| They are long overdue to come out of the flasks as indicated by an amount of dead leaf and dead plant material in the flask. When I deflask I use a garden hose with an adjustable head to gently but soundly blast the medium away from the roots. Remove ant dead leaf or plant or root tissue. I recommend planting up in your preferred mix for the genus and supporting the deflasked plantlets with minimum support ie not too humid, a bit of fresh air, enough light to support growth and attempt to harden them off to adult plant conditions asap. If you get that right then there is very little loss to rot and no need to use fungicides etc.o fertilise straight away with dilute applications and resist all temptation to water them to death. I actually deflask many a genus including Cymbidium, dendrobium and disa to my shade house conditions which may include temperatures of 100 deg Farenheit, strong wind and 10% relative humidity without loss of a single plant. Mind you I would not contemplate doing that with a Phalaenopsis, a phrag or a paphiopedilum or other softer genera. I can say categorically that more deflasked orchids are lost to rot and annihilation from excess humidity, lack of air movement, over-watering, fungicides, pesticides and general excess tampering than have ever been lost to cood orchid conditions. basically don';t try to grow a deflasked plantlet in a situation that you would not subject a similar adult orchid plant to.
Kevin Western  |