Deflasking Paph.
With my success on growing Paphs from flask to flowering, I would like to share my deflasking experience with growers who wish to attempt to grow Paph from flask.
Finally got your hands on a Paph flask? It’s in a bottle. How do I get them out of the flask and flowering in due course?. Help is here to guide you along and hopefully in years (depending on the type of species and hybrids) to come you would reap what you sow
These little babies are fragile and delicate, thus you need to check the bottle to see if they are big enough to be removed. If not, place the flask in a well lit area but out of direct sunlight. Direct sunlight will cook the seedlings.
It is best to remove the seedlings from the flask while they are in the stages of their active growth. Ideally they will be nearly filling the flask, showing no yellowing of the leaves or browning of the leaf tips and have thick furry roots with white tips. Brown basal leaves indicates food has run out and the seedlings are recycling nutrients from the oldest leaves to the growing tip. Overgrown and smaller seedlings will do fine with care, but they may take a little slower to establish themselves.
There is never an "ideal" time to take out the seedlings. They may be a little overgrown before you get them, or if the flask that contains the seedlings may be jumbled up in transit. They may have been contaminated before you received them or your busy schedule may kept you from taking them out. The seedlings should still do fine. They may just take a little more time to adapt and get growing again. If the flask is contaminated with mold (whitish, fuzzy appearance and generally covering the roots) or with a bacteria (slimy appearance covering the agar) that spreads quickly across the surface, the seedlings should be removed. Under these conditions the seedlings may not progress further, and may actually be killed very quickly. If you are lucky the contamination might only be caused by a bacteria that can only grow where there is excess moisture on the surface, usually along the walls of the flask. In this case, you can usually let the flask grow on, but it has to be watched carefully.
Between Polycarbonates (take away food container) and a glass flask, polycarbonate have the advantage of allowing a significantly larger growing area, allowing light to pass through from the top, and is easy to deflask without having to destroy the flask. However, it takes up a significantly larger space.
Getting the Seedlings Out.
If you are dealing with a glass container with a narrow opening (whiskey bottle or conical flask), it is best that you resist the temptation of trying to ease the seedlings out through the narrow opening. This may cause damage, even if it is not immediately apparent so instead break the bottle.
An optional step would be to remove the flask cover and allow the flask to aerate for a day. This enables the flasked plants to acclimatize with the external environment. In our hot and humid environment, the agar medium may be more susceptible to contamination when the cover is opened for too long.
Line your work surface with layers of newspaper to catch debris from the flask and also to facilitate the ease of cleaning. Extra newspaper may be required to wrap up the broken flask. Wrap the flask tightly in the extra sheets of newspaper and hold the ends firmly with one hand. You can either use pair of pliers or a hammer to knock the bottom or the side of the flask. Some flasks are specially designed to have a bottom rim that is thinner than the rest of the flask to aid removal through this method.
Some growers use a "drift", which is like a large metal rod or punch. You can make one out of a large bolt if you cannot find one, but you should be able to get one, or something similar at a hardware store. The drift needs to be longer than the height of the flask. Wrap the flask in newspaper several layers thick, keeping the opening clear. Carefully push the drift down through the root and agar mass near the center of the flask until it comes into contact with the glass, and give the drift a tap with a hammer.
When a clean crackling sound is heard, the flask would have broken sufficiently. This demonstrates a clean break where the top of the flask separates nicely from the bottom rim. Be mindful of fine glass chips. You can use a pair of forceps or tweezers to remove the glass from the seedlings and agar. This is to avert personal injury months later when you repot,
Washing and Soaking.
Put some water (at room temperature) into the flask and gently shake the flask to loosen the agar off the plant roots. You can use a long tooth pick (satay stick) to pry off the stubborn and larger chunks of agar- especially the large sections around the edges.
