Flasking Setup

[montanum]

Hi Nick,
Theoretically, everything should be fine. In reality, things often aren't fine. Theoretically, you sow in July for greenpod, and then September through November for dry seed, depending on species. The seed germinates in a "timely" manner, by Spring you have protocorms, by summer you have small seedlings, and by the following January you have nice seedlings with big buds. Then, you put them in labelled plastic bags in the fridge for 3-4 months and by April or May when the weather warms, you have seedlings ready for soil.

Nothing is needed to put the plants into dormancy. All they are is a mass of roots and hopefully one or two (or 12) nice buds for the following year. Just take 'em out, and put them in the fridge.

When they don't mature at the right time, you have to play the waiting game. Those darn acaule didn't germinate for me for 9 months! So it was August by the time they germinated (when they were supposed to be nice sized seedlings), which just pushed their planting out date back one year. This does cause problems, and sometimes they die in flask before the time is right. As I'm improving, I'm getting better and more regular germination, so the problem was me, not the seed. So when something goes wrong: there's always next year's seed!

Best,
Ross

[yellow treasure]

Hi Ross,
I'll think it over, and I will probably get it in the morning
could you please tell me where you're from, and when your winters and summers are, because it could make some difference.

thanks for the reply

Nick

[montanum]

Hi Nick,
I'm from Oregon, USA. I always forget that folks from the southern hemisphere occasionally try to grow Cyps. It's usually just harder :-)

Best,
Ross

[yellow treasure]

I'm not from the southern hemisphere, but that still doesn't make it easy

what is you way to grow them, on a windowsill? or under lamps with a certain amount of light hours?

Nick

[montanum]

Hi Nick,
Most of the genus Cypripedium is hardy to zone 3-5ish (depending on species), so they stay outside all year. They like somewhere around 60-70% shade, or full morning sun (til 10am), then dappled shade after that.

The flasks require 100% dark to germinate and develop buds correctly. Then their dormancy is carried out in a dark fridge. They shouldn't see the light, aside from replating times, from sowing to first planting out 18 months later.

Best,
Ross

[yellow treasure]

aaah that's it, they stay all the time in the dark, and then after that they go into the plastic bags for dormancy into the fridge,
I get it!
So even if they are germinating late you could wait till next year's january to put them into the fridge, if it works.

I'm so stupid ,
thanks for helping a simple minded person

Nick

[montanum]

Hi Again All,
I thought I would update some flasking stuff. All the pics at the beginning of this post were of replates. Now I have some of germination. I just replated each of these two days ago, though the pictures were from a month ago. Thus, they were all easily twice as big as shown when I replated (easier to replate and better transfer survival when bigger).

Cyp reginae. Growing normally. The lighting in all of these is going to be bad. Sorry.


Cyp passerinum. Tiny things. Somwhere between 1/4 and 1/2 size compared with the other species.


Cyp californicum. Very weird growth for Cyps, I think, but forming nice seedlings anyway.


Cyp arietinum (Hooray!). These guys are growing remarkably fast for a dwarf Cyp.


And Cyp pubescens. This is good germination (for once), and fortunately I have 3 other flasks of pubescens germinating in this volume. These guys were crawling over each other by the time I got to them! A pain in the neck (literally) to replate though.


I'll post some seedlings next time.

Best,
Ross

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Very cool, Ross! Thanks!

Cheers!
BD

[IdahoOrchid]

Oh, all the pictures are gone!!!!! calypso Bulbosa is my ultimate goal and this thread seems to be the best info I have found so far. I have a source of seed, just need the right information to give me the push to start.

[ATester]

Oh, all the pictures are gone!!!!! calypso Bulbosa is my ultimate goal and this thread seems to be the best info I have found so far. I have a source of seed, just need the right information to give me the push to start.

Ahhh, my favourite of all the temperate terrestrials (even over most Cyps except calceolus)...hmmm....once you have PM abilities, PM me...I've got a couple questions.

Aaron