Need advice on phal mediums

[jreidsma]

Hi everyone

My phals are blooming and as they open I am polinating them, I am hopign to be able to do some of the seeds myself but have ran into a bit of a problem.

I was hoping I could just buy a germination medium that would just need water added in. And a reflasking medium that would just need water added in.

I have been looking on these two places so far:
Home Page - PhytoTechnology
Western Orchids / Laboratory - Tissue Culture Medium Formulations
But on the phytotechlab one I have ran into a rpbolem, I would have to mess with the PH and everything according to an email discussion with them. Which sounds a bit to expensie and difficult for a hobbiest at home with not a lot of money to spend.

The western orchids place sounds a lot easier, I just add in water and coconut/banana based on if I am germinating or reflasking. But would I have to mess with the PH if I did this? And then what medium would I use?

Or if anyone know of any different mediums that work well and are simple let me know

[zxyqu]

P668 is a standard Phal sowing media sold by Phyto. It's great and you probably won't have too much issue with pH depending on your water source. The problem comes with the need to add agar to this media. You can buy a p668 with agar already added (not sure of the Phyto number), but most sowing of seed is done at 1/2 strength. As such you can use the fully premade stuff as you'd dilute out the agar and the media won't be solid.

For a couple bucks on eBay you can get a scale that will work. P668 is great and works well for phals, so I'd recommend it, a111 agar, and a scale to start. For replates, you can continue to use p668 with addition of potatoe and banana, or you can buy premade p748 which is a just add water product.

[jreidsma]

Ok, so these?
scale
Amazon.com: Mini Electronic Pocket Digital Gold Jewellery Weighing Scales 1000g-0.1g accuracy: Jewelry

germination medium and agar
ORCHID MAINTENANCE MEDIUM Contains Charcoal, Without Agar - Orchid Culture - P668
AGAR, PLANT TC/ MICROPROPAGATION GRADE - Gelling Agents - A111

reflasking medium.
ORCHID MAINTENANCE/ REPLATE MEDIUM Contains Banana, Charcoal, and Agar - Orchid Culture - P748


I have no idea how much of each I need. I have two phals I am pollinating, one has eight blooms/buds and the other has 11+ buds/blooms on them and I am hand pollinating all of them. But if both the media bottles will make one liter I am guessing one liter would be enough?

And with the water, my tap waters PH is very high and is not very clean. So I would probbably use distilled which is higher ph, or spring which is lower. I have many fish tanks and so could I use the ph equipment for the fish aquariums to get the ph right in the water for the orchids?

If is, what would the ph need to be in the water before mixing it in with the media and/or agar?


I think what I am probably going to do is send most of the seed pods off to someone that knows what they are doing, then keep a couple for me to try in case I manage to screw them up :P Or just send them all off and wait until I have more money and room for orchids.

[zxyqu]

I wouldn't pollinate every flower. Pollinate 2 or 3, too many and you might kill the plant, or lose all the developing pods. Enough to make 1 liter should probably be enough for now. Using good distilled water should be fine. If you use good distilled water, and boil it all together, that should limit the problems with pH when using p668. I've never had a problem with it.

[jreidsma]

Oh, I did not know that abou the flowers. Thanks for telling me! i will only pollinate three on each plant. That way maybe I could try a couple, and send a couple seed pods off.

Alright, so Ph is not a problem Thats a relief.

What is "good" distilled water? I usually get Great Value Walmart jugged distilled water for our humidifyers, that should be good enough even though its PH may be a bit closer to eight I think?