Cattleya breeding

[Azizan]

Thanks Kirk. How long do you think this will take to ripen to the point where something might be viable?

This might be helpful for you. > Harvesting Times of Orchid Seed Capsules for the Green Pod Culture Process

All the best!!

[Chris in Hamilton]

Thank you Azizan! Looks like about 140-145 days.

[Dorsetman]

A friend of mine, a retired professional who grew plants that got RHS and AOS (etc) awards in over ten different genera, and who is certainly the best genetics guy I have ever known, once told me that the seed parent affects the size and shape, and the pollen parent the colour - or have I got that the wrong way round ?
Another, now alas, late friend, who made over 2500 crosses in his orchid breeding life - as a hobby, when he was a genetic scientist paid for pig breeding (!) told me that most of the rules in orchids are our guesswork, and not rules at all. He specialised in using hybridisation to discover genetic alliances before "we" meaning guys at Kew etc., started using dna for the same purpose ,and won a lot of praises when he made the first hybrids combing six or more different genera - personally, whilst not wishing to belittle his achievements, I always thought that just meant that what we thought were spearate genera were in fact the same one.

---------- Post Merged at 02:52 PM ----------

I have a Cattleya araguaiensis that was gifted to Mario Ferrusi from Alan Koch. The Shinfong Little Sun flowers are still fresh looking although I did take Kirk's advice and pollinate both ways. I'll have to try that if I can get the Dendrobiums to flower at the same time. Can't hurt!

You don't need them in flower together . Just store the pollinia of the first to flower in a little test-tube in a 'fridge. at 5˚ C it will keep for at least 6 months - I am told.

[Chris in Hamilton]

A friend of mine, a retired professional who grew plants that got RHS and AOS (etc) awards in over ten different genera, and who is certainly the best genetics guy I have ever known, once told me that the seed parent affects the size and shape, and the pollen parent the colour - or have I got that the wrong way round ?
Another, now alas, late friend, who made over 2500 crosses in his orchid breeding life - as a hobby, when he was a genetic scientist paid for pig breeding (!) told me that most of the rules in orchids are our guesswork, and not rules at all. He specialised in using hybridisation to discover genetic alliances before "we" meaning guys at Kew etc., started using dna for the same purpose ,and won a lot of praises when he made the first hybrids combing six or more different genera - personally, whilst not wishing to belittle his achievements, I always thought that just meant that what we thought were spearate genera were in fact the same one.

---------- Post Merged at 02:52 PM ----------



You don't need them in flower together . Just store the pollinia of the first to flower in a little test-tube in a 'fridge. at 5˚ C it will keep for at least 6 months - I am told.

I am hoping for the other way round but I'd be happy with success either way. I will keep that in mind when trying the Den. though. I'm now sure that both will be in flower at the same time but if not I'll have to beg, borrow or steal a small blood tube from my doctor's office. Thanks Geoff!

[Catt Mandu]

My experience has been that 8 or 9 months is typical with Cattleya hybrids. Individual species in the heritage could extend or shorten that. Keep a daily watch after 7 months.
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[Chris in Hamilton]

My experience has been that 8 or 9 months is typical with Cattleya hybrids. Individual species in the heritage could extend or shorten that. Keep a daily watch after 7 months.
Posted via Mobile Device

Keep a watch for what Catt?

[Chris in Hamilton]

About two months and still looking good Another two months and a week to go I think. No luck with my Dendrobium pollination though. Try again next year.

[Azizan]

About two months and still looking good Another two months and a week to go I think. No luck with my Dendrobium pollination though. Try again next year.

That is so fat! I am happy for you!
I still have no luck with my Phalaenopsis.

---------- Post Merged at 11:31 PM ----------

My experience has been that 8 or 9 months is typical with Cattleya hybrids. Individual species in the heritage could extend or shorten that. Keep a daily watch after 7 months.
Posted via Mobile Device

Maybe, (I am just guessing what he meant).. he said that from his experience, Cattleya hybrids take 8-9 months to develop mature seedpod, so after 7 months passed, he advised you to keep an eye on the seedpod everyday to see the first sign such as yellowing etc because it is the right time for harvesting. Harvesting too early, you might get less or even non-viable seeds because I read in a journal, fertilization process in orchids is the last part of seed development not throughout the entire time of 8-9 months.

---------- Post Merged at 11:45 PM ----------

This journal is an example for Phalaenopsis. Maybe you should search for some research papers to find out when is the time at which fertilization taken place in Cattleya, just to be safe.

[Azizan]

A friend of mine, a retired professional who grew plants that got RHS and AOS (etc) awards in over ten different genera, and who is certainly the best genetics guy I have ever known, once told me that the seed parent affects the size and shape, and the pollen parent the colour - or have I got that the wrong way round ?
Another, now alas, late friend, who made over 2500 crosses in his orchid breeding life - as a hobby, when he was a genetic scientist paid for pig breeding (!) told me that most of the rules in orchids are our guesswork, and not rules at all. He specialised in using hybridisation to discover genetic alliances before "we" meaning guys at Kew etc., started using dna for the same purpose ,and won a lot of praises when he made the first hybrids combing six or more different genera - personally, whilst not wishing to belittle his achievements, I always thought that just meant that what we thought were spearate genera were in fact the same one.

---------- Post Merged at 02:52 PM ----------



You don't need them in flower together . Just store the pollinia of the first to flower in a little test-tube in a 'fridge. at 5˚ C it will keep for at least 6 months - I am told.

What is "the first hybrids combing six or more different genera"? I really need to know that.

[Chris in Hamilton]

I think Geoff is still running around in the Thailand jungle Azizan. He stops in once in a while though.