Planting Ellens' seeds!

[patticake]

Below are some pictures that I took while planting some of Ellens' Bletilla striata seeds. I used 2 disposable food containers, cutting holes in the top of one of them and into the bottom of the other. I cut pantyhose into strips. One strip I stretched into a string hanging from the hole in the bottom of one container. The other strip I covered the string inside the same container. I added soil to that container and soaked it well. I then sifted soil on top to be very fine. I patted that down and misted it. I added a couple of pieces of bark as well. I put some of the seeds on a 3X5 card and tapped it to spread the seeds over the surface. I loosely covered the container with plastic wrap. I filled the other container with water and thread the pantyhose from the first container through the top as a wick. I then placed my set-up under grow lights. About a week and a half later, the first signs of germination appeared!

I put a couple of pieces of an orchid root on the soil as well. I had read that the seeds needed something contained within the roots to help them germinate. Don't know if that helped or not, but it was worth a shot!

I'm sorry about the pictures being big and annoying, it was the only way my daughter Rachel could figure out how to post them. (Rachel: "Hi!")

[flowerchild]

Interesting Patticake I will have to try this!!!! Thanks cindy aka flowerchild

[exasperatus2002]

Way to go Patticake. please keep us appraised of their development. Good luck to all of us that received some of her seed.

[patticake]

I have since read about sterilizing the soil, etc.. That's why I only planted part of the seeds. I have more to try other ways if this doesn't work. I also have noticed that the seeds on the 2 small pieces of bark that I put on top of the soil, are behaving differently. On one piece, they've germinated and on the other, they haven't. Hmmmm.... They were both from the same bag of orchid potting medium.

[patticake]

The close-up photo of the seeds germinated was taken with a close-up lens system that used to fit on my SLR. I now have a digital SLR where the close-up lenses don't fit, but I put them on the old telephoto lens that does fit. WHEW!!! A lot of work to be able to see those little guys!

[Anton]

You can neuk the soil in a microwave, that'll kill anything in the soil, then you just add the things you want that will be beneficial.

If it is good enough for surgical instruments, should be good for orchids.

[patticake]

Thanks Anton! I'll try that with my next batch. I'll see what happens with these little guys first. So far, so good. I should have done that with my zygo-cactus seedlings. There's slime mold all-over. the zygo-seedlings are hanging in, but-I think I need to move them to new digs.

[Anton]

That is why they use totally sterile conditions such as laminar flow cupboards to sow the seeds in agar.

[patticake]

I totally understand, I'm one of those people that try to do anything I'm told I can't do! Thanks, Anton.

[exasperatus2002]

how are the baby orchids holding up so far?

[electric.chowder]

Patticake,

did you use any kind of special soil mix? I got some of Ellen's seeds and want to try sowing some of them in this method. hopefully I'll have enough time to sow them here in the next few days and I'll post pics as well

-chowder

[patticake]

The tiny chids are hanging in there. I'll try to get another photo on soon. I used a seed starter potting mix. Dry to start. Wet the soil completely before sifting fine soil on top. I then misted that before sprinkling the seeds on. That way the seeds don't get disturbed, and the wick brings up just enough water. I have mine under lights. I was afraid it might be too wet for them with the little light we get here in the great northeast! Good luck! I know Ellen said that she was going to have some flasked, but was curious if any home methods would work. I only planted some, in case these don't make it. You should try some different things too. You won't know, untill you try!

[dejpep]

Hi patticake. I received seeds from Ellen too , but mine did not came out, yet. I plant two small jars with agar mix and one in sphagnum moss. But neither of them start to grow. I even put them under light for 12 hours a day, but stll nothing. Can you tell me how long do you keep the light on and what is the temperature where you keep them. I think I will try the same method that you used, since I have still a lot of seeds left.

[patticake]

Hi! The babies are still hanging in there. I have them under lights about 16 hrs.a day. I recently took off the plastic that was over the dish, as I was also growing a lovely crop of slime mold etc.- I'm afraid to treat that, as I'm afraid that the babies will be affected. So far they're holding on. They have their first leaf! Each is still smaller than the head of a pin, but they have deffinately grown beyond the photocorm stage. The temp here is about 60F during the day and 67F at night. How's that for temps. that orchids don't like! I think that the temp under the lights is warmer during the day. Humidity is non-existent here in the great northeast, so it's just the humidity from the soil itself around them. The wick water method is good, because it delivers the right amount of moisture to them- not over or under-watering. Down the road, I might have to change things as their needs change. Good luck! I hope you do well! Mine are still so tiny that they could go poof in an instant! I'll try to get a picture of their progress soon.

[made4engineering]

This is SO COOL!!!! When I happen upon some orchid seeds, I'm gonna grow them the natural way! It would be awesome to grow epiphytic ones directly on a mount...

[patticake]

Made4-I don't know how the wick-watering thing would work on a mount... We'll have to give that some thought. (at least I'll be thinking about this, instead of my new orchids that I'm waiting for!)
I'm far from being out of the woods! Flasking is definately the safest way to go- Ellen just wanted people to experiment. I've lost some to mold, etc.-

[Ellen]

Congratulations, Patticake! that's really encouraging that you got the seeds to the point of putting up a tiny leaf. By the way, Bletilla are terrestrial orchids, so your method of growing them in a soil mix probably approximates the conditions that they would get in nature. For epiphytic orchids, you could do "wick-watering" on a mount by placing the whole mount back side down in a pan of water. The water would then be wicked up by the mount, to a greater or lesser degree depending on the material.

[patticake]

How cool! That's something I'll have to experiment with down the road! Thanks Ellen, for the chance to "play" with these seeds! We'll talk about further culture later- Let's see how far I can get these little darlins first!

[joan gero]

That's just splendid, Patticake. I also have some of Ellen's seeds and am inspired to start as you did. Thank you so much for your careful explanations!

[patticake]

You're welcome! I'll try to get some new "baby pictures" on soon.
Good luck!

[I'm not here]

Thats great Patti. Are any of them still with us? This method is just what I was looking for. I have a couple questions. How big were the holes in the bottom of your growing container and your water container? Also from some of the statements made, it sounds like the seed is viable for a while. Do you know what kind of time range I have? The pod was picked Sunday the 8th of June.
Thanks,
David