more questions - Orchid Board

ochid_nut · #1 (**permalink**) 01-19-2008, 03:23 PM

Hello!
Thank you everyone for all the help on my questions so far... I think I'm almost ready to start my seeds... Hooray for online shopping! lol So my questions are about flasking. The info from Phalguy was unbelievable, pic really help. When it says to wait 5 days after filling the jars with the solution, is that so we know if its been contaminated? Do we add the seeds after the 5 days? Won't we contaminate the jars when we open to add seed? How do we know if the jars were contaminated before the 5 days? Will I see a mould growing?? After the seeds have started to grow in the jars, why do we transplant to another jar with other solution? Are they too weak to grow in a pot at that point? I think thats all... I'm sure I'll have more as I go along...
Thanks everyone for being patient with the newbie!!
-Ochid_nut ha ha ha i spelled orchid wrong when i signed up. I need to sleep more...

Ross · #2 (**permalink**) 01-19-2008, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ochid_nut

Ochid_nut ha ha ha i spelled orchid wrong when i signed up. I need to sleep more...

Send Marty a PM and he'll fix it for you. Hate to see one live with a mistake forever!

ochid_nut · #3 (**permalink**) 02-10-2008, 01:11 PM

Anyone who could answer these, I'd really appreciate it! Thanks!

maitaman · #4 (**permalink**) 02-12-2008, 09:09 AM

The contamination will generally show before five days, so that's the delay.
The orchid moves from a stage where it "feeds" on the sugars in your solution, then moves to a chlorophyll/carbon dioxide cycle after the protocorms start to form roots and leaves. This is why a mother flask doesn't need venting, but a growing flask must have it. The plantlets grow much faster in the solution and are protected from the normal pests and such that nature provides. It is faster and better all around to leave the plantlets in the flasks until they are getting fairly large, then they do best in community pots for awhile, then individual potting.
Also remember: if the plants are in the flasks you don't have to worry about water, insecticides, fertilizers, and numerous other critical things that have to be considered when they are not in the closed system of the flask.