Broken flask
 

Hi

A friend has partially broken a flask and the seedlings are not ready to compot yet :shock: He has taped over the broken parts of the flask and put in a cool dark place, but the seedlings with have to be reflasked.

I am sure it has been exposed to the air and contaminated. Can he dip the plants in something to sterilise/clean them before replating them?

Brett

What variety of Orchid is it?

Hi Rogerman

It is a Phalaenopsis primary hybrid. Not sure, but I think one parent is P. Lobbii.

Brett

Ooh ok....... If it was a Vanda or Rhyn. it shouldn't be a problem as i've successfully grown Rhyn from a total length of 15mm including roots..... Do you know how big the seedlings are?

From memory they were about 1 to 1.5cm tall, not enough root growth for my likeing though. I had recommended him to leave them in flask until they had better root growth and are bigger.

It is not much of a problem to reflask them, but what of making sure they have no contamination? I guess he could plant them out, but we both think it would be risky.

Brett

I actually had a flask of Phals that was knocked off the table they stay on till they get planted. I ended up opening the flask and planting them all into a 20 baht plastic basket with sphagnum moss. Since then they have grown a lot.... I normally would have waited a few months before planting these.

Not much to do but compot them. There is not a reliable way to sterilize them that won't kill the plants also.

Thanks Guys

I will let my friend know and he can make up his mind. If he does want to try to reflask though, what methods of sterilisation are there?

Brett

Soak for a few minutes in 0.06% bleach (1:10 dilution of commercially available 6% Clorox). Rinse in sterile water. Then a dip in full strength (commercially available 3%) hydrogen peroxide and replate without rinsing. All this should be done in sterile conditions.

Thanks Royal

I will let him know and he can decide what to do...

Brett