Insanity! I just bought a small flask of Dendrophylax lindenii!

[dtje2000]

eBay purchase...it looked pretty healthy, and the description indicated 10 to 15 plants in the jar.

I've looked around for deflasking advice/instructions/tips... but since these little boogers are a bit different from phals and catts and dens (oh my!), well, I'm not sure how helpful most of the instructions are.

I did come across a series of photos where someone documented his/her Ghost Orchid deflasking steps, and it all seemed pretty reasonable... my only lingering wonder is whether or not I should employ the use of a disinfectant to help guard against fungus growth on these little sprouts.

I'm obsessed with successfully growing these plants and evidently I'm going to keep trying until I keep one alive!!!

ANY AND ALL advice, comments, warnings, and prayers are ever so welcome! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[Stelios]

Nice to hear you will also try this! My plants were also very recently deflasked from the grower so we both should wait a few years to see if we could flower them.

mine is here http://www.orchidgeeks.com/forum/orc...-lindenii.html

I came across a site i found useful GhostOrchid.info

About deflasking... i have no experience but it is supposed you use some kind of disinfectant to get rid of any flask medium leftovers. I can not be sure.

edit:
PS. Both my plants show signs they are still alive, they have small active root tips. I check them daily and as soon as i could tell for sure they grew a bit, i'll update with photos.

[dtje2000]

Stelios, I went to the link you gave me and I love how you have your little guys set up! the only difference I'm seeing in what I've read for rearing these little guys and what you've stated is the light level. I'm seeing where bright light is recommended...not full-on sun but slightly diffused. Having said that, if yours is growing well, who am I to say different???

We must swap stories from time to time!

[Stelios]

sure we should swap stories

Well regarding the light levels i am no expert.
I read in the swamps it grows there are tall trees blocking the sun so i speculated it needed low - medium light so i too asked just to be sure and Jerry kindly advised on the low-medium light levels. I'll see how it goes and if it doesn't work i'll increase the light.

[jerrymeola]

I got to thinking about the low light level issue and remembered that in the 1960s people were growing them on their Orange Trees in South Florida. Orchids for some reason love orange trees. Anyway they seemed to adapt to medium light OK.

I like to point out that light is never the problem with any orchid but rather the heat that comes with the sun that builds up in the leaves and kills the chlorophyll.

With good air circulation you can usually increase the light on any orchid.

[Stitz]

Originally Posted by jerrymeola

I like to point out that light is never the problem with any orchid but rather the heat that comes with the sun that builds up in the leaves and kills the chlorophyll.

Thank you, Jerry. This is a quote for the ages.

--Stitz--

[kmarch]

I disagree with Jerry's "quote for the ages". Sometimes it IS the light that is the problem. Various orchids do require certain light levels in order to flower. If they don't receive what they need they may grow and grow but they will not flower. So sometimes light IS the problem.

But to the main question of the thread, dtje2000, I'm not sure what you mean by "disinfectant". If you mean a bactericide like we use in our kitchens, I don't think that's really necessary for seedlings and may harm them. I'm about to deflask 3 flasks of paphs and I will use a fungicide on them for at least a month or so after deflasking in order to hold off things like dampening off (Fusarium wilt - sp?).

I think you're wise to read up on the deflasking and raising of ghost seedlings before diving in. Do any of the articles mention fungicides?

Finally your thread begins with the word "Insanity" with an exclamation point no less! But in the thread I don't see anything insane. I see a well considered expansion of your orchid growing interests.

[Stitz]

Originally Posted by Stitz

Thank you, Jerry. This is a quote for the ages.

My comment was meant to be facetious. I apologize for misinterpretations. I will be more careful in the future.

--Stitz--

[dtje2000]

Thanks, Kevin, for the vote of confidence. I still think I'm half crazy to be trying this...I killed two small ghosties in quick succession earlier, thus getting even younger, LESS established plants is what I consider just a hint of "am I nuts???" The flip side is that the 'per plant' cost is much lower and I just might increase my odds at success!