Different plants have different root types, ranging from the very wiry roots of some multiflorals which come off from the agar very easily. Whereas the fleshy, hairy brittle roots of brachys might cling to the agar tenaciously. If the roots are seriously intertwined, do not use force to separate them. You could easily break the fragile roots and damage the plant. They will be easier to separate after they are ready to come out of compot. At this stage, too much agar promotes excess fungus growth which can cause rotting in the plants and perhaps rot the roots.
Remove as much dead plant parts where possible. This is to reduce the chances of fungal or bacterial growth on the dead plant parts.
It is not necessary to use a nutrient, fungicidal or disinfectant soak at this time if the seedlings came from an uncontaminated flask and are in good shape. However, some growers would advocate the use of fungicide soak. If you need to use them, use it very sparingly, or you may run into the risk of burning the tender seedlings. When they are out of the flask, they have very little cuticle on them. It would be prudent to wait a few days and spray the compot with the disinfectant. At any rate, if you have a method that works well for you, stick with it. Discard any damaged, deformed or proliferated seedlings, it does not pay to waste space on them.
Containers and Medium
Prepare your work area with a sheet of clean newspaper on the work space. Ensure the pot is clean, and the potting media is sterile. A mixture of fine fern bark chips, diatomite, pumice, perlite and fine Leca can be used for seedlings. You can sterilize them by heating them in a microwave oven for 10 minutes.
Disposable plastic cup and Potting Mix
Crocked pot before planting.
Place the seedlings on a clean sheet of newspaper and allow them to air dry. Fill up to 1/3 of the height of the pot with crocking material. It is not ideal to fill the pot with the potting medium as some plants are particularly fussy above having their roots or root junctions too wet. The potting mix use should be able to anchor the plants securely, preventing wobbling and yet allow for free draining of the irrigation water. The potting mix should be able to somewhat dry out within 2 to 3 days.
Fill up 1/2 of the pot with the potting mix or to a height that would accommodate the root length of the seedlings. Drip dry the seedlings and place them on top of the potting mix. You may wish to place several seedlings within the same pot if the seedlings are too small to be potted by themselves. Top up the pot with potting mix and gently press down or tap the pot to compact the potting mix. This is to allow the new roots to anchor firmly. If the potting mix is too loose, the plants may dislodge from the pot during watering. On the contrary, a packed mix does not allow the mix to drain freely. At times it may be too difficult to separate the seedlings. In such a situation, keeping the seedlings in a compot (community pot) would be a better choice.
There are a vast number of possible for containers which you can use to grow your seedlings. The key is to match the pot and your growing mix to your growing conditions. Particularly this with regards to temperature, humidity and air movement as these factors will affect the speed at which your pot/compot dries out.
Planting.
First, resist the temptation to segregate and pot out the bigger seedlings individually. Seedlings fresh from the flask do not yet have the tough cuticle that an adult plant has developed. All seedlings will appreciate the nurturing microclimate provided by the compot approach.
A group of the plants of approximately equal size is gathered together and aligned as much as possible, so that the root-plant junction is at the same height for all. A little mix is put in the bottom of the pot, and the plant clump is held in the center while the mix is placed and packed evenly around them. The mix should be packed firmly.
Post Planting Care
Most seedlings die from Too Much Water. Mist the leaves lightly over the next few days. Frequent light misting will prevent dehydration and encourage new root growth without keeping the media too wet.
It is very important to keep freshly deflasked seedlings in very subdued light of no more than 800 foot candles. They should be grown in flasks under similar lighting conditions, and the transition to higher levels should be made gradually over several weeks, or you will risk stunting or even killing the seedlings.
Compots are fed weakly but steadily. They are allowed to approach dryness but for the first couple of weeks, fungicides should not be used on the seedlings, as a growth inhibiting effect can be caused by fungicides. If there is a problem with fungus or mould, this means the conditions are too wet, so reduce watering , ensure ventilation is sufficient, and let the seedlings dry out a bit. In fact, most fungus problems that occur in growing seedlings can be fixed by reducing water and increasing ventilation.
Within seven to ten days of post planting you can apply a spray of fungicide. It is best to try to keep the seedlings quite warm through this early period, probably 25 to 28 C would be ideal.
