Removing Paph Seedlings from Flask

I wanted to share our process on deflasking paphipedilum orchids.  Please remember this is one way of many.  I have created this article with photos.  Enjoy.

First, the Flask.  Many people are using bags now instead of glass, but I like the way the glass works.	Step 1.  You will need to mix the bath.

Stir the ingredients up and make sure every thing is mixed evenly. Avoid leaving any sugar on the bottom of the bath.	Step 2.  Prepare the potting mixture.  Here you can see we are soaking our spag that will be used around the roots to hold moisture.

Step 3.  Remember to write out at least one tag and put it where you can easily find it. Use pencil to write the tag as it will not smear as easily as ink.	Step 4.  The tools you will need to 'open' your flask.  Please also remember to wear eye protection before proceeding.

Here is the 'open' flask.	Step 5.  Carefully pick away the large glass shards.  The smaller pieces will fall to the base of the bath.

Step 6.  Carefully remove the large agar pieces from the roots of the seedlings.  Some of the agar is fine to leave attached.	Step 7.  Make sure you prepare enough containers.  Notice all the different sizes in this image.  I have several different size seedlings to pot-up and do not want to put them into containers that are too big or too small.  When you wash your containers, be sure to get them clean.

Step 8.  Pot up the little ones.  It is very important to leave lots of air space in the bottom of the container.	Step 9.  Make the seedlings easy to handle. Use a tray with holes for drainage.  This keeps the seedlings from falling over and off of your bench.  When tiny like this, these orchid plants are very fragile.

Step 10.  We add a little calcium for extra nutrients.	Here you can get an idea of plant size compared to pot size.

Final Step.  Tag your new seedlings.  I usually tag each row as shown above.  Once these little ones grow a bit, I will pot them up with a bark mix and then each pot will get its own tag.

Thanks for taking the time to read this article. Feel free to PM me for additional information.

Cheers,