Is there a 100% homemade media recipe that doen't require replating?
 

Hello guys I want to try pollinating and propagating a phal, I've read a lot of articles and posts and I'm worried about the media. I want to use a media I can make at home without having to buy it online. I know I will need to buy the agar and I have 20-20-20 and root hormone already. So is there any receipe for media that doesn't require a medium powder, just the normal stuff I have at home + the agar.
Also, I'm afraid about contamination when replating is there a media recipe I can use that will allow me to not have to reflask, one where the seeds can germinate and the seedlings grow until mature enough for deflasking. In other words a media that works for both so there is no need to replate. I know i will have to open a ventilation.

Thanks for your help.

I have never flasked before but i found this when i was researching it online:
DIY - Guide to orchid propagation - Orchid Article Library
oh and some people have used gelatin as a gelling agent instead of agar

OSP1 is a formula developed by the Orchid seedbank project (Aaron Hicks) cited 1999 as a simple medium for germination of orchids at home using readily available items. For 1 liter add sugar (cane sugar from the grocery store) 2 level teaspoons, Miracle grow fertilizer 1/2 level teaspoon, bananas (from baby food no sugar added) 150 ml. ;stir to suspend or dissolve and dispense to culture jars and sterilize by autoclaving (pressure cooking). He puts a circle of filterpaper in the culture jar to support the seeds as this is a liquid medium. If you add about eight grams of agar you will have a solid medium. If you use agar add it to the large amount of medium and bring it to a rolling boil for 1-2 minutes to dissolve the agar before pouring the smaller vessels, keep stirring to keep the agar mixed well as you pour so it will by evenly mixed in the smaller vessels.
Your 20-20-20 can be substituted for the MG if it has micronutrients.
For Phals I would cut it back to 80% (Add an extra 250 ml of water)instead of baby food you can use 3 tablespoons regular banana, try adding potato 6 tablespoons in addition to the banana.
Replating is to prevent overcrowding so don't put much seed in a flask.

thanks
 

Thank you very much guys, you've been extra helpful

Yeah, that's a cool recipe. Thanks for posting it JohnD. I've only used prepared media until now, but now that I've got a few things down I might try making my own just for kicks. Do you use this one?

altcuban, Much depends on what species you are growing. Some just take a while and may need at least one replate. Some grow up just fine in the mother flask. Not crowding is crucial.

This is great info!

I am using mostly Phytotech 658 for germination and with the banana and potato added for replates. I have used close to the OSP1 for liquid medium for protocorm conversion to 4N.
I am going to try some with agar for regular germination when I have some extra time and seed.

The simple media formula for sowing Phal that you can find chemicals in your house or in your local area:
- 1 gram 20-10-20 fertilizer (no urea)
- 20 gram sugar
- 7 gram agar
That it's. Mix in hot water to make a litter of solution then poor into small jars; autoclave; let them cool then drop your seeds in. If you want to use this media then you need to replate your seedlings every 3 - 4 months because pH will drop and seedlings grow slow. That is a problem of home-made media. In commercial media, there are many additional chemicals that help seedlings grow fast: extremely fine activated charcoal to adsorb acid and bad substances such as phenolic; NAA + BAP improve root and leave; inositol to enhance cell grow; MES to keep pH not change... So if you want to grow for fun and get so so seedlings then use it other than that get commercial medium. A picture of Phal seeds in the above medium. Cheers and good luck. :)

I'm also using the fert + sugar + agar recipie, but personally I use regular KNOX brand gelatin instead of agar. I can't tell you if this works better or worse than agar as I've never actually tried agar, but I've very definately been able to germinate some Phal. seeds with it.

I've read up on a few different recipies, and one thing I'm experimenting with now is adding a multivitamin to the medium for extra nutrients.

Hope this helps and good luck!

Can't argue with results. Another cool tip. How much Knox do you use per liter?