Marlow's and Akatsuka

[JScott]

Originally Posted by Ray

Critter Creek Laboratory, who now only does virus testing, used to be a flasking service as well. They used clear plastic “clamshell” food boxes. They shipped about a hundred to me over the years and I never saw any contamination.

I've already looked into a number of flasking services. Of course that would be the easiest way to ensure success, and I'm sure I will use a flasking service someday, but there's also part of me that wants to try it myself just to see if I can do it. I know the success rate of home flasking in one's kitchen is abysmally low, but it looks fun, and if I got even one good flask without contamination, I would really feel like I accomplished something.

I may not end up finding the bottles I want, and that's okay. There are other options. I'm not crazy about the basic Erlenmeyer flask, but there's plenty other choices.

And I have plenty time. I don't even know for sure which two plants I would want to cross when the time came. Clearly this plan is still in its infancy.

[estación seca]

The difficulty with flasking is learning sterile technique. It takes training and then a lot of practice to get it right. Maybe your local community college has microbiology classes or a lab tech program.

[katsucats]

Got an email this morning and unfortunately Marlow's is going out of business in the coming months. If anyone wants something from his remaining stock, now's the time to order. He has some interesting plants still (I wouldn't recommend the anosmum variegata though).