Once the seedlings are established and grown to their second lead or new larger leaf, they can be potted singly into small pots. You can plant several seedlings in a pot and when they flower, it will become a showy specimen display.
It is necessary not to let a lot of water in the crowns of the plants as water might not dry out before the plant lights go off in the evening. All you have to do is give a good watering around the edges, keeping the compot tilted so that water goes to the center.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Paph godefroyae fma leucochilum -Flask 136
Another flask with different variations on the flowers. Good open shape with dark markings.
Paph godefroyae fma leucochilum - Flask 155
Here are eight flowers that came from the same flask. One of the parents is ISA 39 which has been used extensively for line breeding of fine leucochilums.
Paph godefroyae fma leucochilum - Flask 3559
This is the first of the several flasks that I obtained from Taiwan to bloom. One of the parents is an award (SM/TPS) winning plant.The flower on the right was the first to bloom and two weeks later came the flower on the left. From the deflask to flowering it is about 20 months.
The NS and DS for the 1st and 2nd flowers are 55 x 43 mm and 72 x 51 mm respectively. The left plant is a potential award winning plant - round shape, clear pouch nice markings/tessellation. Incidentally, it came in top in April's OSSEA Table Display for Paph Species.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Growing Paph.
In the Sub family of Cypripedioideae, there are 5 genera (Paphiopedilum, Selenipedium, Phragmipedium, Maxipedium and Cypripedium). The 5 genera, Paphiopedilum forms the largest group. In this group there are about 80+ species. These are native to South and S.E. Asia. Paph (short for Paphiopedilum) are either epiphytic, lithophytes or terrestrial. They are normally found growing on leaves, mould or other organic debris that collects on the ground and rock crevices. But before you rush to stock up on these exotic looking blooms thinking that they are native to our region, bear in mind that some of these species hail from intermediate and highland regions. The climates of these regions are cool and moist rather than hot and humid.
Prior to growing these bizarre and exotic plants, I was under the impression that one could not grow paphs here without the aid of some form of air conditioning. Yet there in my friend's garden were two pots of such plants - low land ones as it turned out, which can take hotter temperatures - healthy, happy looking and blooming. "I thought to myself, if he can grow them, so can I”.
Fast forward six years and I now have several hundreds paphs in various stages of growth. For the past few years I have been visiting shows as well as overseas growers to see firsthand how other growers grow their paphs. I started growing from flasks about a year after I started growing Paphs. Now more than 95% of my paphs are grown from flasks. I shall be covering later on growing Paphs out of flask. Many of my flasks are from selective breeding. The reasons being that show quality plants are expensive and one can only grow Paphs that are artificially propagated. All Paph and its hybrids are classified under CITES I which forbids commercial trading unless they are artificially propagated.
For beginners I would recommend growing brachys (concolor, niveum, godefroyae and leucochilum) and its hybrids. Most of these can handle hotter climates, and as such are a good starting point for beginners.
Paph care can be divided into four basic categories: Light, Temperature, air circulation/humidity and Water. Once those four components are addressed, the rest is easy. Each section is discussed below.
Light:
Light levels in the home are usually sufficient for most Paphs. An east or west facing window, shady south, or bright north is good for many types. Remember, heavy curtains, outdoor trees and other obstacles may affect the 'light rating' of your window. Direct sunlight (except early morning sun) is usually not good for extended periods. Sunburn shows up within hours, and causes permanent scars that paphs take years to grow out of. If unsure, start at a lower level of light and gradually increase the levels of illumination. Although seemingly healthy, dark green leaves are usually a sign of low light levels, a symptom that usually expresses itself with little or no blooms. Artificial lighting can be used as a substitute for areas that are unable to receive sufficient light. Generally an intensity of between 1000 to 1500 fc would be sufficient to grow these plants.
