My Flask Report

[gnathaniel]

Dang Melissa, that's quite a list! Some pretty challenging species in there, you're braver than I am...

What kind of setup are you using for your seedlings? I've deflasked many fewer species than you, but I've found bottom heat and strong airflow very effective in reducing attrition rates. Bottom watering seems to cut down on fungal problems, too.

Let us know how they do!

--Nat

[King_of_orchid_growing:)]

Schlimmia is a Stanhopea relative. Stanhopea relatives have an unusual seedling stage. They resemble micro-miniature vines. There is a long and complicated explanation of this I made a very long time ago on the OB.

Other Stanhopea relatives to watch out for are Acineta, Lycomormium, Coryanthes, Stanhopea (of course), Embreea, Paphinia, Peristeria, and Sievekingia. If you had a difficult time getting the micro-mini vines going, the ones I just mentioned are no different.

Dendrobiums tend to be more difficult in general. They are more delicate physically. There's also the dormancy periods to contend with. I find that if they are deflasked when they are about 1 1/2" tall (I'm referring to the small to giant sized species, not the minis or micro-minis), they are much sturdier to deflask and harden off. It's probably better to deflask them during the spring.

In-vitro, Dendrobium seedlings don't get the cues to go dormant, but if you deflask during a period of time when they should be dormant, the seedlings will get those cues and go dormant. I currently had the pleasure of seeing exactly what I mentioned happen to my Den seedlings. I deflasked them during the winter, and the leaves on all the seedlings went deciduous en masse.

Maxillarias love way too much water. Unless you have a misting system, they're difficult to get them to a large enough size where they can stand on their own. Some tend to also have a slightly vine-like growth habit as well, but not quite like those of Stanhopea relations.

Cattleya relatives are more robust physically and less problematic to deflask and get going. They don't tend to need to be grown quite as moist as Maxillarias do.

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[shadytrake]

Thanks Philip! Good notes to know. I usually buy the flasks from Meyers so I never know exactly when they are coming and since they are deflasked for me, I have to compot them right away.

I'm going to take a few more photos today and will post them later but here are a couple showing the area.

[FairyInTheFlowers]

OOO! How exciting!

[Amanda L]

Wow, Melissa. I have to say that you are braver and more persistent than I am, too. Good luck on your current seedlings and all future seedlings. Practice really does make perfect, as you are proving.

[shadytrake]

Here are some other photos.

First is Epi ilense and a couple of Dens which just arrived from Equatorial Orchids.

2nd are 4 of the NBS seedlings C. aurantiaca from my very first flask. They are really growing.

Last is a compot of the C. dowiana cross seedlings.

You can see in the first photo that I am trying something different by adding some perlite.

[lostonthebeach]

Great Photos. Thanks.