Congratulations Calvin on raising such a beautiful group of seedlings, they look so healthy and vigorous. I would not worry about the roots all the better to feed the growing seedlings. I would be very interested to see their progress in a year or so.

Thanks :) I'm amazed that it worked...but I know one of the greatest hurdles is still deflasking and raising them to be healthy seedlings.

I'm happy you posted these. I was wondering what the little kids looked like these days. Those Barkeria look like miniature versions of the adults. Very cool.

Kevin

No Calvin you have done the hardest part of getting them to grow without contamination. Unflasking is the easy part.

I wish you had put this on the conversation side so the masses could see the whole process. I think most people would love to see the process from beginning to end.

Congrats, you've done a great job.

Brooke

Thanks for the comments everyone

Brooke. I'm going to document the process of this next batch a bit closer with photos, and maybe make a little log so anyone interested can follow along and try this amazing process themselves. I'm very worried about the unflasking part - right now they just sit there and grow away happily but once I take them out, suddenly I have to worry about actual orchid culture :)

Kevin - I'm going to take your advice and mount some of these when I deflask...I'll probably put them in clay pots to keep humidity up until they mature

That is fantastic! I would love to see a more detailed log on the next project. I'm hoping to do some flasking once i figure out how to regularly bloom my Angs. So I would be especially interested in the techniques you've found that work.

One thing I know about deflasking is that it should be postponed as long as possible. If they are still growing and have room and the nutrient stuff hasn't broken down, let them stay in the flask. They're protected in there. :)

I disagree, you should take them out now and mount them all on a tree outside. I'm sure they'll be fine. (the evil twin speaks)

Calvin,

You should post all your pictures of the process so far on the other side. I know everyone would go crazy. You done really, really good.

K

Wee bit oo much light.
[the leaf color on the Laelia]
Little less will produce less compact leaves
Fantastic growing!
Mr MegA

I am not surprised at the color of the Laelia leaves, particularly since the lucasiana is in the dark pink/lavendar range.

I currently have two different Laelia flasks in compots. The leaves on the purpurata v. alba are a nice green and the rubescens v. aurea are a purple color with the little pbulb very dark purple. The purple foliage was there the day I received the flask.

Yours flasks look better and healthier than any I've received from professional flaskers! I think you've done a wonderful job - keep up the good work.

Brooke

Thanks for following along everyone. I feel a bit like a cheat, since I am trained and have access to a laminar flow hood so contamination issues were largely avoided. However, I am slowly moving away from lab resources - (ie this time, I autoclaved with a pressure cooker) I am experimenting with techniques that can be done at home, so that everyone can have fun with flasking without professional tools.

Kev - I'm seriously considering mounting them on the tree outside, what with the balmy 50F and all. :P

Brooke - thanks for the reassurance...my barkerias are at the same light levels and don't show as much purple color, so I was thinking it might be the natural pigment as well. I'm trying to imagine how rupiculous laelia seedlings live in the wild, and I can see them getting relatively high light levels.

Your Laelia lives in full sun in the wild so I doubt if artificial light inside would be too much for the little fellows.

Sorry my memory cell doesn't always function when I sit in front of the computer - my little purple Laelias are another purpurata. They have the cutest little pbulbs you've ever seen.

Please do share pics as soon as you mount them on a tree. It should be a sight to behold :>)

Brooke

Fantastic growing, Calvin! I'm sure you know rupiculous laelias generally grow on rocks. ;)

Bring the tree inside, well at least the branch. :)

Carol