Temperature:
Paphs are highly adaptable to a wide range of temperature conditions. Most mature Paphs will do fine at 'people temperatures' in the home, i.e. 85 F/30 C during the day, and 77 F/25 C at night. Seedlings usually like it warmer as it accelerates their growth. Be sure to take into consideration light levels, air currents, drafts, etc. as this will have an effect on the micro climate your plant lives in. Good locations are often near balconies, kitchen sinks or in the bathroom, as the plant can also benefit from warmer, moister conditions in these areas.
Water:
Watering is without a doubt the single most important factor required to paphs successfully.
Unlike most other orchids, lady slippers do not have a water storage capacity in their leaves or pseudo bulbs. For this reason, they need to be kept consistently moist but not wet, with little drying between watering. Strap leafed or multifloral Paphs with long, uniform colored leaves usually like it brighter and warm. Mottle leafed Paphs need more shade to thrive, but also like it warm.
Many people want to schedule their watering on their calendars. This may not work! A plant's need for water changes throughout the season, so you need to be able to judge. An easy way to tell when to water is when the pot is light. How do you know when it is light? Drench it with water and then lift it up. This is what the pot feels like when it is heavy! Another method that you could use is to place a few wooden stalks in some pots. If in doubt about watering pull out a stalk and see the moisture that is in the pot.
Remember: the length of watering time will vary depending on each and every one of these factors: stage of growth, light, temperature, humidity, and air circulation. All of these things change throughout the year so do water needs of the plant.
Over watering is the number one cause of death of Paphs in the home. If in doubt, wait for two days and then water.
Air Circulation and Humidity:
These two topics also receive a great deal of attention. Paphs do not like stagnant air, and they definitely appreciate a light breeze. Humidity is also important. Ideally the relative humidity should be between 50 – 80%. Remember do not increase the air circulation unless you can also maintain the humidity, or you will have just the opposite effect and dehydrate your plants. Air movement keeps the leaves cool and to dries drops of water on the plants. This will help to reduce the chance of disease spreading. Hot or cold draught can cause bud-blast (the buds turn brown and die). Fans can be used to provide the necessary air circulation.
What about fertilizer?
EVERYBODY is concerned about fertilizer. Generally species require much lesser fertilizing than hybrids. You can use about a ¼ of the strength as indicated in the label. You can fertilize the growing plants 3 times in succession and on the 4th time, flush through with pure water (no fertilizer). Remember: WEAKLY, WEEKLY. A general 20-20-20 (NPK) is a great all purpose blend. Would you rather have one big meal a day, or several meals throughout? Plants feel the same way.
Pot and Potting Mixture:
Popular potting mixes may consists of a combination of the followings - fir bark, coconut husk chips, charcoal, pumice, diatomite, perlite, sphagnum moss, fern root, seashells, and leca. Practically any potting mix will work when used under the proper growing conditions. An ideal mix should be open and well-drained but still retaining a bit of moisture. Soggy mixes will block air to the plants’ roots.
Never over pot your plant. The pot size to use should be determined by the plants’ root size and not the size of the plant. Repot your Paph before the growing medium decomposes and before the plant has out grown its pot, typically before 2 years. The repotting procedure entails first, clipping of dead roots, positioning of the plant in the new pot and finally filling in around the roots with the fresh potting mix until it reaches slightly over the base of the plant. The base of the plant must not be buried. Do not bury the new plant growths as this may cause rotting. The base of each growth should be in contact with the growing medium to encourage new roots to form. Keep watering to a minimum and do not add fertilizer until the evidence of new growth is apparent. However do not neglect the humidity or else they may be dehydrated. Newly potted plants should be placed in shaded areas or moved gradually into the correct light conditions once new growth begins. A whitish mineral deposit on the surface of the potting medium or pot is an indication that excessive salts have accumulated and that it is time to repot the plant.
