First flask questions-- compot alternatives, kelpmax?

[Dalachin]

Hi all,

So I'm about to get my first flask this week from Troy Meyers, a Phalaenopsis philippinensis flask. Complicating things is that he labeled the flask as "problematic" due to the fact that some seedlings are smaller than expected.

I have his excellent instruction sheet for compotting into little plastic square pots with spagnum, and planned to follow it to the letter. However he also suggested on the side that I might want to try some seedlings directly mounted or in charcoal or other media, which sort of threw me into mad internet searches for alternate methods of growing up seedlings. Are there other things I should be considering? I guess it can't hurt to try, but I would hate to waste seedlings on hopeless methods.

Also, is the use of Kelpak and quantum total suggested for deflasking, and how would you use it?

FYI I plan to grow them in my grow tent which has around 70 percent humidity and 70-80 degree night-day temps. Probably on their own little heating pad to keep them a little warmer.

Best,
Christine

[Fairorchids]

Originally Posted by Dalachin

Hi all,

So I'm about to get my first flask this week from Troy Meyers, a Phalaenopsis philippinensis flask. Complicating things is that he labeled the flask as "problematic" due to the fact that some seedlings are smaller than expected.

I have his excellent instruction sheet for compotting into little plastic square pots with spagnum, and planned to follow it to the letter. However he also suggested on the side that I might want to try some seedlings directly mounted or in charcoal or other media, which sort of threw me into mad internet searches for alternate methods of growing up seedlings. Are there other things I should be considering? I guess it can't hurt to try, but I would hate to waste seedlings on hopeless methods.

Also, is the use of Kelpak and quantum total suggested for deflasking, and how would you use it?

FYI I plan to grow them in my grow tent which has around 70 percent humidity and 70-80 degree night-day temps. Probably on their own little heating pad to keep them a little warmer.

Best,
Christine

Do NOT use little square individual pots. Seedlings grow vastly better in crowded compots or seedling trays, than they do individually. You can download my instructions from my website (Fair Orchids). Click on 'Orchids' and the select 'Cultural notes'. Download 'FO, Growing Seedlings from Flask'.

I hate to put it this way, but flasks from Troy tend to have seedlings that are too small to deflask.

---------- Post added at 06:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:39 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Dalachin

Hi all,

So I'm about to get my first flask this week from Troy Meyers, a Phalaenopsis philippinensis flask. Complicating things is that he labeled the flask as "problematic" due to the fact that some seedlings are smaller than expected.

I have his excellent instruction sheet for compotting into little plastic square pots with spagnum, and planned to follow it to the letter. However he also suggested on the side that I might want to try some seedlings directly mounted or in charcoal or other media, which sort of threw me into mad internet searches for alternate methods of growing up seedlings. Are there other things I should be considering? I guess it can't hurt to try, but I would hate to waste seedlings on hopeless methods.

Also, is the use of Kelpak and quantum total suggested for deflasking, and how would you use it?

FYI I plan to grow them in my grow tent which has around 70 percent humidity and 70-80 degree night-day temps. Probably on their own little heating pad to keep them a little warmer.

Best,
Christine

Do NOT use little square individual pots. Seedlings grow vastly better in crowded compots or seedling trays, than they do individually. You can download my instructions from my website (Fair Orchids). Click on 'Orchids' and the select 'Cultural notes'. Download 'FO, Growing Seedlings from Flask'.

I hate to put it this way, but flasks from Troy tend to have seedlings that are too small to deflask.

While Phals can be grown mounted, it is absurd to do so with seedlings fresh out of a flask. Several members of Southern Tier know my phone number. Feel free to call me for assistance with this project.

[tmoney]

hey dalachin, i agree about potting individually and we have had FAR greater success rates in compots. typically we will put 4-5 seedlings into a small 4 or 6 cm pot. really crowd them in. tiny pots with a usual small bark mix. we do mix some sphag in at a higher rate than our mature plants to keep the media from drying out as we try to water our seedlings once a week only (along with our other plants).

usually we will place a large, clear or white plastic bag over the compot. loosely, not sealed. we try to remove the bag a couple times a week to get fresh air in there and check on them. we leave the bag over the pot for a month to 2, depending on how the plants look.

this method we mostly took from dustin at here but not, and it has worked very well for us. if we lose a seedling it seems to be after the first 6 months to a year, and then it is usually that the plant has not developed roots like the others in the compot.

good luck, growing seedlings is very rewarding!!!

[Ray]

The plants have been in a saturated air environment, so you must keep them that way when you deflask, then “harden them off” over time, as was suggested. Unless you can find a way to keep them constantly moist and in saturated air, I would recommend against mounting so soon, but I let the plants dictate how I pot them, with larger seedling being individually planted, while smaller ones are compotted.

Quantum and Kelpak are excellent tools for the process.

Put two ounces of Quantum and a tablespoon of Kelpak in a gallon of tepid water. Upon extraction from the flask, immerse them for about 30 minutes before potting them up, and water them in with that solution.

I know of some growers who dump the contents into such a bath, agar and all, while they break it into individual plants. That’s fine, but means you have to mix up another batch to water them in.

[estación seca]

I use Kelpak and did use Inocucor on all flasks. No fungus at all. I will switch to Quantum now my Inocucor is gone. I have never used fungicide. It's also toxic to plants, especially tiny ones, though much less than to fungi.

[Fairorchids]

Do NOT use fungicide on deflasked seedlings. They are coming out of a 100% sterile environment, so applying a fungicide is redundant (and possibly causing harm).

[Dalachin]

Thanks all for your advice!

Originally Posted by Fairorchids

Do NOT use little square individual pots. Seedlings grow vastly better in crowded compots or seedling trays, than they do individually. You can download my instructions from my website (Fair Orchids). Click on 'Orchids' and the select 'Cultural notes'. Download 'FO, Growing Seedlings from Flask'.

I hate to put it this way, but flasks from Troy tend to have seedlings that are too small to deflask.

"Little" was an imprecise word to use... I meant 3.5 inch plastic pots, with the intent to put multiple small plants in them. Thanks for the pointer to your instructions and the offer of aid... we will see what I get, accepting a "problematic" flask might have been unwise as my first flask. It will be a learning experience, I plan to not take it badly if it doesn't go well.

I don't plan to do any disinfecting or de-fungicide-ing, other than of surfaces.

[Dalachin]

I don’t have much to compare it to, but the seedlings seem very small! I soaked in kelpmax, quantum and potted up with spagnum in solo cups with drainage holes. I decided to tape some more solo cups on top as humidity domes. I guess we’ll see.

So if I wanted a really nice flask of some special Phal species, where would you get it? Marni turkel, Louisiana, somewhere else?

[tmoney]

hmmm, yeah, those guys probly should cooked a little longer before taking out of the oven. not that they won't grow and survive, but that is too small methinks....