How I deflask

[plucker]

I have deflasked a few plants over the years and have come up with a method that has been extremely successful in that time for me.
So I thought I would share how I deflask.

First off, start with a good healthy flask of your desired plants. This one is Rlc. Chia Lin 'New City'
When they are ready and I am too, I pop the cork and let sit for about a day.
In this photo I put it on the lower shelf in the green house with the phals which receives less light. Prior to that I normally leave them on the bench in the house. This allows them to breath normal air for the first time without upsetting the roots.


The following day I get the flask and either break it or pour in normal tap water while swirling around and pluck out the baby's and place onto a tray.
I remove all traces of the agar as this is one place fungi's and algaes can start. I usually do this late afternoon because that is what suits me.


I leave them for a few hours and water again. Notice how the roots are going whiter. I usually water a few times (when I remember) that night and let dry out in between. In the morning I wash again.


That morning is potting day. So I take them down when the sun is out and place the tray on the bench while I prepare the pots etc. Usually takes me 1/2 an hour for this.

This sun has the effect of killing any fungus that may remain and at least 1/2 hour is needed but not too much longer.

With my pots, I put a layer of lava rock at the bottom to let the air circulate around the roots and assist with drying.


I get some spag which has been soaked in a half strenght solution of fertilizer and place a thin layer over the lava rock and pot the plants up.


When I have finished that I label the pots with laser adhesive labels which are printed with a cheap laser printer and last forever at a cheap price.


Once this is done I give them a water to settle them in and leave alone. You can see in the background the previous seedlings, which were 7 months old at that stage.



Now 5 months later I have just pulled them out of the green house to inspect them to see how they are going, still fungacide free. The leaves look a bit funny in the photo cause I just watered them.



These plants are grown normally with slightly less light than my mature plants as the mature plants are suspended in the air above them which steals some light. I have a sheet of plastic above the babies to prevent virus/disease spread from the mature plants.
All the plants in the greenhouse recieve the same watering patterns, and the same fertilizing routine. I only use fungacide on the plants that need it, hence the seedlings never see it.

My success rate following the above procedure is 100% over lots of flasks.

[BluPeaches]

Thanks for sharing! Very nice looking babies.

[zaeem]

Thanks,good job.I have learnt a lot failiure that Ihave been in this deflasking!!!
You have mastered the art of dealing with bottle babies.wow!

[Bolero]

I deflask in a similar way using individual pots like that. My mix is different to yours but basically the concept is the same.

Thanks for sharing, they look pretty good to me.

[Brooke]

They look great.

Brooke

[digitalgate]

well , it works for you.

[Phalcycle]

Great tutorial!
You make it seem so easy

[Ron]

Hi, Thanks for the step by step process, certinally will some who have not tried de-flasking orchids before.
You are lucky in a big way. Good warm to hot climate and good humidity.
Very well done and can not wait to see them in flower.
Thanks

[orchids4me]

Plucker,
They look fantastic!!!!
And this is an excellent tutorial
I vote for a sticky!! So this thread doesn't get lost.
Thanks
Emmaye

[exasperatus2002]

Great timing for this thread! Thanks for sharing.

[plucker]

Originally Posted by exasperatus2002

Great timing for this thread! Thanks for sharing.

I was originally, waiting for the 6 months stage to pass and put the process and photos up then. But your project inspired me to write a bit earlier than that.

The process I used works well for me in the warm tropics with my conditions. This may not be the best method for colder climates but maybe it might work there too. Just water the spag less when it is cold.

I have tried my method with both catts and phals having no problems. Even deflasking phals straight into leca with no problems.
I would imagine dens and oncids would be fine too, but as I dont collect them I will never know.

[exasperatus2002]

Originally Posted by plucker

I was originally, waiting for the 6 months stage to pass and put the process and photos up then. But your project inspired me to write a bit earlier than that.

The process I used works well for me in the warm tropics with my conditions. This may not be the best method for colder climates but maybe it might work there too. Just water the spag less when it is cold.

I have tried my method with both catts and phals having no problems. Even deflasking phals straight into leca with no problems.
I would imagine dens and oncids would be fine too, but as I dont collect them I will never know.

Thanks I appreciate it!

[vanda_obsession]

thank you for sharing!

[mgfree]

That's an interesting way of deflasking, thanks for sharing. I reckon despite only living 300km away from you, I don't think I could get away with the spag - fungus just thrives up here. I have found success with 10mm lava rock, with a few big 20mm pieces thrown in the bottom, all washed thoroughly & sterilized with boiling water and sometimes with a few 5mm - 10mm coco chips thrown in to retain some moisture. I only really deflask Spatulata section Dendrobiums though.

[doodlekitty]

Thanks so much for sharing....now that I have the flasking part tackled, I need help with seedlings....I've killed a lot of babies

[Ron]

Thanks so much for sharing....now that I have the flasking part tackled, I need help with seedlings....I've killed a lot of babies

Whats up Doc.!

[Lady Tottington]

awesome photos and tutorial! thanks for sharing and inspiring!!! <3

[osairis.ali]

wonderful... thanks for sharing....

[digitalgate]

Originally Posted by doodlekitty

Thanks so much for sharing....now that I have the flasking part tackled, I need help with seedlings....I've killed a lot of babies

you learned from bad result.

[exasperatus2002]

Any updated pics? I'll be giving it a shot this weekend with one of my 3 flasks.

[plucker]

Well not too much has changed. Some of the plants are starting to throw out new leads.