Growing Bletilla striata from seeds - Orchid Board

Selmo · #1 01-29-2021, 12:28 AM

Seem to get a few pods of these every year. 2020 gave us three pods. We have both the standard purple (photo 1) and a white version called ‘innocence’ (photo 2). This year all the pods where on the white flowered plants.
We started on November 15, 2020, with sterilising the jars and medium in the pressure cooker. We used Inaya’s Orchids medium (photo 3). 20 minutes in the pressure cooker and then when, they cooled enough to handle we placed them into some ziplock bags that we sprayed 10% bleach solution in after putting in the jars. Waited about 7 days to see if we got any contamination. None, so far, so good.
Did talk to a friend at the local college about using their laminar flow bench (photo 4). Thanks, Mark.
We shook the seed pods into a small glass container (20ml), and added some hydrogen peroxide (5ml) to it. Man, these seeds are hydrophobic! They almost jumped out of the container, stuck to the sides of the container and didn’t mix with the peroxide at all. Shook them for about 15 minutes and never did they mix with the peroxide. Did managed to get some sucked up in a syringe. Placed about 1ml of peroxide and seeds on the medium of a few jars. Closed the jars and prayed that we got them clean enough.
About fifteen days you could start to see green (photo 5). You can see the seeds tried to crawl up the sides of the jar.

rbarata · #2 01-29-2021, 05:34 AM

Selmo, have you ever grow them from seeds before?

Selmo · #3 01-29-2021, 03:25 PM

No, rbarata we have never tried to grow them from seeds before. We did try some hybrid cattleyas but none of the seeds germinated.

rbarata · #4 01-30-2021, 09:42 AM

I am asking this because I have read that Bletilla is one of the few orchids that doesn't need any special requirements to frow from seed, i.e. it doesn't need any sterilizations and any special process.
I have never tried myself, although I always have a few pods every season.

Selmo · #5 01-30-2021, 08:51 PM

I, to had heard that Bletilla was fairly easy to germinate and some had success growing them without much lab equipment. We started this with Bletilla, Neofinetia and Sophronitis seed pods. But only Bletilla has germinated as of now. So that’s what we are trying right now. Already have another Sophronitis seed pod from this year. Will try it again and the Neofinetia too.
Bletilla striata has germinated and grown quickly. At 30 days (photo 1) most seeds had germinated and grown to 1–2mm in size. And by day 45 they had stretched to 3-4mm (photo 2). They are starting to show roots and what could be the start of leaves. As fast as they are growing I feel that we’ll be moving them soon.

Mr.Fakename · #6 01-31-2021, 06:33 AM

For your next batch of seeds, you should try sowing in Petri dishes with just a few ml of media.

Helps saving a lot of space, and prevents wasting the media.

james j · #7 01-31-2021, 11:41 AM

I posed about a month ago on some Bletilla i germinated in my terrarium. I also tried some on damp sphagnum moss but didn’t get anything.
I noticed most of the growth happened on leaf litter at the bottom of the tank. By now most of them have been crowded out by moss but some are still growing, I’m starting to see roots so I my pot some.
Next year I plan to grid up some leaves in a pot to keep them contained.

---------- Post added at 10:41 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:45 AM ----------

I posed about a month ago on some Bletilla i germinated in my terrarium. I also tried some on damp sphagnum moss but didn’t get anything.
I noticed most of the growth happened on leaf litter at the bottom of the tank. By now most of them have been crowded out by moss but some are still growing, I’m starting to see roots so I my pot some.
Next year I plan to grid up some leaves in a pot to keep them contained.

estación seca · #8 01-31-2021, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Fakename

For your next batch of seeds, you should try sowing in Petri dishes with just a few ml of media.

Helps saving a lot of space, and prevents wasting the media.

LOL. They already have thousands more plants than they know what to do with.

rbarata · #9 01-31-2021, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by estación seca

LOL. They already have thousands more plants than they know what to do with.

Selmo · #10 04-11-2021, 12:10 AM

It has been now over 5 months (161 days) since we started this project. Now the pseudobulbs are close to to one centimeter in height and have two leaves. The jar is filling up with plants. The pseudobulbs that are on the sides by of the jar are starting to fade, as they are not touching the medium. Will need to move them to new jars soon.
First photo is on January 30,2020 (50 days)
Second photo is on March 6, 2021 (126 days)
Third photo is on March 17. (140 days)
Fourth photo is on April 3. (154 days)
Fifth photo is on April 10. (161 days)