The Orchid Room's video: Sowing Orchid Seeds at home Green Pod Flasking Method My experiences and results so far Update

Hi everyone! It's Annabel, welcome back to my channel! Today we are flasking a Phalaenopsis cross I pollinated myself, and updating on some orchid seed sowing I've been doing at home over the last several months. We will be using a green pod flasking method and talking about some experiences flasking orchids at home. Orchid seeds require additional sugars and nutrients to be provided in order to germinate, compared to other plants that have something called an endosperm within the seed capsule: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endosperm Orchid seeds lack this, which allows them to pack possibly over 1000 times as many seeds into a seed pod, compared to normal plants. They then depend on a special fungi found in their native habitat, called mycorrhizae, to scavenge sugars and nutrients to them. If you want to read more about them, check this link out 🙂 https://www.kew.org/read-and-watch/orchid-seeds-natures-tiny-treasures Today I am flasking a green pod. This is the term used for a seed pod that is approximately 2/3 to 3/4 mature, and allows growers to harvest early to speed up time from pollination to sowing. A lower number of viable seeds may be an issue if harvesting too early. Usually I wait until the seed pod is just about to open, and remove before this happens, but I wanted to see how early I could push this. I followed the seed pod maturation times given by the AOS here: https://www.aos.org/orchids/additional-resources/harvesting-times-of-orchid-seed-capsules.aspx This isn't the usual way to perform green pod flasking, which would usually flick the seeds from the pod into the flasks. Since the seeds aren't dry, they don't come out of the pod easily, and this is difficult to do correctly in a box with little visibility. So I chose to improvise taking parts from between the two methods. This is quite an easy, low contamination way of flasking, that I find less prone to error. Maybe it wouldn't work for everyone and has negatives, and I'm sure I will change and improve over time! Orchid Seed Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL76ceLYvhJsvk-rcGMYQf0TzZ0Y1x3mMH I will add everything related to this project into this playlist. Link to website of the flasking equipment supplier I used in Europe: https://www.patrickpolbosorchids.fr/boutique/fr/ P723- boiled and then placed into containers, pressure cooked on a cooker top pressure cooker on a steam rack at 15PSI for 20-30 minutes. Check your pressure cooker weight to check PSI. Prepped 2 weeks plus in advance, but I don't seem to get any contamination following initial media prep. Contamination comes in at the next stage for me. Link to P723 purchased in bagged quantities here: https://www.patrickpolbosorchids.fr/boutique/en/in-vitro-culture/366-p723-orchid-seed-sowing-medium-1l.html . Germination could be improved by adding coconut powder or water, but would alter agar % if using water. I would like to try powder next time supplied by the next company below. Next time I will order larger amounts from a lab supply company that sell to individuals: https://www.generon.co.uk/media-for-plant-tissue-culture-4847/orchid-seed-sowing-medium-873001555.html I use a mix of plastic and glass jars. The large blue top containers are Lidl 'breakfast tubs', which have a decent threading on the screw top lid and seem to have very low contamination- Polypropylene (PP) , so pressure cook-able. I've found this screw cap type of container best. Specimen jars may be ideal - https://amzn.to/3ntuolm Sealed with- https://amzn.to/3nxEsdi Time Stamps 00:00 Background 02:00 Flasking the Seeds 13:17 5 Week Update ___________________________ Recommended Videos & Links: ____________________________ Nina's video removing the Vanda seed pod and showing the parents: https://youtu.be/QkXsC0w0orE Dustin / Here...but Not's Flasking at Home Series: https://youtu.be/mPBctIDvvrA Dustin's Blog: http://herebutnot.com/how-to-breed-flask-phalaenopsis-orchids-steps-for-dry-seeds-green-pod-propagation-methods/ ___________________________________ Summary Videos- Me as a Grower ___________________________________ My Watering and fertilising routine: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL76ceLYvhJss5jYnWhft9WV8meYM-S1lL Converting orchids to semi-hydro: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL76ceLYvhJstRwMU7kdVqrjsD2t575EOK Semi-Hydro Overview & Modifications, dry layer fixes: https://youtu.be/k2nmcWAz_rc Phalaenopsis Advanced Care: https://youtu.be/BLca9G9LVxM ______________________________________________ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.orchid.room/ Orchid posters: https://teespring.com/en-GB/ludisia-discolor-alba?pid=652&cid=102774 ______________________________________________ ❀ My Orchid Room ❀ UK Conservatory Temps- 18-35C Humidity 30-90% (high if it's raining outside, low if warm) Natural light in summer, LEDs in winter ____________________________________________