Really good read!

The glove box?

Why not use a large plastic tub with a strong bleach solution 1 inch or 25mm in the bottom and work with the bleach fumes through the whole process?

Hi Natalie

How did you clean the flasks? did you autoclave with a pressure cooker as per usual?

update of seed germination
 

Here is update photo of seed germinatiin of den. pulchellum. i thought i will not replate and let them grow then deflask. would it be okay? Asking experts opinion. though i am happy with my little achivement.

bump

well, I know that this message is a bit old, but... you've mistaked! you must put the bleach tampon under the lid, not over! I don't know how your flask is now, but if you put the tampon over the lid, it's all perfectly useless!

Resurrecting an old thread here. What strength % wise is the bleach (sodium hypochlorite) and do you dilute it for use with the pad?

Giuseppe, that is fun! :rofl:

The cotton pad you see is not soaked; it is the final closing over the tiny hole made for gas exchange!
The chlorine-soaked piece of cotton has long been removed from in between the two layers of plastic wrap under the lid...

Have used this method with many different seeds now, also non-orchid seeds, and contamination is pretty low, always under 10%, but germination is erratic. This can of course be due to many other reasons.

Could you tell me if this procedure can be done on plantlets being transferred from a mother flask to another flask(replaiting). Should this be feasable please provide me with the protocol. Thank you for your time and response to my question. Guido

I know this was asked a looooonnnnngggg time ago, but better late than never I suppose.

I prep my sowing tubs by cleaning them in a solution of Milton and then drying them off in a warm oven. Then I pour the prepared media straight into them, fit the lids loosely, and sterilize in the microwave (800W) at full power for about 8-10mins. Not very conventional, but it works. I've got Bulbophyllum, Oncidium, and Cymbidium seedlings (the Dendrobium didn't grow so well in my first batch of homemade media - trial and error!).

I have tried this method it works great and so easy. I kept the pads on for 2 hours 45 mins.