Bloom Size Plants from Seedlings

[GardenTheater]

It seems like growing bloom size orchids from seedling plants is like gambling...even when you get them from a respected grower. How many seedlings do you grow before you get something a big box store would sell? How many do you grow to get a show quality plant? Is it roughly 50, 100 or 1000 seedlings? I have Potinaras grown from seed by a respected grower and am curious about the "odds" of getting a good looking bloom.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Depending on the size of the seedlings and how many of them you got, if I were in your position, I'd be more concerned about whether natural selection will be nice or not and decide to spare enough seedlings to reach blooming size.

Once they reach blooming size and bloom, then you can worry about show quality flowers.

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Good breeding and good growing should really limit the amount of deformities a flower comes up with.

Lucky for us, certain plants can still do a good amount of genetic recombination even with self and sibling crosses.

[peeweelovesbooks]

It seems like growing bloom size orchids from seedling plants is like gambling...even when you get them from a respected grower. How many seedlings do you grow before you get something a big box store would sell? How many do you grow to get a show quality plant? Is it roughly 50, 100 or 1000 seedlings? I have Potinaras grown from seed by a respected grower and am curious about the "odds" of getting a good looking bloom.

I have a lot of seedlings. Most of which are of new crosses. All of which are from reputable growers and breeders (Santa Barbara Orchid Estate and Steven Christoffersen).

Am I taking a gamble, yes. However, the crosses I'm buying are made from award winning parents and from people who know what they're doing. So, it's not a blind gamble, it's a calculated one.

I don't buy flasks anymore--I simply don't have the setup or time. But, I do buy healthy-sized seedlings. Oh, I'd say I have about 30-40 of them. I'm probably not going to like all of them, or maybe even most of them. But, taking care of seedlings is way different than taking care of adults. So, they are a valuable learning tool.

I don't ever EVER EVER buy from big box stores.

[GardenTheater]

I usually buy divisions or clones because I don't grow many orchids. I did buy only 2 bloom size Potinaras the grower grew from seedlings. It sounds like there's a good chance they'll look like their one of their unattractive ancestors when they bloom instead of their gorgeous siblings in the pictures. Is that usually how it works and why they're inexpensive?

[GardenTheater]

Thanks King and Peewee. Here are links to what I purchased. I'll give myself one in thirty to forty odds for each to get something I like based on Peewee's experience.. They do come from noble parents.

Potinara Island Girl (Little Toshie `Gold Country`, AM/AOS x Blc. Goldenzelle `High Noon`)

Pot. Susan Fender `Cinnamon Stick`, AM/AOS x Pot. Lynette and Alan