Pest and Disease Control:
Paphs are generally less susceptible to pests as the flowers do not exude nectar. Some common pests that you may encounter are mealy bugs, aphids and spider mite. More often than not poor sanitation due to inadequate air circulation and wet conditions encourage fungal and bacterial diseases. It is important that you do not overcrowd the plant. Always try to water the plants in the morning. This is to allow the water to dry up by sun set. Remove/isolate and do not be afraid to destroy infested plants. Most of us are apartment dwellers and it is important that we have to be mindful of chemical usages for the plants. For me, I use the organic treatment on my Paphs. Cinnamon is an excellent natural fungicide. Cinnamon dust powder can be used to dress cuts. Mix 10 drops of cinnamon essential oil, 15 drops of dish washing liquid and 1 liter of water. Shake well and spray the plants every fortnightly. Likewise this mixture and treatment can be used as an insecticide. However, neem oil is used in place of the cinnamon essential oil. Plants can be sprayed more frequently if there is an attack. Alcohol dip on cotton swabs can be used to remove mealy bugs. The best approach is: prevention is better than a cure. It is important to note that the frequent use of systemic pesticide and fungicide can have cumulative toxic effects that can cause crippling of flowers as well as growth retardation.
Prior to growing these bizarre and exotic plants, I was under the impression that one could not grow paphs here without the aid of some form of air conditioning. Yet there in my friend's garden were two pots of such plants - low land ones as it turned out, which can take hotter temperatures - healthy, happy looking and blooming. "I thought to myself, if he can grow them, so can I”.
Fast forward six years and I now have several hundreds paphs in various stages of growth. For the past few years I have been visiting shows as well as overseas growers to see firsthand how other growers grow their paphs. I started growing from flasks about a year after I started growing Paphs. Now more than 95% of my paphs are grown from flasks. I shall be covering later on growing Paphs out of flask. Many of my flasks are from selective breeding. The reasons being that show quality plants are expensive and one can only grow Paphs that are artificially propagated. All Paph and its hybrids are classified under CITES I which forbids commercial trading unless they are artificially propagated.
For beginners I would recommend growing brachys (concolor, niveum, godefroyae and leucochilum) and its hybrids. Most of these can handle hotter climates, and as such are a good starting point for beginners.
Paph care can be divided into four basic categories: Light, Temperature, air circulation/humidity and Water. Once those four components are addressed, the rest is easy. Each section is discussed below.
Light:
Light levels in the home are usually sufficient for most Paphs. An east or west facing window, shady south, or bright north is good for many types. Remember, heavy curtains, outdoor trees and other obstacles may affect the 'light rating' of your window. Direct sunlight (except early morning sun) is usually not good for extended periods. Sunburn shows up within hours, and causes permanent scars that paphs take years to grow out of. If unsure, start at a lower level of light and gradually increase the levels of illumination. Although seemingly healthy, dark green leaves are usually a sign of low light levels, a symptom that usually expresses itself with little or no blooms. Artificial lighting can be used as a substitute for areas that are unable to receive sufficient light. Generally an intensity of between 1000 to 1500 fc would be sufficient to grow these plants.
Temperature:
Paphs are highly adaptable to a wide range of temperature conditions. Most mature Paphs will do fine at 'people temperatures' in the home, i.e. 85 F/30 C during the day, and 77 F/25 C at night. Seedlings usually like it warmer as it accelerates their growth. Be sure to take into consideration light levels, air currents, drafts, etc. as this will have an effect on the micro climate your plant lives in. Good locations are often near balconies, kitchen sinks or in the bathroom, as the plant can also benefit from warmer, moister conditions in these areas.
Water:
Watering is without a doubt the single most important factor required to paphs successfully.
Unlike most other orchids, lady slippers do not have a water storage capacity in their leaves or pseudo bulbs. For this reason, they need to be kept consistently moist but not wet, with little drying between watering. Strap leafed or multifloral Paphs with long, uniform colored leaves usually like it brighter and warm. Mottle leafed Paphs need more shade to thrive, but also like it warm.
