Buy flask to sell?

[PaphMadMan]

If you want an inexpensive non-Phrag flask (mostly catts and epicatts) to practice on, check bluemossguy/Forestfloororchids&plants on eBay. Really can't go wrong for $15-20 plus shipping.

[Rothrock42]

I got a flask with about 45 "strong" seedlings and maybe 15 tiny "runts." I made three compots of the strong ones and one for the slow sprouts. After 9 months or so I chose the strongest compot for myself and sold the other two strong ones at my society meeting for about what I paid for the flask.

This way I didn't have to mount/pot up so many and care for them for years. I'm a window sill grower in my apartment so caring for 60 pots of babies would have been a THING!

I still have 15 that I've mounted/potted (I'm trying both to see what happens. And I have the runts still in a compot. I haven't figured out what I'm going to do with that and some of them are just now at 1 year catching up to the others.

[snowflake311]

Originally Posted by PaphMadMan

If you want an inexpensive non-Phrag flask (mostly catts and epicatts) to practice on, check bluemossguy/Forestfloororchids&plants on eBay. Really can't go wrong for $15-20 plus shipping.

I did just that. I bought a flask of Sophronitis cernua from bluemossguy. So I will see how it goes. I am getting ready gathering all my needed things and doing research.

[Fairorchids]

Missed this thread earlier. Here are the fundamentals for growing from flask:

A. Provide near 100% humidity.
B. Ideally 5-10 degrees F warmer than you would grow mature plants of the same genus.
C. One step deeper shade than you would grow mature plants of the same genus. IE:

• Cymbidium seedlings go into Cattleya/Phrag light.
• Cattleya/Phrag seedlings go into Paph light
• Paph seedlings need abt 80% shade

D. If possible, place in compots rather than individual pots (they grow MUCH better that way).

Even though I grow in a greenhouse, I still do seedling tubs in order to provide the higher humidity & lower light (see photo).

I have a more detailed article on how to deflask and deal with seedlings. If you want a copy, send an email to fairorchids@aol.com with 'Deflasking' as subject.

Finally:

1. I agree 100% with Ray, that fungicide treatment is entirely unnecessary when deflasking. If you loose seedlings, it is lack of humidity/drying out/too bright light (or deflasking too late).
2. To opener, yes, they are inexpensive to buy, but after 3-5 years of growing, your true cost far exceeds what it would cost to buy NBS or BS plants from Hawaii.

[MattWoelfsen]

I tried several years to acquire Angraecum distichum. But bloom sized plants were over US$35+. I finally bought a flask. I got it for $40. I ended up with 15 compots—3 seedlings each pot. And about 24 too small to be in compots plantlets.

This is the 5th flask I have grown. I use Innocur to start my seedlings. I grow them in sphagnum moss. The seedlings need to transition from flask and harden up to life outside of flask. I use recycled plastic to create a humidity dome. They will stay in this container for about a month or two. And then I’ll start to open the dome for half days over a period of 30 days or so.

In terms of true cost? I agree, after three or four years, your time and expenses will be more than what an adult plant would have cost in comparison. There is satisfaction in growing a plant to maturity.

Would I sell these seedlings? Not likely—I have donated several compots to my orchid society to help raise funds.