When is pod ready to be opened?

[diego_ola]

This is the first time I have ever tried to fertilize an orchid and didn't think it would work. It has been maturing since June or July, so 7-8 months have gone by. In the past 2 weeks it has been finally started to look drier and no longer bright green but browning. To me it sounds like its ready but what do I do? do I put it in an envelope and gently press it, or just leave it in there and it will open itself? I'm a little confused by that part. Next I need to know what to dip the seeds in to sterilize them, and would boiling a jar be sufficient enough to sterilize that? I know these are probably simple questions but I would really appreciate the help. Is it possible for an orchid to be fertilized but then the seeds to be unfertile and not grow? This is all very exciting for me and I hope it works!

[Royal]

Timing depends on the type of orchid. If it is turning brown, it is either failing or it is just time to pop open. I usually put them in a coffee filter and snip the ends off. If it is a big fleshy capsule, I also pry open the three segments to aid in drying. I leave it on a shelf for a couple of weeks, then harvest the seed over a clean sheet of copy paper.

It is possible (and common depending on genetics) for a capsule to form but either contain no seeds or "seeds" with no viable embryos.

Oh, and boiling water will surely kill the seed. Chemical disinfectants are the way to go - good old fashioned bleach. Use a mix of regular strength household Clorox and sterile distilled water at a 1:10 ratio.

[diego_ola]

So I have no idea what the seeds are supposed to look like, the inside of the pod was filled with cotton and then 3 lines of yellow pollen looking strips. Does that mean it is empty? Or are the pollen strips small seeds?

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Originally Posted by diego_ola

So I have no idea what the seeds are supposed to look like, the inside of the pod was filled with cotton and then 3 lines of yellow pollen looking strips. Does that mean it is empty? Or are the pollen strips small seeds?

That's not cotton. Those are the seeds.

The seeds are very, very tiny. If you blow on them they fly away.

Some seeds look like dust. Some seeds look cottony. Others look like tiny insect poop. There are also some that look like minute grains of sand.

[Royal]

Yup, the cotton looking stuff are the seeds. Crazy, huh?

If you have access to a basic microscope, you can see them pretty clearly at just 40x. The testa look like little net-like sacks, long and narrow with a hole in one end. Hopefully you'll see a nucleus-looking thing inside most of them - those are the embryos.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

If you can't get a hold of a microscope. A 40x jeweler's loupe (aka 40x hand lens, 40x hand magnifier, 40x magnifier), works just fine. And they're ridiculously inexpensive (some are as low as $1).

Testa is the "seed coat".