ACK! Scared! Deflasking Ghost Orchid babies? - Orchid Board

FlyingBrunswick · #1 10-07-2010, 08:03 PM

Seems I'm been gifted a Ghost Orchid flask! To my surprise, it arrived in the mail today and the agar and seedlings are all jumbled up and rolled together. What do I do?!

I've never had a flask before (much less one of such delicates!) and don't even know where to begin! Can they be left as is or should they be deflasked immediately? If so, how do I take them out and what do I do with them? I have a terrarium with a few mounted Ghosties so I do have somewhere to put them, but I do not know how to treat them or what substrate to put them in or even how to get them out of the flask and agar.

Any help is appreciated!

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #2 10-07-2010, 08:13 PM

If the neck is too narrow to get the plants out, you must break the flask to get to them.

Use a towel and wrap it around the flask, then place on a hard surface and carefully break with a hammer.

Mount like the adults, and water often. Slowly reducing the amount of water they receive over time. Some losses will occur. Some root damage occurs as a result of the acclimation process.

Other than that, good luck, Ghost Orchids are a challenge to grow.

FlyingBrunswick · #3 10-07-2010, 08:21 PM

Hello!

The jar seems large enough to get them out, but how do you remove the agar? Will soaking with warm water be enough, or should I leave the agar on them?

Can I leave them as is until the morning?

So sorry for so many questions!

cabnc · #4 10-07-2010, 08:54 PM

Check here for some info:

Developing an Orchid Collection with Backbulbs: Orchid Road Trip

With them jumbled -- I would try and deflask ASAP.

Charlie

King_of_orchid_growing:) · #5 10-07-2010, 10:27 PM

Put them in a basket and rinse the agar off with water.

Do not use too heavy a stream of water.

Place the rinsed orchids in a container with water and slosh it around gently to remove as much of the agar off.

Repeat as many times as necessary.

FlyingBrunswick · #6 10-08-2010, 10:21 AM

Good Morning to you both!

Thank you for the link and directions, I will be diving in and deflasking in a few minutes! :-)

This board is wonderful - thank you both so much for your help.

cabnc · #7 10-08-2010, 10:34 AM

FB,

I'm leaving Wilmington, NC in a few hours driving north. I'll be there around diner time to check on your progress

Charlie

FlyingBrunswick · #8 10-08-2010, 09:50 PM

Wish I'd checked the thread sooner - I wouldn't have ordered out for dinner.

Anyhoo - I de-flasked! I am, however, pretty disappointed. My gifter stopped by and told me she had ordered a flask of plants with 1"+ roots which had me excited! BUT - there is 1 plant longer than an inch... and a small clump I didn't even try to untangle with 1/2" roots.

Everything else is tightly clumped 1/4" and smaller roots or fragments which I couldn't tell apart from plants or broken pieces!

She's pretty upset, as she was excited to be getting me somewhat larger plants than what I am trying to establish with others, and there isn't much to work with here.

Any ideas or tips on how to help these along? The smallest pieces and clumps aren't tied down yet, I lost patience while rinsing and sorting and would rather wait till tomorrow than risk damaging or dropping them in my clumsiness!