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Media preparation for home orchid flasking. A step by step guide to mother flasking.
Part I
Mother Flasking
This method is based on Lottes and Thomas asymbiotic germination technique and the homeflasking method I found on the net. I will post an article about sowing seeds from a green pod in a few weeks ! Hope you like it ! This media is use for mother flasking ! I`m using another medium for replating.
Phalguy
You will need:
Distilled water
Baby food jars and lids ( Washed and soak overnight in Bleach solution then washed again )
Cookie sheet
Aluminium foil
Orchid fertilizer
Superthrive
KLN ( or rooting hormone)
Fructose
Agar agar
Nitric acid ( To adjust the PH level )
PH meter or PH paper strip
Measuring spoon and scale
1. Pots are washed and put on a cookie sheet for sterilization in the oven at 300 F for 30 minutes.
2. Preparation is prepare...
1 Liter of distilled water ( RO water is ok too )
¼ teaspoon of MSU fertilizer or any other kind
20 ML of fructose ( 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon)
0.2 ML of SuperThrive
0.2 ML of KLN
3. Adjust the PH to 5.6 and boil preparation for 1 or 2 minutes to dissolve fertilizer
4. Measure the agar agar ( 6 Gram per liter , about 1 ½ ounce )
5. Pour agar agar and let boil for another 2 minutes.
6. Let cool down pots and preparation for 5 minutes
7. Pour media into pots, screw the lids loosely on the flasks.
8. Put the flasks in oven again, for 30 minutes at 300 F.
9. Let the flasks cool down, screw the lids tightly and date the pots. Cover the top with foil and wait 5 days to make sure that they are sterile.
10. The flask, a few hour later, with the media solidified!
Very cool. Do you think Ph strips would do a good job at reading Ph for you? Also you forgot to add Agar to the list of ingredients.
Good pics! Thanks.
Also I've heard that many like to use potatoes and bananas in the mix. What do you think? Is the orchid fertilizer good enough? <-- Dumb question.
by Phalguy on Fri, 2007-06-01 19:36
Hello!
Oups, sorry about the Agar agar....
PH strip are perfect ! Just adjust your PH between 5.6 and 6.0 .
I use Fuctose for my mother flask and I use potatoes or banana ( starch ) for replating.
What I have read is you don`t need high sugar concentration to get protocorn but you need complex carbohydrate ( potatoes, banana ) to get the protocorn to roots. This is why I use two different medium for flasking.
by Tindomul on Fri, 2007-06-01 19:44
Cool.
Ok how about using a different type of acid to adjust Ph. How about some sort of citric acid, for those of us who don't have Nitric handy. Thanks!
by Phalguy on Fri, 2007-06-01 19:51
I guess it will be ok to use citric acid ! I`m using Nitric Acid because it`s very easy to get ( Any hydroponic store ) and quite concentrated ! that way, I just need to add 1 ML of nitric acid 12 % to 1 gallon of water ( Tap water ) to bring down the PH to 5.6.
Fo distilled water of RO water, I use between 0.2 to 0.5 ML of nitric acid. Because citric acid is less concentrate, you will need to add more... I guess !
by Tindomul on Fri, 2007-06-01 20:06
Oh I didn't realize that hydroponic stores had the stuff. Thanks for letting me know, I will check it out. My lab recently got rid of tons of the stuff and here is an opportunity to use it. You never miss stuff till its gone. I actually sugested citric cause you just get it from lemons. Great article, can't wait for the next one!!
by cheffysteffy on Sun, 2007-06-03 04:27
That is gret I have been thinking about this for the last few months. Thank You for the Pictures!!!! WHen do we put in the seeds??
Stefan
by cheffysteffy on Sun, 2007-06-03 04:29
Sorry Just read above post on soon to come parts.
Stefan
by Phalguy on Sun, 2007-06-03 13:42
Hello Cheffysteffy !
Thank you for your comments !
I`m planning to sow the seeds ( from a green capsule ) around June 20 !
I will post a step by step guide !
Phalguy
by TerrynFlorida on Sat, 2007-06-09 10:49
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phalguy
Hello!
Oups, sorry about the Agar agar....
PH strip are perfect ! Just adjust your PH between 5.6 and 6.0 .
I use Fuctose for my mother flask and I use potatoes or banana ( starch ) for replating.
What I have read is you don`t need high sugar concentration to get protocorn but you need complex carbohydrate ( potatoes, banana ) to get the protocorn to roots. This is why I use two different medium for flasking.
Phayguy, your articles are fascinating! I'm looking forward to part 3.
Can you explain the difference in a mother flask and the replating and their uses? What will you end up in each type of flask? Thanks Terry
by Phalguy on Sat, 2007-06-09 17:09
Hello TerryNFlorida!
thank you for your kind comment!
Here`s the difference between Mother flask and Replate flask.
Mother flasking are use to sow seeds or tissue culture. ( I`m testing a method for orchid node culture... ).
I`m using an agar agar media with hormones and fertilizer and a simple form of sugar. Because the seeds have no way to break down complex carbohydrate molecule, I use a simple form of sugar like fructose or sugar cane.
