Medium Thickness in Flasks / Good Flasking Practices

[Patrick_C]

Hello!
I bought two Phalaenopsis orchids a few years ago when I was living in Florida, and have managed to keep them alive since with new blooms about once a year every spring. I recently tried my hand with propagation and successfully pollinated one orchid from the pollen of the other. I currently have several flasks in a windowsill with some protocorm growing on the side walls, but I think that is where my success is going to end.
I notice the mixtures in my flasks are too liquid-y, I have been told it should be the consistency of pudding, but I am unsure how to achieve that consistency.
My flasks consist of P668 media, distilled water, coconut water, and guar gum for gelling. I notice even with ice cold water and my kitchenaid mixer with the wisk attachment on the highest setting, I can only get so much guar gum into the mixture before it starts to clump up, even with the guar gum and P668 mixed together to keep the gum from gelling prematurely.
Do you all have any suggestions on how to achieve the proper consistency with the mixture in my flasks? Is there a better gelling agent to use? I also notice that the mixture appears gelatinous before it goes into the flasks and into the pressure cooker, but after it has been sanitized, the consistency falls apart.
Thank you all very much for your help! I apologize for the length of my post.

[Ray]

I thought agar was the gelling agent of choice.

[estación seca]

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

Most people prepare the medium hot to boiling, pour and let cool. I've never used guar. I don't know whether it ever gets firm(ish) at room temperature.

I would stick with agar. It's easily available and definitely gel at room temperature.

[Dimples]

The quote below is from this article (<-- hyperlink) that discusses thickening and gelling agents in food.

"Hydrocolloids that are commonly used as thickening are starch, xanthan, guar gum, locust bean gum, gum karaya, gum tragacanth, gum Arabic and cellulose derivatives. The gelling type hydrocolloids are alginate, pectin, carrageenan, gelatin, gellan and agar."

Seems this is an "all squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares" situation.

[Fairorchids]

Originally Posted by Dimples

The quote below is from this article (<-- hyperlink) that discusses thickening and gelling agents in food.

"Hydrocolloids that are commonly used as thickening are starch, xanthan, guar gum, locust bean gum, gum karaya, gum tragacanth, gum Arabic and cellulose derivatives. The gelling type hydrocolloids are alginate, pectin, carrageenan, gelatin, gellan and agar."

Seems this is an "all squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares" situation.

I have no idea who wrote that. I have never heard of anyone using anything but agar.

[Dorchid]

Did you happen to catch the article title? Has nothing to do with media prep.

[Fairorchids]

Originally Posted by Dorchid

Did you happen to catch the article title? Has nothing to do with media prep.

Just followed the link. It has to do with thickening of food products, not sowing orchids!

[Dimples]

While the article is related to thickening food it is useful to see that guar gum is not a gelling agent, it is a thickener. Agar will form a gel. The OP’s results are consistent with the thickening properties of guar gum. If they want a more gelatinized flask media they should switch to agar as you all suggested.

Plus, distilled water, coconut water, and a gelling agent are all foods, so the article topic is relevant. What the coconut jello is used for afterwards makes no difference to how the ingredients interact when mixed.

[Dorchid]

LOL