Seed Pod

[carlq]

I'm a relative newbie to orchid growing, so I'm not yet ready for flower pollenating, flasks, sterile conditions, etc. But I have a nice looking seed pod on my reed stem epidendrum that I wouldn't mind experimenting with. Is there anything I can do to see if I can grow some plants from seed without going the whole 9 yards? Or do I just throw it away?
I could probably go through the archives and get the answer to this question, but I'm lazy.

[Tindomul]

They really have to be sterile conditions. I just learned that the hard way. But there are ways to do this at home. I'm not exactly sure on the specifics, but it involves a pressure cooker, lots of alcohol, and some stuff you buy, like the proper media, etc...
Not sure who to ask, so hopefully the right person will stop by.

In anycase, I will try to get you the instruction I got from a successful orchid flasker friend.

P.S.
If you are facing the decision of throwing the pod away, you could always just send it my way for me to practice on another pod.

[capdale]

Visit www.kitchenculturekit.com. Low cost way to get into flasking and tissue culture. Most of the stuff you need you have around your house.

[Marco]

If you're looking for premade media you can go to http://www.phytotechlab.com

[wallyworld]

This is what I do, I pollinate the flower myself and when the pod develops, I cut the pod off before the pod opens. One of the local growers in my area will, for a small fee, take the pod and place it agar for me. They have a small lab that they use and are glad to help local growers. In my local orchid society, there are a few people that will do it for me also.

[Mahon]

If you don't want to bother getting it flasked some how, if you have a greenhouse or live in subtropical parts of Florida, then you can spread the seeds into other orchid pots, preferably ones with finer media. If you live in FL, try taking some and sprinkle it into mulch or humus... remember where you sprinkled it, because I was once ripping out Dendrobium seedlings thinking they were weedy grasses...

I would suggest getting it flasked, just to start growing plants still in vitro... it is sometimes a challenge.

-Pat