When the seed has developped into protocorn, they now need CO2 for photosynthesis. This is why I`m using a vented replating flask. First of all, the protocorn will have more room to develop and by changing the sugar content by a complex carbohydrate ( potato flakes or banana puree or coconut milk),you will stimulate roots formation.
Gaz exchange can occure now because we are using a vented flask . The protocorn can now develop roots and leaf.
Hope this is clear
Phalguy
by Pippin on Mon, 2007-06-18 05:04
Coconut milk or coconut water? I knew that coconut milk is not suitable for tissue culture.
by Phalguy on Mon, 2007-06-18 10:21
It`s coconut water! Oups !
by kaiha on Thu, 2007-07-19 21:09
Phalguy
Have you had successful germination with this media? I was planning to use the recipe to sow some seeds that I received.
Thank You
Barb
by kavanaru on Sun, 2007-12-16 12:21
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phalguy
It`s coconut water! Oups !
The reason for adding coconut water is due to the rooting plant hormones in it (Cytokinines, if I remember that right). So, if yu add K-L-N root grow or other commercial rooting hormones, you can avoid the coconut water...
by Dpmac on Mon, 2008-01-14 21:13
Hi Phalguy.
Thank you for this very helpful instructions. I just have question about the agar. You said
"4. Measure the agar agar ( 6 Gram per liter , about 1 ½ ounce )"
I don't think that 6g is 1 1/2 ounce. Because 1 ounce = 28.3g. So is it 6g per liter or 1 1/2 ounce per liter which is 45g?
Thank you
by charmbutterfly on Mon, 2008-01-21 03:19
This is brilliant!! I can't wait to try it!! YAY!!
by halioscia on Fri, 2008-06-06 14:02
everybody! Congratulation Phalguy!
I found your documentation very helpful to prepare media for an "in vitro node culture" of a phalaenopsis!
Greetings from Italy... and sorry for my english!
Alice
by kosmickforestchild on Fri, 2008-06-27 00:14
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phalguy
Hello!
Oups, sorry about the Agar agar....
PH strip are perfect ! Just adjust your PH between 5.6 and 6.0 .
I use Fuctose for my mother flask and I use potatoes or banana ( starch ) for replating.
What I have read is you don`t need high sugar concentration to get protocorn but you need complex carbohydrate ( potatoes, banana ) to get the protocorn to roots. This is why I use two different medium for flasking.
Bananas and potatoes contain healthy doses of potassium(which is associated with starches) which is one of the three major micronutrients required by most plants, and is associated with root formation, cell membrane integrity, thickening of tissue, production of protein, starches and sugars, as well as water balance. Makes sense doesn't it? Thats exactly what you need to get those babies to the next level. I'm sure you all knew that, I just got my horticulture degree last year and any chance i get to babble about that stuff i do, thanks for putting up with me.
by kosmickforestchild on Fri, 2008-06-27 00:29
Quote:
Originally Posted by kavanaru
The reason for adding coconut water is due to the rooting plant hormones in it (Cytokinines, if I remember that right). So, if yu add K-L-N root grow or other commercial rooting hormones, you can avoid the coconut water...
I'm all for convenience but I love the idea of using natural sources for just about anything. Yeah, coconut water may not be the purest, most potent substance but it's certainly a very natural and organic method (..and i bet it smells like the beach!) Just like in the good old days where old time gardeners rooted cuttings in vases with willow stems (for the salicylic acid) instead of straight rooting hormone which often contains a synthetic hormone. I'm sure it's not the worst thing in the world (the synthetic hormone i mean) but i sure wouldn't eat it...as for the willow, they're highly edible especially and useful for a headache.
by halioscia on Fri, 2008-06-27 06:40
Quote:
Originally Posted by kosmickforestchild
I'm all for convenience but I love the idea of using natural sources for just about anything. Yeah, coconut water may not be the purest, most potent substance but it's certainly a very natural and organic method (..and i bet it smells like the beach!) Just like in the good old days where old time gardeners rooted cuttings in vases with willow stems (for the salicylic acid) instead of straight rooting hormone which often contains a synthetic hormone. I'm sure it's not the worst thing in the world (the synthetic hormone i mean) but i sure wouldn't eat it...as for the willow, they're highly edible especially and useful for a headache.
Hi kosmickforestchild!
I tried to Make Phalaenopsis Stem Propagations, preparing a media with homogenized banana and coconut water instead of synthetic hormones.
Well...maybe it's too early...but it seems to work.
Ciao.
Alice
by tuteca on Mon, 2008-07-07 13:39
Hi!!!
I have a pair of questions!!!
I read in a pair of papers that adding something as 10-10-10 to the culture media could have future positive effects upon the adaptation ex-vitro of the plantlets. In that case, shall it be added to banana-tomato sowing media for example? -or it would be too much???-
Well, and talking about coconuts' water...
I have founded more and more frequently in international papers about adding cytokinines & auxines to the sowing media. One can obtain explants faster. Any with experiences about???
everybody!
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