How to Separate Orchid Plants

Select an orchid with five or more pseudobulbs for separating. The pseudobulb is the thickened, solid, bulb-like part of the orchid that stores food and water. Determine that the orchid has finished blooming for the season. Check for new growth emerging from the eye at the base of the pseudobulb; the best time to separate an orchid into multiple plants is during repotting when new growth begins to appear.

Gently remove the orchid from the pot. Disturbing the root system as little as possible, shake and rinse the soil from the roots. Ideally, plan your separations to keep three pseudobulbs and one new growth per cut. Cut between the bulbs with a sterilized knife, keeping the roots intact. The pseudobulbs are connected to each other by rhizomes, or runners; cut these to sever the ties between the separated sections. Remove any dry and dead roots or pseudobulbs that are soft and brown.

Repot the separated orchids in fresh orchid potting mix.