Deflasked P. violacea var. coerulea seedling care

[PaphLover]

Deflasked my babies a week ago into their covered high humidity seedling containers. They are on a bed of moist leca on top of heating mats, near a north facing window. The lids and sides of domes are covered in moisture droplets. I haven't had to water or mist.

I've looked online for articles about care, but still have questions.

1. Do you have links to excellent seedling care articles?
2. I remove the lid two or three times a day to introduce fresh air. I usually leave it off for 10-15 min. Is this sufficient? Too much?
3. When can seedlings (in their humidity domes) be put under my T5HO light? How long should they be under light a day? 12 hrs as other orchids, or build up slowly?
4. Is artificial lighting better than natural (more able to regulate)? No direct sunlight, of course.

Any help is appreciated, and if you have any links to more info that would be great as well.

Thanks!!!

PS: though first pic shows leaf touching side of container, it has been moved so that no leaves touch sides of container.

[dangerouseddy]

the seedlings I took out of a flask took about 2 weeks to acclimatise to my normal growing conditions.

I had them in one of those gravel trays with a lid with a vent that could be turned to open it.

I opened it a bit each day till I took it off after 14 days, the seedlings are doing fine.

had a layer of grease proof paper and some kitchen roll over the top of the lid and after a few days I took a layer off.

they're under the same light as my other seedlings and doing ok.

my lights are normal t5's though.

ive probably not explained it very well, hopefully somebody else will chip in with advice.

[estación seca]

She's lookin' good, Vern!

[No-Pro-mwa]

Good luck, they are cute little babies.

[PaphLover]

Originally Posted by dangerouseddy

the seedlings I took out of a flask took about 2 weeks to acclimatise to my normal growing conditions.

I had them in one of those gravel trays with a lid with a vent that could be turned to open it.

I opened it a bit each day till I took it off after 14 days, the seedlings are doing fine.

had a layer of grease proof paper and some kitchen roll over the top of the lid and after a few days I took a layer off.

they're under the same light as my other seedlings and doing ok.

my lights are normal t5's though.

ive probably not explained it very well, hopefully somebody else will chip in with advice.

Thanks for this. Did you immediately put them under lights? I read somewhere to keep them shaded for a while to stimulate root growth, but I don't remember it telling how long to leave them shaded. As you can tell, I'm a "Nervous Nelly" first time orchid mama.

[dangerouseddy]

Originally Posted by PaphLover

Thanks for this. Did you immediately put them under lights? I read somewhere to keep them shaded for a while to stimulate root growth, but I don't remember it telling how long to leave them shaded. As you can tell, I'm a "Nervous Nelly" first time orchid mama.

yes I did put them under lights but they were covered with some layers of kitchen roll. I just removed a layer every few days.

my lights are only t5 under cabinet jobs with home made reflectors (made from white plastic guttering) they are 2ft long and 18w, there's 2 on the seedling shelf and they're about a foot away from the plants.

they're probably not as bright as yours, also my plants seemed to have good roots for the most part so were ok.

---------- Post added at 11:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:54 PM ----------

forgot to mention that I have an ultrasonic humidifier with a humidistat next to the shelves, that keeps the humidity at 45% plus.

[PaphLover]

One month later…

One succumbed. The one with the white roots that I put in S/H. Maybe those white roots I thought would be good for S/H were a telltale sign of an issue that a newbie like me didn't realize.

The other in S/H is doing fine. Growing a new leaf. I put a little moss on its roots sticking out of the LECA to ensure they stay moist and growing.

Roots are growing well. Several have new leaves. My second largest has a new leaf and one leaf yellowing. I'm hoping that's from too much light and not something else.

One from the round double container decided to damp off. I've applied Ray's cinnamon spray and that seems to have stopped. Roots still green, but not sure if that little one will make it. I didn't get the spray made in time.

I've only 'watered' those in moss twice since the moss has stayed moist. The one in S/H I've watered more. They've all received a diluted solution of my adult plants' fertilizer, a root stimulator, Orchid Champion (no Inocucor here), and MagiCal. And at the last feeding, some Humik.

You can definitely see the root growth and leaf broadening between the first pic in the first post and the last pic in this post. When looking at them daily, one wonders if the 'changes' seen are imagined or real. Nice to have some proof.