Seed Pod

[carlq]

I'm a relative newbie to orchid growing, so I'm not yet ready for flower pollenating, flasks, sterile conditions, etc. But I have a nice looking seed pod on my reed stem epidendrum that I wouldn't mind experimenting with. Is there anything I can do to see if I can grow some plants from seed without going the whole 9 yards? Or do I just throw it away?
I could probably go through the archives and get the answer to this question, but I'm lazy.

[Tindomul]

They really have to be sterile conditions. I just learned that the hard way. But there are ways to do this at home. I'm not exactly sure on the specifics, but it involves a pressure cooker, lots of alcohol, and some stuff you buy, like the proper media, etc...
Not sure who to ask, so hopefully the right person will stop by.

In anycase, I will try to get you the instruction I got from a successful orchid flasker friend.

P.S.
If you are facing the decision of throwing the pod away, you could always just send it my way for me to practice on another pod.

[capdale]

Visit www.kitchenculturekit.com. Low cost way to get into flasking and tissue culture. Most of the stuff you need you have around your house.

[Marco]

If you're looking for premade media you can go to http://www.phytotechlab.com

[wallyworld]

This is what I do, I pollinate the flower myself and when the pod develops, I cut the pod off before the pod opens. One of the local growers in my area will, for a small fee, take the pod and place it agar for me. They have a small lab that they use and are glad to help local growers. In my local orchid society, there are a few people that will do it for me also.

[Mahon]

If you don't want to bother getting it flasked some how, if you have a greenhouse or live in subtropical parts of Florida, then you can spread the seeds into other orchid pots, preferably ones with finer media. If you live in FL, try taking some and sprinkle it into mulch or humus... remember where you sprinkled it, because I was once ripping out Dendrobium seedlings thinking they were weedy grasses...

I would suggest getting it flasked, just to start growing plants still in vitro... it is sometimes a challenge.

-Pat

[pancakefactory]

yes but when do you receive these so called SEEDS. i have opened one seed pod to find nothing but some fuzzy sort of stuffing.... is that fungus i assume? i also have two more seed pods waiting so i need some answers people! ;P i prefer not to do the whole flasking hahhaha

[Wynn Dee13]

Originally Posted by pancakefactory

yes but when do you receive these so called SEEDS. i have opened one seed pod to find nothing but some fuzzy sort of stuffing.... is that fungus i assume? i also have two more seed pods waiting so i need some answers people! ;P i prefer not to do the whole flasking hahhaha

Orchid seeds are not like most seeds. They are dust. The fuzzy stuff inside is just part of the seed pod. I had a seed pod and I didn't know it had split because the split was on the underside of the pod. The seed kind of looked like pollen. It was yellow and dust like. Each orchid has a different gestation time. So some take a few months to ripen and some take many months. If you opened it too soon it might not of been developed yet. The best way to sow seed is by flasking. You could try sprinkling the seed on the surface of the medium of the mother plant. Although chances are out of the thousands of seeds in the pod none will germinate. I guess you could get lucky with a couple. Orchid seedlings are not easy to raise either. It also takes a lot of time. It takes years from sowing the seed to getting a flowering size plant. I recommend you read up on it and find some pictures so you can see what the seeds look like and what the whole process is. It is very interesting! Good luck!

[Bloomin_Aussie]

Growing orchids from seed is a very interesting process but it does take a very patient person to see it through from beginning to end.

Sowing in sterile media can be a little tricky. If you can get past that part, you need to leave your flasks in timed artificial light for up to 24 months while the seedlings mature.

After that you need to deflask... you'll want to be proficient with this part as it can quickly lead to your 24 months of waiting going down the drain.

I would suggest you buy yourself a flask of easy growing orchids first and have a go at deflasking. Flasking seed is not worth the time, effort or money if you don't get that part of it right.

[pancakefactory]

what do you think is the easiest orchid to deflask?

edit: and do you HAVE to flask a seed? or can you just open the pod before it splits then sprinkle them on the medium?