Schomburgkia back bulbs, what to do?

[Miller]

I know, I have been out of control with the posts today! So I got this new schombo in today, it has several backbulbs on the mount. I am wondering if I should remove the back bulbs and maybe attempt to grow them as new plants. I've attached some pics for your review?

[coeruleo]

what if you cut through the stem that joins them, but leave them attached to the mount? less root damage, and maybe they will put out strong new growths and have more leads. it might get enormous though, that does seem like a huge plant. i used to do that with cymbidiums, and not pull them out and repot, and they grew new leads and way more flower spikes the second year after cutting.

[cdayinflorida]

I seldom will cut entirely through when separating BBs from the front of the plant. I use a single-edged razor and cut about half way through. Sort of making a tiny wedge. For me that tiny bit of attachment to the front of the plant works.
Remember BBs are there for a reason. They provide support for the actively growing plant.

[Magnus A]

As coeruleo suggests.

If I had the plant and wanted to divide it I would start with cutting through the rizome between the last two back-bulbs with leafs. I then would leave the plant on this mount until the back-bulb put out a new lead and consider divide the mount at the point when the new lead put out it´s first root. Then remount the backbulbs with the old mount onto a new bigger mount. This will not disturb any old roots more than necessary.

When cutting a rizome in this way it can be good to cut it in two places, to get some air between the parts.

/M

[Halloamey]

I would leave it as it is, but if you want to divide there are two things you have to keep in mind.
1) Firstly there should be a dormant bud at the base of at least one of the pesudobulbs. Usually every pesudobulb has two dormant buds at the base, but only one of them will produce a new lead, and one of the them will stay dormant for the future as a back-up. But some times both will produce new leads. In that case the original pseudobulb is left with no buds. Now if cut away both these leads and expect this old bulb to produce new leads chances are that in 95% cases it will not, you can see such a scenario in the second photo, the 3rd bulb from the bottom has already produced two leads from both of its buds, if you were to cut between the 3rd and 4th bulb, the 3rd bulb will not produce any new leads and if all the older bulbs have similarly used up their buds, then such a division is usually a 'dead' division.

2) The second consideration as Cathy mentioned is that the older bulbs are to nourish the new leads while they cannot synthesize their own food, so have division with atleast 4 older pseudobulbs.

[Miller]

Oh well I think I will just let it be. The picture is a bit deceiving, while the orchids are not small, the picture is at an angle that makes them look a lot larger. I was more concerned with making the mount look more pleasing. I will let it be and maybe mount the existing mount to a new piece of cork.

[King Kjeldz]

Mr.Miller......i have similar Schombos or Myrmecophila....for those familiar....those pseudobulbs are hollow and have no growing points usually........as for supporting new PB...i always cut dem off to neaten the plant....those hollow things dont really do much..personally i wud cut off the three leafless ones and leave the one with the leaf

[Halloamey]

I completely disagree

Mr.Miller......i have similar Schombos or Myrmecophila....for those familiar....those pseudobulbs are hollow and have no growing points usually........as for supporting new PB...i always cut dem off to neaten the plant....those hollow things dont really do much..personally i wud cut off the three leafless ones and leave the one with the leaf

[King Kjeldz]

I completely disagree

i have huge clumps that are out of control....they flower when they feel like....the mount rotted away years ago and they form their own kind of mount....i cut and dispose those old backbulbs wen i can.....i try to treat dem as i would a catt....keep at least four to six pb per division..... they dry up and turn yellow if left on the plant but if u cud get them to grow@Halloamey#demigod

[Miller]

Well, I may have to remount. The orchid has climbed to the top of the mount so there really is no where for it to go. I will have to figure out how to make that happen some time in the near future.