# Breeding Phragmipedium



## Magicboy (Mar 4, 2012)

Has anyone tried to germinate Phragmipedium seeds on a medium by a home made recipe? Did it work? 

What do you think is the best media on the market?


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## Rick (Mar 4, 2012)

I don't flask my own seed, but send it to Troy Meyers. I don't think he uses anything proprietary, so you might send him an email.

He has successfully germinated the few phrag species seed I have sent him.

Once there was a screw up that he noted that had something to do with germinating seed in light vs dark conditions. I think he prefers to germinate phrag seed in light conditions, but paph seed in the dark for a month or so. But I think he uses the same broth mixture for paphs and phrags.


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## Magicboy (Mar 6, 2012)

He is using regular medias made by factorys, my question was if anyone has succeded germinate Phragmipedium seeds on a home made media.


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## Rick (Mar 6, 2012)

Magicboy said:


> What do you think is the best media on the market?



I don't understand. If it is on the market how is it home made?

How many media are there on the market recommended for phrags?


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## keithrs (Mar 6, 2012)

There are a few that are designed for phrag and paph's. The media is fairly inexpensive to buy. 

My guess is that the folk that do flasking arn't going to tell you what they use.

Phytotech 668 is probably the most common..


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## tocarmar (Mar 7, 2012)

I think he is asking, How and if anyone has germinated Phrag seed at home wiithout the flasking part of it.. Just like out in nature. 

I have not done this with phrags but am trying it with Cypripediums..


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## NYEric (Mar 8, 2012)

Actually, Magicboy asked, "seeds on a medium by a home made recipe"; so I believe he does not mean sown naturally. I would think the odds of getting phrag seeds to grow from being sown would be very low.


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## Magicboy (Mar 8, 2012)

Okay, I understand the confusion. This was a two piece question. First I wanted to know if anyone has a home made recipe of an in vitro medium to sow Phrag seeds in.

Then I wanted to know wich media on the market that is best for sowing Phrags.

More clear?


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## Rick (Mar 8, 2012)

Magicboy said:


> Okay, I understand the confusion. This was a two piece question. First I wanted to know if anyone has a home made recipe of an in vitro medium to sow Phrag seeds in.
> 
> Then I wanted to know wich media on the market that is best for sowing Phrags.
> 
> More clear?



You bet! I'm interested too, since I don't know.


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## Brabantia (Mar 9, 2012)

I advise you to first perform a test on the half diluted Murashige and Skook medium. MS is a medium almost universal. This is a medium used just to germinate the seeds. When they are well developed you do replace on the same medium with banana pulp added. You can also make a research on the forum Plant TC, you will find no doubt what you're looking for.


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## valenzino (Mar 9, 2012)

I have tried once to germinate Phrags with home made media...cannot say unsuccesfully,some germination but very low and after protocorms cannot develop well.
After,I tried with two medias.One from Australia with nice results and after TQPL with very good results.
In my small experience I noticed that Phrags are not very difficult to germinate.But the important is replating media.Must be good to grow good leaves and particularli good roots...sometime they produce good leaves but nearly no roots and so,even if the plants seems very nice,they cannot survive deflasking.

Australian media:
http://www.westernorchids.com.au/orchid-tissueculturemedium.html

TQPL:
http://www.tissuequickplantlabs.com/seedmediac.htm

TQPL media works very well, but is minimum for 10 liters and cannot be devided
The Australian one can be ordered also for 1 liter and can be stored freezed for 10 years

But there are a lot of medias around that works well.


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## Rick (Mar 9, 2012)

TQPL is pretty high tech looking!


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