Flask temperatures

[2ljd]

For those of you who've done some flasking...what kind of temps do you keep your flasks at once you've sown your mother or replate flasks?

[Royal]

It really depends on the variety. I keep mine under lights and by an inefficient window so they get to about 75-80 during the day. They need a diurnal temperature swing just like the adults. I just close off the AC vent in that room during the day and open it up in the evening. If I could be more precise, I'd shoot for 85 daytime and 70 at night.

[2ljd]

Thanks Royal,

I'm focusing my efforts on paphs and phals for now...the temperature range you specified is about where I was shooting for. I've visited a couple of flasking operations that flask a wide range of orchids and they seem to maintain a constant temperature of about 76 degrees...which I thought a bit odd. But then again, it seemed to work for them.

[Andrew]

I keep mine at reasonably constant room temperature. I do not vary temperature (and I mostly grow temperates and cool growers). As with your experiences, the commercial and private facilities I've been to do not alter temperature or light duration. The orchids are generally grown at a constant 24oC to produce maximum growth.

Note: varying the air temperature will create differences in pressure between the inside and outside of the flask. This in turn draws air in and out of the flask potentially introducing contamination.

[Royal]

I grow mostly Cattleya alliance, so I try to emulate the day/night temp difference without turning my whole kitchen into a rainforest.

It's really not a controlled environment, I just try to make that one room of my climate controlled house more like a natural environment by take advantage of the warm days in the summer and cool nights in the winter. Not scientific at all, but it makes me feel better. I'm not too worried about air exchange, as all my lids have Nexcare Sterile Spots on both sides.

[2ljd]

Speaking of lids, I've received many flasks in the past with a plastic screw-on lid and was wondering if they permit gas exchange for the plants? They don't appear to have any obvious holes or "vents" that I can see. I like the fact that the flasks they come with are of a wide mouth variety and I would like to use them in my own flasking someday...but not if they don't allow the proper gas exchange to ocurr. Anyone with knowledge on the subject?

[Royal]

Those sound like "B-Caps" made my Magenta. I've never used them, but I don't think they come vented. I just use peanut butter and baby food jars, and I vent them myself. You could always vent the B-caps the same way - drill a tiny hole and seal it with a double layer of sterile spots.

[rogerman]

My flasks sit happily on a little table in my spare room. First thing in the morning they get the sun and it has passed by at about 10AM. I have never had any problems so far, and a few thousand Orchids have passed by.

As for flasks, I don't actually do any flasking as I don't have the time or resources. They come in 750ml "Johnny walker " bottles with rubber corks in the top..... The corks have a hole in the centre and thats filled with cotton wool. Never had any contamination.

[2ljd]

Originally Posted by RoyalOrchids

Those sound like "B-Caps" made my Magenta. I've never used them, but I don't think they come vented. I just use peanut butter and baby food jars, and I vent them myself. You could always vent the B-caps the same way - drill a tiny hole and seal it with a double layer of sterile spots.

Thanks for the tip! I'll try calling the supplier as well and see what their recommendations are...

[2ljd]

Originally Posted by RoyalOrchids

Those sound like "B-Caps" made my Magenta. I've never used them, but I don't think they come vented. I just use peanut butter and baby food jars, and I vent them myself. You could always vent the B-caps the same way - drill a tiny hole and seal it with a double layer of sterile spots.

Hi Royal,

I'm unfamiliar with the sterile spots you mentioned...what do they look like and where can I find them?