Cytokinin paste for orchids: instructions, why and how to use it

The use of cytokinin paste on orchids has repeatedly proven effective. It can also be used on other houseplants, providing a number of beneficial benefits. The paste's safety for various plant species has been proven by gardener experiments. Its properties promote growth, development, and flowering. By providing additional support to the root system, the cytokinin paste benefits the entire orchid.

Description and properties

The paste is sold in various forms, but you can also make your own. It contains anhydrous lanolin, cytokinin, and rubbing alcohol. This substance is thick, similar to toothpaste in consistency. Sometimes it resembles runny sour cream. The color is white or beige with yellowish streaks.

Important properties of cytokinin paste:

• awakening of dormant flower stalks, formation of new buds;
• treatment of wounds that appear on the plant's body;
• stimulation of root growth;
• to stimulate flowering if the flower suddenly falls asleep, loses strength and the desire to continue blooming;
• used for breeding, stimulation of reproduction;
• for growth and rooting of babies.

Cytokinin paste for orchids is rarely sold in paste form. More commonly found on the shelves of specialty stores is a white, loose powder called 6-BAP. The disadvantages of this form of preparation are its limited shelf life and the difficulty of diluting it yourself.

It's easy to make the paste yourself, purchasing all the necessary ingredients. However, the shelf life of this homemade remedy is significantly shorter, so it's recommended to use it within the first three days after preparation to avoid harming the plant and losing its beneficial properties.

It is best to purchase the ointment fully prepared in sealed packaging to increase shelf life.

Advantages and disadvantages

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The main advantage of using the paste is its speed of action. The effect is immediate after application. Other benefits:

1. Direct influence on metabolic processes in plant cells: the factor significantly increases efficiency.
2. Use is permitted in any flower growing conditions - in a pot or in the garden.
3. Help with recovery after damage – the instructions allow using the substance even on weak orchids, the main thing is to do it correctly.
4. Ease of use: Using industrially produced cytokinin paste is easy if you follow the instructions.

The product has some disadvantages that prevent its use:

1. Incompatibility with plant pests. Before use, be sure to check the plant for pests. If present, remove them first, and then apply cytokinin-containing products. Otherwise, the plant will expend all its energy on new buds and shoots, but will soon die due to the final weakening of the parent plant.
2. Negative impact on young shoots of phalaenopsis: underdeveloped plants dry out under the influence of substances from the composition of the product, the leaves are turning yellow and fall off.
3. Frequent treatments dry out the root and neutralize the nutrients in the root system.

Impact on the plant

The combination of all the substances in the composition affects different parts of the plant, providing comprehensive treatment of the vegetative and root systems of the orchid.

Sometimes buds appear on plants, but are slow to open. The paste can awaken dormant buds and provide stimulating orchid floweringYou can use the ointment for these purposes several times in a row, but you shouldn't change the method used.

The steps to wake up are:

1. Carefully examine the plant to determine where the youngest bud is.
2. Using a sharp blade, remove the outermost scale. It's important to do this very carefully. Remove the scales completely.
3. Apply a small amount of the product to a toothpick and spread the paste evenly over the entire kidney.
4. Orchid propagation using cytokinin paste occurs due to the formation of new babies in new buds, suitable for transplanting into other pots.

Hormonal ointment for orchids affects metabolic processes in plant cells. This process occurs in fully developed and mature plants. Orchid propagation paste slows cell aging, provides them with adequate nutrition, and helps form new buds and offspring. With a well-regulated metabolism, it becomes easier for orchids to develop and grow, adapting to new conditions. To regulate this process, apply cytokinin ointment with gentle massaging movements to the stems and under the leaves. Repeat the procedure 3-4 times, two days apart.

When applied to the flower's vegetative system, the paste initiates a process of cell regeneration. As cells renew themselves, they stop aging and acquire the ability to actively reproduce. The number of offspring ready to separate from the mother increases.

