can a normal person grow orchids from seed?

[Granny]

Problem is that my English is not very good, though I do my very best to make you understand.
Yes, the water is the base for the medium. The agar agar is needed to gel the liquid, here in Belgium we can buy it in the drugstore or pharmacy.

For the 1’st agar medium you need:

- hydrogen peroxide 3% to sterilize the seed
- 6 gr. agar-agar
- 1 ltr distilled water
- 2 gr. fertilizer 20-20-20
- 5 gr. sugar

Preparation
Boil the distilled water with the sugar and fertilizer. Stir the solution till the powder is completely dissolved.
Then stir the agar powder in the solution. Let the media boil for ± 2 min. and keep stirring. Now you can fill the flasks and sterilize them.
Concerning the sterilization you can find full explanation on the site of Lotte and Thomas.
It can take several months before you will see protocorns.

Don't put too much seed in one flask so that they can grow as long as possible before you have to reflask.

greetz

[korxi]

Does anyone know if rainwater can be used instead of distilled water??

Christian

[newflasker]

Originally Posted by korxi

Does anyone know if rainwater can be used instead of distilled water??

Christian

If you have an orchid business, do a research, or study the orchid medium you absolutely need to use distilled water because you don't want unknown chemicals in rainwater change your outcome. If distilled water is cheap to you and no problem to get it then use it. Otherwise, you can use rainwater to make medium. Many people successfully use rainwater to grow orchids so why rainwater cannot use in medium. Sometimes I run out of distilled water & lazy to go to market I use tap water and not see much different (sometimes it's better). But I only use distilled water for my expensive orchids. You know what I mean.

[newflasker]

Originally Posted by Granny

Don't put too much seed in one flask so that they can grow as long as possible before you have to reflask.

greetz

I agree don't put too many seeds in one flask. I am testing a new media, afraid that seeds not germinate so I put too many seeds in and hope some will survive. And what I get is a sea of protocorms. It's so pretty that it broken my heart if I replace them. Poor guy.

[Charles]

Any ideas what to use for orchids like Vanda or oncidium? Or should I just try the general medium?

[newflasker]

I never try Vanda and Oncidium but I believe that the general media is good for them. You can talk to people of Phytotech. They are friendly. However, Phap, Phrag, and Cim need different medium.
Nguyen

[Charles]

Thanks.

[earthwalk]

Im sure going to try this - its getting the seeds thats proving to be near imposable here were i am... and I just learned how to pollinate my orchids.

so if u care to send me some seeds that would be awesome!

CHECH OUT THE VIDEOS!

Asymbiotic Orchid Seed Flasking: 3-Part Video Series | Care of Orchids:

OspEx 1.0 replate medium IS WHAT TO USE AND CAN BE OREDED HERE: media

[andreamc]

I am also interested in growing my own orchids! Here is a good utube video that shows everything step by step. Thanks for all the good advice - I didnt know that you could make your own media! Good luck with your growing and I will let you know how it works with me!

[andreamc]

Oops!!! Here is the website!

Orchid Flasking - Part 1 (2011) - YouTube