phaleonopsis seed?

[sarracenia_X]

So, i crossed my no-id phal with another no-id phal (the one on my teachers desk!) about a month ago during the last few weeks of school, and now it has a 1 1/2-2 inch seedpod on it! now, to get these seeds to grow im going to have to get a lot of stuff and set up a mini bio lab in the basement storage room.

I know what i need, agar/ nutrient gel, flasks, something to create a sterile environment, but does anyone know where to get these

[orchids4me]

Hello and welcome to geeks !!
How long have you been growing orchids ?? I've been growing since 2007 and didn't even attempt to venture into flasking until this past year. It can be challenging to get the culture requirements right and for them to thrive. Flasking is a whole different world and can be a costly start up to do sometimes its cheaper for someone to have a facility do it for them because of all the steps and sterile steps needed and a place to do this? So my suggestion is to check out the following listed below.... If you're a serious more experienced grower you may do fine. Contamination is the problem when it comes to flasking and how to sterilize everythig being used. So here's some leads...
Ok in about 6 to 8 months that capsule will be about ready it will start to change and you will know
Coffee filter to catch it when it bursts around then.
Supples check out OSP orchid seed bank project he sells media and books
Phytotech labs sells supples and tools
Petsmart sells the fish tanks for a glove box
Homedepot sells the plastic drop cloth to make a front cover for the fish tank
Family or friends with babies provide baby food jars
Start doing a lot of research I maen a lot!!! I have been for a year so this info is your cheat sheet I had to do it the hard way with hints and points here and there.
And lastly go to utube and type in Orchid seed Flasking and watch franks ?ideos he has 3 part 1 part2 and part 3
Come back and tell me what you think and if you're finding the stuff you need. Arron hicks site (ops) the book is helpful as I ordered both full version and the short version for flasking.
Good luck!

[sarracenia_X]

FISH TANK GLOVE BOX!!!

thats EXACTLY what i was thinking!!!

i just wasnt sure it would work, until an experienced grower/ flasker (you!)
suggested it.

i have a couple empty tanks i can wreck, but how do i cut the holes without LITERALLY WRECKING it?

im a total noob at orchid growing, so there is a good chance i will end up sending some of the seed to a flasking facility, but i want to at least try to germinate some of the seed on my own, and if i succeed, it would be SOOO cool to show people my beautifull blooming phals, in like seven years, and say "see that? i grew that from seed!!" ofcourse, peole who dont know much about orchids will be like, "so? i grow stuff from seed all the time.". anddthen i explain to them the whole complicated process, and then they will be like "WOW!"


lets hope this works!

[orchids4me]

Oh no !! Lol no cutting holes in the tank lol. Lay it on its side with the open top facing you. You can use plastic drop cloth cut a piece to cover the top facing you either cut slits in that or drap it and reach in around the sides to work inside the tank. You will be making 2 different bleach water ratio mixes and one is for sterilizing the seed and the other for instruments and surfaces inside the tank. Or you can if you want holes lol go to a place like we have over here called tap plastics and get a piece of plexiglass cut to fit like a lid use the fish tank silicone to secure it to the top of the tank and there a sealed box with your holes .
Make sure the holes cut if you go that route are at the comfortable height to work and manuver inside the tank and what your going to use as a table to set it on chair height all that so you get the holes in the right place.also the light fixture or hood of that fish tank will be handy to illuminate inside while you work just place it on the side of the tank that's facing up when its on its side to shine the light inside the tank. You may need to look down into the tank from the side that is the top when on its side to see what your doing so a lower table or stand just depends on how you set it up and work with it to figure out how it works best for you.
Good luck

[vanessa]

Emmaye,

One day, I will attempt this. I know I will need your help!

Vanessa

[digriz]

I gave this a go a few months ago, I didn't get it to work. I'm going to try again someday, but I need a few of my phals to be in bloom again.

I managed to keep most of the flasks mold/bacteria free, but the seeds just didn't germinate. I tried mixing my own nutrient agar from a recipe I found online, I think next time I'll just get a pre-made mixture from Hausermann's. Also I'll probably build a glove box for next time.

Hopefully I'll get it to work someday, but I'm more interested in doing it just to see if I can, I don't really need/have space for a few hundred orchids. If it does work I'll probably end up giving most of them away.

Those videos on youtube are pretty informative.