To stimulate growth and flowering, incorporate the ointment into the growing process. When buds begin to swell on the stems, gently apply the ointment to the area in front of the expected buds and rub it in thoroughly. Once absorbed, the cytokinin triggers regeneration processes at the application site and throughout the entire flower. Apply the paste under the leaves and at the base of the young plant. The renewed cells stimulate the flower to open buds, and it blooms. If the orchid grows tall but does not produce buds, stop fertilizing and be sure to begin treating the vegetative system.

To use the product as a reproduction stimulant, apply it to the buds. First, apply the ointment to a cotton pad, then tie it to the area where the bud is forming, and leave it for 2-3 hours until completely absorbed. Repeat the procedure after two days. By saturating the soil cells with nutrients, they produce buds that can stimulate the flower's reproduction.

How to use cytokinin paste: step-by-step instructions

First, you need to choose an orchid. If the flower doesn't have a flower stalk, using the paste will be pointless.

Next steps:

1. Select a bud. The lowest or highest bud is the best developed, so it's best to choose one of them for growing.
2. Process the bud. Carefully remove the scales with a sharp knife. Be careful not to damage the stem or the closed part of the bud.
3. Apply a thin layer of paste to the open, “bare” light green bud.
4. For best results, repeat the procedure after 6-7 days.

After treatment, the orchid becomes sensitive to sunlight, so it's best to move it away from the window for a while, but still keep it in a warm, well-lit area. Water as usual. After treatment, the roots require fertilization. Dissolve a tablet of succinic acid in water and water the orchid with this twice a month after fertilizing. Spray the leaves and stems with clean, fresh water and clean off any dust.

How to make cytokinin paste yourself

Ingredients:

• medical alcohol;
• lanolin;
• cytokinin.

Dissolve 2 grams of cytokinin in 100 ml of alcohol. Dissolve lanolin in water. Mix the mixture and store in a dark place in an open container. After 3 days, the alcohol has evaporated, the product is ready to use. After preparation, store the product in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator; otherwise, it will spoil quickly.

Incorrect use of cytokinin paste can have serious consequences for both humans and plants. The following are mandatory guidelines:

1. Carefully inspect the flower. There should be no cracks or damage. Accelerating growth in this situation will kill the flower, as it will not have the strength to recover.
2. It cannot be used on young plants – the immature organism will quickly die.
3. Make sure that after using the paste, two shoots do not emerge from one bud; if this happens, leave the strong one.
4. Do not apply ointment to the roots.
5. Store the paste only in the refrigerator.
6. Before use, remove the ointment from the refrigerator two hours before use and leave at room temperature.
7. Use only clean tools.
8. Avoid contact of the ointment with human mucous membranes.
9. Work only with rubber gloves.
10. Use only fresh ointment.

Orchid paste can be replaced. There are products with similar ingredients. The best of all the substitutes presented is Cakegrow Plus. It is mainly suitable for orchid propagationUse similarly to cytokinin paste. Cytodef, a powder that requires dilution in specific proportions, is also suitable.

Contraindications:

• rot, mold, fungus on the root or vegetative system of the plant;
• young age of the plant;
• leaf diseases.

Using the product in such cases will lead to the death of the plant, since it has devoted all its energy to recovery.

The product is sold in gardening supply stores and greenhouses. It costs 150-200 rubles per package.

Reviews

People who have already used this product on their orchids share their impressions and leave reviews.

Oksana, 27 years old

I was afraid to use cytokinin, but it helped me propagate my orchid. The plant was reluctant to produce offspring, but after applying it, they appeared. I was able to repot it, and my greenhouse was replenished! I was afraid to make the cytokinin paste myself, so I bought it at a specialty store; it was dirt cheap.

Svetlana, 31 years old

I used this to stimulate flowering. My orchid hadn't bloomed once in a year and a half, and I tried everything. The first buds appeared two weeks after application, and they soon blossomed! I made the remedy myself, and it worked instantly and was inexpensive! If stored properly, it will last a long time.

Cytokinin paste for orchids is a chemical, but when used correctly, it has no negative impact on the plant. Its effect on the plant's system is universal.