiasts prefer to raise and grow orchids by cutting them from the original roots or getting off shoots. Another way of obtaining a new orchid plant is to cut tubers from which visible roots have already grown.

Breeding Orchids For Variety

Some orchid enthusiasts like to experiment with growing new varieties of orchids; this is where breeding orchids manually come in. The tedious task of breeding orchids can also be very gratifying when you successfully manage to grow an orchid plant direct from a seed. The reason why people like breeding orchids this way is to create a new a variety of orchid plant. You can increase the size, color and hardiness of a plant by selective breeding. You can also create your very own kind of plant by breeding orchids or different kinds but which are compatible.

What To Do

The initial step to breeding orchids is to select an orchid plant. Collecting the pollen from the parent plants can be tricky because handling it is difficult. A thin sharp instrument can be used to collect pollen for breeding orchids. The individual must ensure that he will not touch or contaminate the pollen with any fungus or bacteria that can compromise the health of the seed. The pollen or seed must then be placed into the female plant where one must wait patiently for signs of fertilization.

The first signs of fertilization are when the flower wilts and then a bump will form at around the base of the flower. The flower will eventually drop off and should be settled in a moist area where drainage is best. The roots will then appear but not for several weeks in which time there is a risk of pests carrying off the fertilized flower or eating it up. Other orchids take as long as 18 months to several years before they bloom.

Breeding orchids can not actually be called a waste of time, especially considering the amount of failures that some breeders' experience, but you can call it a test of patience.