New babies!!!
 

Hello everyone,
Look what Santa got me!!!

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...m/SANY1644.JPG
Phal Stuartiana x sib

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...m/SANY1641.JPG
Phal Violacea

I am so excited! They look so health and they are coming out of the flask after I post this message!:biggrin:

My mum bough them for me! Isn't she wonderful! I think she is catching the orchid bug... hehehe!

I am going to wash the babes in fungicide and use sphag moss soaked with a weak solution of fertilizer and KLN... This is my first time de- flasking! I am a bit anxious and happy at the same time!:)

Will post more pics later...

Hi Buds, Exciting, yes, but scary! I've never done anything like this so admire your courage. I did buy a few plants that were newly deflasked but they didn't survive my care. :tombstone: Good luck to you! :goodluck:

Looks great, what a present! but shouldn't you still wait for another week... :evil: :D

Yeah, but the babies were ready to be delivered. The two flask were nearly full with the leaves almost touching the top of the bottles!
I just spent a whole afternoon 'de-flasking'.

Anyway, I can always do with some more presents in a week.:biggrin:

Thanks for looking.. I'll post :photo: of the nursery tonight....

I have no clue what flasking and de-flasking is. Can someone explain this? How long a process is this growing until you have budding plants? Why do you bother buying so young, cheaper? For resale? For quantity?
Someone said there isn't a stupid question on OB. I think I have just asked several. :) kiki-do

Hi kiki-do,
I don't think your questions are stupid. I am more than happy to share with you why I got my flasks.

1. Species orchids are really difficult to find and super expensive in West. Aust. Expect to pay $10-$25 per seedling- and they are usually very small!
Phals are generally expensive here, NOIDs in flower sell from $25-$60.

2. Orchid flask is the only way to bring back orchids from overseas unless you want your mature plant to spend 3 month in Quarantine and showing clean growth in that period. We have the most strict quarantine laws in the world! We can't even import plants from other states of Aust, unless the vendor has a special permit for WA- there are 4 licensed vendors. We also have to pay extra $20 (quarantine fee) on top of shipping!

3. 2 flasks cost my mum less than AUD$50, and there are 30 plants per flask. I am sharing some of my phals with mum. It is also a bonus that I can also sell some later.:hmm

4. Phals are relatively fast growers in the orchid family, I expect most to flower after 1yr.

5. De-flasking is taking the mature seedlings out of the flask.
Flasking is when you want to start growing your own seedlings- mass production ie. putting the seeds, mericlones into the flask where there is a growing medium.

I hope that helps... I am so proud of the little babies, I will post :photo: in the morning.

Yep, I am obsessed... My dad says that I should open an orchid shop... mmmm hold that thought!:nod:

Oh, thanks so much for the great info. I am beginning to see the light! :) kiki-do

Buds...great explanation :clap:

VERY cool flasks! I look forward to the nursery pics :nod:

Phal stuartiana is such a beautiful species, I love it :love:
and who doesn't love anything violacea? ;)

Good looking flasks , I am sure they will do well for you ,nothing like seeing one of your babies bloom :) gin

Here are the pics as promised:

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...m/SANY1652.JPG

This is what I call 'phal salad'- the seedlings being washed.

http://www.orchidboard.com/community...m/SANY1653.JPG

Here they are, all clean and happy in sphag moss.:)