And yes, indeed, fungicide is what I was meaning by disinfectant. I begged the seller to give me as much info as he was willing to share on the subject; he was very generous and he definitely included instructions on using the fungicide periodically and used the phrase 'damping off'. I also found a set of photos on a webshots site that illustrated someone's efforts when deflasking a beaker of Dendrophylax - I found them fairly informative overall. Also, a recent issue of the AOS Orchid magazine had a fantastic article on raising ghost orchids and that person was also pretty generous in his explanations. I also plan to search a bit more through this forum for other threads - never know what tidbits they might contain!

The seller suggested I deflask sooner rather than later so I'm looking forward to a fun weekend! Yeah, I live large...

[rcb]

dt good luck to you - I really hope these grow well for you. I'll be deflasking a flask myself today.

[dtje2000]

Thanks, Renee! What are you deflasking? Good luck back atcha!

[rcb]

dt - oh sorry Asfc Cherry Blossom. The flask arrived yesterday, and it was pretty jumbled up, so can't wait with this one. Not as exciting as yours!

[kmarch]

Well if they don't make it, it sure won't be from lack of planning, information, or desire! It sounds like you have set yourself up for the best possible of outcomes. The rest is up to the little ghosties. Keep us posted.

Out of curiosity, are you planning to mount them right out of the flask? If not, what are you considering?

[dtje2000]

They are ALL exciting, Renee!

Kevin, my grand plan is to lay them on a cedar board and leave them horizontal with an ever so light layer of live spanish moss draped across them. The idea was in my head to do this...then lo and behold, the seller suggested very much the same thing. underneath the board will be the moisture so that there is fairly high humidity and the tub will be large enough so that there is some air movement. I've got some leftover hardware cloth and can use that to keep the cedar from sitting IN the water, and I can mist lovingly as needed. I have a couple of grapevine twigs that I may use as well, but that's only if I have enough plants out of the flask to do so. The cedar surface is rough and I'm hoping the little roots will like the texture and attach to it fairly quickly. Also, I can use the spanish moss to control the light exposure...perhaps using it more liberally in the beginning and then reducing the mass slowly to increase the light.

The fellow who wrote the AOS article said he often nestles his newly mounted plants in beds of spanish moss and says it really does a great job at sharing moisture with the ghosties.

Anything I need to add or adjust?

[kmarch]

Interesting. Actually that sounds quite fascinating! If it's not too much bother perhaps you could snap a few pictures of your deflasking process and seedling raising method.

This is quite interesting and exciting.

[orchidlover55]

OH MY dtje2000, I have no idea about flasking I just started my orchid world in Dec 08.
I know you are worried about this so I just wanted to say Good Luck
and that you have some beautiful orchids.
I know you can do this
Ghost Orchids are so beautiful. If you can raise all the rest of those beautiful orchids you have and do such a great job building all those nice orchid covers you will be able to do this. I have faith in you
Debra

[dtje2000]

I'll be glad to take pics and document everything...and then regardless of the outcome I will share. I figure if I fail there's something to be taken from that as well. The guy who published his photo process on webshots actually put text on his photos to add information to the visual...I like that idea and will do the same.

Here's hoping I share a whole bunch of success stories! Come on, snail mail! Bring me my babies!

[berniep]

G'Day Dt

As is my want when I see a different orchid mentioned I usually do a little research and came across this site GhostOrchid.info you may well have read it but thought if not it may be of some use!

Cheers
Bernie

[dtje2000]

Thanks, Bernie! I can't get TOO much info on these, and I had not see the site before - though I did know that Oak Hill sells them from time to time.

Something tells me I'm not going to focus on my real job much today...

[Undergrounder]

Hi dtje, how are they looking? I've deflasked a whole bunch of these and had mixed success, but i've managed to keep alive quite a few for about 10 months now.. Many have even sprouted new roots, although the new roots haven't enjoyed their cork mounts and stop growing after contact with the cork.

I find they need higher light than you would think. Without high light you won't stimulate the root growth, and over a period they will slowly lose 'legs' and die. Mine get about 1000fcs for 10 hours a day. Which is actually quite a lot.

They also need high humidity, but good air movement such that they don't get attacked by fungus. Also, don't water them or leave them wet overnight. They need to be dry for most of the night or they can't transpire (which they only do at night). Finally, give them -plenty- of water during the day.

But mine aren't thriving, just surviving and occasionally growing. I have algae problems in my aquarium that i use to grow them in and it needs a clean.