In-Vitro Orchid Experiment!
Hey folks! I just got back from an awesome solo trip to Costa Rica & I picked up a little botanical souvenir from the gift shop, an in-vitro orchid seedling! I love orchids so this was the perfect gift to myself 😉
There were a couple of different species in stock, but to commemorate my adventure, I chose the Guarianthe skinneri, which is the national flower of Costa Rica 🇨 #puravida
Apparently the seedlings are “artificially produced from seed in a biotechnology lab under highly controlled conditions of humidity, temperature, light, & nutrients.” The seedlings are transplanted into vials containing a nutrient-rich gel substrate where they can survive for 2-4 months! The package comes with a phytosanitary certificate & some starter moss for transplanting. I’ve been too nervous to transplant it as of yet but I’m hoping to get it done this weekend - wish me luck!
&&& enjoy a bonus shot of the beautiful Arenal Volcano in La Fortuna 😍
#PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict #PlantTherapy #OrchidLovers #OrchidOrg #travelingPlants #OasisMely
There were a couple of different species in stock, but to commemorate my adventure, I chose the Guarianthe skinneri, which is the national flower of Costa Rica 🇨 #puravida
Apparently the seedlings are “artificially produced from seed in a biotechnology lab under highly controlled conditions of humidity, temperature, light, & nutrients.” The seedlings are transplanted into vials containing a nutrient-rich gel substrate where they can survive for 2-4 months! The package comes with a phytosanitary certificate & some starter moss for transplanting. I’ve been too nervous to transplant it as of yet but I’m hoping to get it done this weekend - wish me luck!
&&& enjoy a bonus shot of the beautiful Arenal Volcano in La Fortuna 😍
#PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict #PlantTherapy #OrchidLovers #OrchidOrg #travelingPlants #OasisMely
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Best Answer
@LatiTish84 I will definitely post an update once I get the courage to take it out of the packaging 😂
@AwesomePlants I did like 2-3 days in different locations so I could see a bit of variety of the country. I visited the capital & took a day trip from there to pacific coast to Manuel Antonio National Park, then went central inland to La Fortuna & ended in the Caribbean coast in Puerto Viejo. If you want slow going reggae beach vibes then I would def recommend visiting the Caribbean side rather then the more touristy beaches on the pacific. But truly the whole country is gorgeous!
@ForFoxSake thanks so much for the tips! I’ll make sure to keep it at a high humidity. Do you think algae would be a concern or just mold?
@melaza in the vial algae shouldn’t form.
When you are ready to transition your orchid from vial to a moss bed terrarium, do this.:
1. Remove the orchid from the vial and give it a gentle dunk into some distilled water (tap water will be very harsh for the new baby) to remove excess gel
2. mix a weak solution of fungicide powder and water and then dunk the roots a few times to remove any remaining agar gel and to prevent the orchid from being attacked by mold and other bacteria while it acclimates.
3. Using distilled water again, soak your moss and then tightly squeeze it until it’s no longer dripping.
4. Line the bottom of a clear terrarium container like a mason jar or even a recycled plastic clam style tray or Tupperware container with this moss.
5. Gently wrap the roots of your orchid in a ball of damp moss and place the seedling into your prepared Terrarium moss bed.
6. Using napkin or qtip remove any excess moisture from the leaves being careful to not to bend and break them.
7. Close the lid of the terrarium to maintain an 80%-90% relative humidity opening it once per day to allow fresh air in and to release some moisture. Give your moss bed a light spray with distilled water and close the lid again. Make sure it’s in a well lit area. A T5 grow light is perfect about 14-20” away
8. After a couple of weeks you should see some new growth and you can remove the lid of your terrarium and continue misting as needed. This will acclimate them to a humidity that is closer to the ideal 60-70% range
9. When you see that roots are busting out of your original moss wrapped ball you’re ready for the transition to traditional bark. But you can keep it in moss indefinitely.
I would wait at least 2 months after the first repot before you start to fertilize it to stay on the safe side
When you are ready to transition your orchid from vial to a moss bed terrarium, do this.:
1. Remove the orchid from the vial and give it a gentle dunk into some distilled water (tap water will be very harsh for the new baby) to remove excess gel
2. mix a weak solution of fungicide powder and water and then dunk the roots a few times to remove any remaining agar gel and to prevent the orchid from being attacked by mold and other bacteria while it acclimates.
3. Using distilled water again, soak your moss and then tightly squeeze it until it’s no longer dripping.
4. Line the bottom of a clear terrarium container like a mason jar or even a recycled plastic clam style tray or Tupperware container with this moss.
5. Gently wrap the roots of your orchid in a ball of damp moss and place the seedling into your prepared Terrarium moss bed.
6. Using napkin or qtip remove any excess moisture from the leaves being careful to not to bend and break them.
7. Close the lid of the terrarium to maintain an 80%-90% relative humidity opening it once per day to allow fresh air in and to release some moisture. Give your moss bed a light spray with distilled water and close the lid again. Make sure it’s in a well lit area. A T5 grow light is perfect about 14-20” away
8. After a couple of weeks you should see some new growth and you can remove the lid of your terrarium and continue misting as needed. This will acclimate them to a humidity that is closer to the ideal 60-70% range
9. When you see that roots are busting out of your original moss wrapped ball you’re ready for the transition to traditional bark. But you can keep it in moss indefinitely.
I would wait at least 2 months after the first repot before you start to fertilize it to stay on the safe side
Alternatively you could use a baking soda mixture and maybe a microdose of peroxide