The best homemade orchid flasking medium

[estación seca]

Originally Posted by svetozar123

Please , can you explain what is agar ?

Welcome to the Orchid Board!

Agar is made from kelp that grows in the sea. When dissolved in water it forms a gel that is semi-solid at room temperature. It is used to make a soft, water-rich substrate for growing bacteria, fungi and orchids in warm conditions in a lab. Gelatin from animals would be liquid at these temperatures.

http://www.foodqualitynews.com/var/p...nm_gallery.jpg

It is also used in food, to make gels that are stiff at room temperature.

Here is an example of an Orchid Board member using it to grow orchid seedlings:

A seedling story!

[gdilorinzo]

Originally Posted by roby

Hi

My homemade orchid flasking medium
1 litres of RO water
20 grams sugar
1 gram charcoal
1.5 grams NPK 20-20-20
6 grams agar

optional:
Coco juice of 1 coconuts
or
pineapple juice 100 ml
or
5 drops NAA

I use this medium with:
phalanopsis
bletilla
sophronitis
epidendrum
masdevallia
restrepia
dendrobium
chysis

failed with
Cattleya
Aerangis
Spathoglottis

im curious as to why it failed with some of the orchids, I think that using a triple 20 might be too strong for the seedlings. Try adding MS basal medium + vitamins it comes in a small jar that is ready to mix in 1 liter. https://phytotechlab.com/murashige-s...1-g-l-mes.html

Edit* i compared mediums and apparently mediums high in salts will inhibit orchid seed germination. Pretty much MS basal medium is too strong. here is a link to phytotech's orchid seed sowing medium and what its made of. https://phytotechlab.com/media/docum.../P723-Info.pdf