# deflasking Dens



## TyroneGenade (Nov 29, 2010)

Hi all,

I am wondering if anyone has any experience deflasking Dendrobium seedlings.

I have some seedlings of Den. Hilda Poxon and canaliculatum which need to come out into the harsh world and don't want to kill them. Is deflasking into (live) sphagnum moss OK or too moist for these Aussie natives? What about a mix of sphagnum moss and stone for better root ventilation?

Thanks


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## hardy (Nov 29, 2010)

I'd probably grow them in a compot in sphagnum moss, and water carefully.

Here's a relevant article: http://www.greenculturesg.com/articles/may05/gcs010505a1.htm


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## TyroneGenade (Nov 30, 2010)

Thanks Hardy,

I will do as you suggest. 

I don't water the moss much. When the ends of the moss look dry I put a little water in the bottom of the pot to let it soak up. I've learnt not to get the leaves of the seedlings wet...

Thanks for the link.


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## valenzino (Nov 30, 2010)

Pay particular attention to canaliculatum...not an easy one(not as his relative carronii but not so far).


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## TyroneGenade (Nov 30, 2010)

Thanks for the advice, Valenzino.

Have you deflasked any of these types of orchids before?


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## Brian Monk (Nov 30, 2010)

I have deflasked several of these ypes of dendrobiums here in S. Florida. I obtained the flasks from Australia. I deflask, clean the plants, soak in a bit of superthrive and fungicide, and wrap easch seedling in some long sphag (not live). The sphag has been rinsed in the same solution, and then all moisture is squeezed out. All of these go into a compot, and these are placed in a overed container used to germinate vegetable seedlings. I water about once every 2 weeks, and use the "MIST" setting on my watering wand, giving enough water to just see some drops from the drainage holes. I keep them in rather dimlight at first, but move them to brighter light within a fw weeks, and remove the cover in about 1-2 months, depending. 

As an aside, a single compot of these plants was infested with spider mites somewhere along the way. I don't know where they came from, and no other compots of any of my seedlings have been affected. It makes me wonder if the flask itself could have harbored mites?

Hope this helps.


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## TyroneGenade (Dec 1, 2010)

Hi,

I must take the time to post picks of my deflasking "setup". In essence, I have an 8 cm pot and then an 8 cm plastic cup which just fits on top of the pot, resting on the inner edge. I punch a few small holes in the plastic cup so there is some ventilation. The substrate in the pot is a mix of live sphagnum and stone and the seedlings planted between the moss and the stone. the moss is wet and I don't water from the top. If I water I water from the bottom. My seedlings are now in morning sunshine---all of them get about 1 hour of direct (through some leaves of a tree) light from 10 to 11. The humidity is very high under the cups and I don't see any sign of fungus or leaf burn. Some of the seedlings, such as the phals, have been out of flask now for about 2 months. So far so good... I hope this works for the Dens as well as the Phals.


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## Brian Monk (Dec 1, 2010)

Might be too wet


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## TyroneGenade (Dec 2, 2010)

Brian Monk said:


> Might be too wet



 Well, I will just have to see... Other options are not feasible for me.


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## Brian Monk (Dec 2, 2010)

Keep us updated! Hope it works well!


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## SlipperFan (Dec 2, 2010)

I don't see a problem with watering from the bottom -- that is like the semi-hydroponic method. But personally, I don't think I'd use sphagnum -- I might use small diatomite chunks and small bark: something that doesn't stay too wet and drains very well.


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## TyroneGenade (Dec 3, 2010)

Getting good bark here in SA right now is a problem and, being a really bad waterer, I have had terrible success using bark or anything like it. Even pure sphagnum was a disaster. My best success thus far has been with coir which drains fast. My choice of using live spahgnum came from Hardy's Live Sphag for Paphs thread and that is is regularly used. To counter my bad watering habits I have mixed stone (1 cm size) into the mix to allow better drainage. The stone and Sphag was backed alternatively in vertical columns so the seedlings are shoved between a stone and Sphag column. In other words, it has the choice of extending roots into the moisture wick Sphag or into the stone to be dryer. All the time the humidity is kept high under the plastic cub so the seedling has a chance to make up its mind. The actual plant is sitting ontop of the stone/sphag. I hope this works!


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## TyroneGenade (Jan 25, 2011)

Well, bad luck. The canaliculatum didn't make it. Good news: the Hilda Poxon seems to be surviving and sending up new growth.


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## SlipperFan (Jan 25, 2011)

TyroneGenade said:


> Well, bad luck. The canaliculatum didn't make it. Good news: the Hilda Poxon seems to be surviving and sending up new growth.


Sorry about the canaliculatum. But good for you for Hilda Poxon.


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## TyroneGenade (Jan 26, 2011)

The seedlings of the canaliculatum looked pretty miserable to begin with. I really should have replated them first to get some life into them. My mistake... The other stuff I deflasked are doing very well. The Paphinia are growing especially well as is the Catt. jenmanni. The Catt aurea didn't make it---but again, miserable seedlings which should have been replated instead.


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## SlipperFan (Jan 26, 2011)

I guess that's how we learn!


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