Many people want to schedule their watering on their calendars. This may not work! A plant's need for water changes throughout the season, so you need to be able to judge. An easy way to tell when to water is when the pot is light. How do you know when it is light? Drench it with water and then lift it up. This is what the pot feels like when it is heavy! Another method that you could use is to place a few wooden stalks in some pots. If in doubt about watering pull out a stalk and see the moisture that is in the pot.
Remember: the length of watering time will vary depending on each and every one of these factors: stage of growth, light, temperature, humidity, and air circulation. All of these things change throughout the year so do water needs of the plant.
Over watering is the number one cause of death of Paphs in the home. If in doubt, wait for two days and then water.
Air Circulation and Humidity:
These two topics also receive a great deal of attention. Paphs do not like stagnant air, and they definitely appreciate a light breeze. Humidity is also important. Ideally the relative humidity should be between 50 – 80%. Remember do not increase the air circulation unless you can also maintain the humidity, or you will have just the opposite effect and dehydrate your plants. Air movement keeps the leaves cool and to dries drops of water on the plants. This will help to reduce the chance of disease spreading. Hot or cold draught can cause bud-blast (the buds turn brown and die). Fans can be used to provide the necessary air circulation.
What about fertilizer?
EVERYBODY is concerned about fertilizer. Generally species require much lesser fertilizing than hybrids. You can use about a ¼ of the strength as indicated in the label. You can fertilize the growing plants 3 times in succession and on the 4th time, flush through with pure water (no fertilizer). Remember: WEAKLY, WEEKLY. A general 20-20-20 (NPK) is a great all purpose blend. Would you rather have one big meal a day, or several meals throughout? Plants feel the same way.
Pot and Potting Mixture:
Popular potting mixes may consists of a combination of the followings - fir bark, coconut husk chips, charcoal, pumice, diatomite, perlite, sphagnum moss, fern root, seashells, and leca. Practically any potting mix will work when used under the proper growing conditions. An ideal mix should be open and well-drained but still retaining a bit of moisture. Soggy mixes will block air to the plants’ roots.
Never over pot your plant. The pot size to use should be determined by the plants’ root size and not the size of the plant. Repot your Paph before the growing medium decomposes and before the plant has out grown its pot, typically before 2 years. The repotting procedure entails first, clipping of dead roots, positioning of the plant in the new pot and finally filling in around the roots with the fresh potting mix until it reaches slightly over the base of the plant. The base of the plant must not be buried. Do not bury the new plant growths as this may cause rotting. The base of each growth should be in contact with the growing medium to encourage new roots to form. Keep watering to a minimum and do not add fertilizer until the evidence of new growth is apparent. However do not neglect the humidity or else they may be dehydrated. Newly potted plants should be placed in shaded areas or moved gradually into the correct light conditions once new growth begins. A whitish mineral deposit on the surface of the potting medium or pot is an indication that excessive salts have accumulated and that it is time to repot the plant.
Pest and Disease Control:
Paphs are generally less susceptible to pests as the flowers do not exude nectar. Some common pests that you may encounter are mealy bugs, aphids and spider mite. More often than not poor sanitation due to inadequate air circulation and wet conditions encourage fungal and bacterial diseases. It is important that you do not overcrowd the plant. Always try to water the plants in the morning. This is to allow the water to dry up by sun set. Remove/isolate and do not be afraid to destroy infested plants. Most of us are apartment dwellers and it is important that we have to be mindful of chemical usages for the plants. For me, I use the organic treatment on my Paphs. Cinnamon is an excellent natural fungicide. Cinnamon dust powder can be used to dress cuts. Mix 10 drops of cinnamon essential oil, 15 drops of dish washing liquid and 1 liter of water. Shake well and spray the plants every fortnightly. Likewise this mixture and treatment can be used as an insecticide. However, neem oil is used in place of the cinnamon essential oil. Plants can be sprayed more frequently if there is an attack. Alcohol dip on cotton swabs can be used to remove mealy bugs. The best approach is: prevention is better than a cure. It is important to note that the frequent use of systemic pesticide and fungicide can have cumulative toxic effects that can cause crippling of flowers as well as growth retardation.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
