Don’t know about the normal part but there are a number of articles on the internet (scientifically based and by people who have done this a few times). This first article appeared in American Orchid Society in 2006 I believe by a guy who has done this for around 55 years. It’s suppose to be an easier method than using a hood, and some other protocols. The chances of contamination is high, you have to pay lots of attention to details, you need to be part scientist, part chemist, part microbiologist, part obsessive compulsive and have the patience of Job to wait forever. I would start with phals as they don’t seem to take as long to come into flower nor be in the flask as long. Others may have another opinion and will chip in on the conversation.
https://www.aos.org/AOS/media/Conten...OrchidSeed.pdf
Here is an article from AOS on harvesting seed capsules and lengths of time for different ones.
Harvesting Times of Orchid Seed Capsules for the Green Pod Culture Process
There is also the laminar flow hood method and there is an article on building one and why it’s best to use one to be successful. Laminar flow hood construction And lots of other information on orchid seeding etc
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For orchid seed service: here is someone I ran across, maybe other have used them and can advise — Dr. Bills Orchids —orchid flasking service, does flasking, will be soon doing meristeming, sells seedlings, has culture information, etc information is updated to 2023 offers.
There are plenty of articles on the subject, personally I would look at the more University based or commercial grower based. The internet is full of people who want to bewanabees but their information is not accurate, they have done maybe 2 flasking procedures, etc.. I would suggest sticking with those who have done this for years. Keep in mind getting the seed flasked though crucial — but it’s not the end to getting plants that live to blooming. You have to know about replating, deflasking, potting up in community pots, keeping it warm enough, keeping the humidity up so their roots grow, plants free of fungus and bacteria, they need enough but not over light, etc. There are resources to help you. St Augustine Orchid Society is a good resource and I encourage you to support the group. Many of the top orchid experts, growers, breeders, in the country are members.
Best of luck.. I hope the Orchid Board leaves the links up.
Hopefully the board allows another link
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I don’t want to discourage anyone but just be realistic that you may not get anything at all, it will all die in the flask. Growing orchids from seed to a blooming plant is years away from your getting the seed into your hands. And the likely hood that the package of seeds is likely to generate nothing worth keeping in your collection. And certainly nothing worth growing on to sell if that’s where you are headed with this adventure. It takes hundreds of thousands of seeds to grow just a a couple decent plants… sure it will be yours but is it something you will want to show off? Maybe, maybe not. Will you produce a plant that is worthy of spending lots of money being cloned — maybe, maybe not. After going through all the criteria that makes a good plant a highly sought after one — can you make the tough decisions to cull those not worth dealing with? Maybe so, maybe not.
Also you might want to start , unless you have already done this, buying a flask and learning how to deflask, how to do community pots and growing them out to be healthy and strong growin. Getting a deflasked seedling to live in a household or other than a very humid area isn’t easy. This isn’t like buying a small seedling that may already be a year or more old. These can be/are teeny weeny plants that you can consider as newborn babies who need you for everything. If you can get most of those plants to live to be blooming plants, you will have learned the patience and the need for very clean arrangements and work environment. But also I would get a flask of mericlones — Akatsuka sells them, but ask for other sources too. It takes just as much time to grow high quality babies which you know what they will look like and can more easily sell than it is to go through all the hassle of growing seeds of your own in the beginning which you don’t even know if the plants will be of any quality. And remember, orchid seed is dust tiny. Can be 1500-3 million seeds in pod. But after reading all you can, maybe find someone local who has successfully sown/flasked and grown his own seeds to healthy plants even to blooming who can help you and mentor you along.
Best of luck.
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