Favorite type of glass for flasking?

[Gin]

Hi, I use baby food jars and pint Mason Jars what I am using now , I bought Hills media from Gallup and Stribling just have to add sterilized distiled water . What I did was use Reynolds wrap over the mouth of the jar then the mason lid and the ring , did not let the lid seal in the pressure cooker . So far so good I can actually see the little plants . Thanks for the tip on Knudson C Gin

[Boyajian]

Originally Posted by RoyalOrchids

I use baby food jars too. You can easily vent them by punching a hole with a clean nail. Paint the ragged edge with clear nail polish to minimize rust. Then just cover the hole with a NexCare Sterile Spot type band aid. You don't have to vent motherflasks. But if you are smart and take the advice of Newflasker, venting will allow you to grow them out longer in one flask.

DJ, Is there a standard size baby food jar that the Phytotech lids will fit? I'd like to use the clear lids but there are many different varieties of baby food out there. Tips on brand or size would be appreciated.

Thank you for your help, would someone mind clarifying "mother flasking"? I am not exactly clear on it.

[Boyajian]

Originally Posted by newflasker

Welcome to the mad scientist club. Congratulation to new member.
Flask: If you want to save few bucks you can use baby food jars, pickle jars or whatever small jars with lids around your kitchen. Today, jars are reliable. They can stand for heat from microwave and pressure cooker. I prefer pickle jars because they are cheap and there are enough space if we want continue grow seedlings. A pint or half pint jar is perfect.
I bought media, hormone, and chemical from Phytotech. You don't have to pay Hazmat fees for media and hormone but you may have to pay it for some chemical like KOH (I remember?) You also have to pay for handling about $5 (sometime they remember sometime not). You can call and talk to them. They are nice and I don't think they are too busy.
If you order somethings from Phytotech add one more small bottle of Knudson C modified media from them. You save shipping. Only 5 bucks. It's one of my favorites. You can use it to sow seeds and keep grow seedling without replating. Otherwise, you have to use 2 media: one for sowing and one for replating protocorms. It's easy to get contamination when transferring protocorms to new medium. Hope it may help. 2 cents

Cheers

Thank you for your help, thanks for the advice as well. I am excited to get started, currently trying to decide what flowers I want to use for propagation, my mother has a few orchids that I am interested as well, I might use polen from one of them.

[Boyajian]

Originally Posted by Gin

Hi, I use baby food jars and pint Mason Jars what I am using now , I bought Hills media from Gallup and Stribling just have to add sterilized distiled water . What I did was use Reynolds wrap over the mouth of the jar then the mason lid and the ring , did not let the lid seal in the pressure cooker . So far so good I can actually see the little plants . Thanks for the tip on Knudson C Gin

Oh how exciting to see little plants! I am envious but so very happy for you. Can't wait to get started

[Dorothy]

I found this in my favorites - perhaps it can help you -
Affordable Plant Tissue Culture - Orchids
and Lotte & Thomas Orchids
and
CONTENTS

[Djarum Black]

Originally Posted by RoyalOrchids

DJ, Is there a standard size baby food jar that the Phytotech lids will fit? I'd like to use the clear lids but there are many different varieties of baby food out there. Tips on brand or size would be appreciated.

So far the caps have fit all the jars I have tried. I get donations of jars from friends and family, so I get a wide variety. So far they all have worked. ( I cross my fingers as I say this cause there is a first time for everything and I am a JINX!!! ROFL)
The super tiny Beechnut jars seemed a little loose at first but it might have been a heat thing as the issue went away.

[Boyajian]

Originally Posted by Djarum Black

So far the caps have fit all the jars I have tried. I get donations of jars from friends and family, so I get a wide variety. So far they all have worked. ( I cross my fingers as I say this cause there is a first time for everything and I am a JINX!!! ROFL)
The super tiny Beechnut jars seemed a little loose at first but it might have been a heat thing as the issue went away.

I just popped over to my neighbors in the condo next door as I know their baby should be eating baby food right about now, I asked if they would save me some and the father said there will be a ton for me in a few days. My husband started getting the spare bedroom ready for me tonight, so I can get prepared and set up.

[Djarum Black]

Originally Posted by Boyajian

I just popped over to my neighbors in the condo next door as I know their baby should be eating baby food right about now, I asked if they would save me some and the father said there will be a ton for me in a few days. My husband started getting the spare bedroom ready for me tonight, so I can get prepared and set up.

Awesome! Yup, thats the way to go! Free jars save soooo much money. Thats what I do too, I hit up every house that I know has babies.

[John D.]

There are two different diameter openings for baby food jars. Compare them on the shelf in the store. The plastic caps from Phytotech fit the larger mouth jars. You can reuse the original metal lids several times before they rust. The four oz. jars work ok for seed sowing (mother flasks). I would use the taller ones for replates (4-5 plants each)

[Royal]

Originally Posted by Boyajian

Thank you for your help, would someone mind clarifying "mother flasking"? I am not exactly clear on it.

Often times, seeds are germinated in smaller containers due to the fact that you don't need a big surface to sow LOTS of seed. Also, germination (for some) requires a different growing medium than actually growing plants. In this instance, one would germinate in a 'mother flask', then transfer or re-plate them in an aptly named 'replate flask' in order to grow up with more room and better food (different type of nutrient medium).

Did you catch the tip form Newflasker? His suggestion would eliminate the need for re-plating. This board is a great resource!