# Orchid inn flasks



## troy (May 7, 2016)

Looking for customer reviews, successful flask bloomings etc.. from sam tsui. thanks!!


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## Justin (May 8, 2016)

I have grown many of their flasks...they always grow well for me here is one example


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## troy (May 8, 2016)

Thanks justin, II'm getting a brachy flask, I've heard these are difficult


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## orchidman77 (May 8, 2016)

Great selection of plant options, hard agar so I always clean the roots well and separate upon deflasking. I definitely plan to order more!!

David


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## Mikefallen13 (May 8, 2016)

I'll echo what everybody else has said, Sam has great stuff! I haven't personally ordered a flask from him (yet) but judging from the larger plants I've ordered, I'd expect high quality, healthy seedlings.


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## PaphMadMan (May 8, 2016)

It has been years since I had flasks from Orchid Inn, but they were always a good choice. The only one I ever had problem with was my own fault, deflasking when seedlings were probably too small.


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## Paphman910 (May 8, 2016)

Ordered flasks from Sam for over a decade. If you have problems with any of his stuff, you can resolve it with him and he is very good about it.

The hard agar can be easily removed by using a spray water bottle. 

For Brachies, I would just leave the plants intact with all the roots stuck together and transplant the whole thing into a pot. As it gets older you can slowly to remove the seedlings apart.


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## troy (May 8, 2016)

How do you know if flasklings are too small?


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## emydura (May 8, 2016)

PaphMadMan said:


> The only one I ever had problem with was my own fault, deflasking when seedlings were probably too small.



Why is that your fault?


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## cattmad (May 8, 2016)

Ive bought probably about 70-80 flasks from sam in last 5 years, had probs with a few (literaly 2 or 3) that may have been my culture. If you use the puck method you should have success

Sam's breeding quality for value is hard to beat


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## troy (May 8, 2016)

Cattmad, what do you mean puck method?


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## cattmad (May 8, 2016)

Leave the agar on and pot up


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## troy (May 8, 2016)

Doesn't sams flask agar get hard? What if I try and wash as much off as I can then pot up? Someone mentioned after deflasking rinse with physan 20, have you done that?


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## Heather (May 8, 2016)

Just listed three of Sam's flasks in this week's auction.


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## kiwi (May 9, 2016)

I have purchased lots of Sam's flasks and the quality of the crosses are excellent. I wash agar off before I compot them. Probably have >90% success rate with seedlings on average. I don't treat with fungicides at all at the time of deflasking. The only flask I have ever had a problem with was tigrinum but still got 50%. However, I got 100% with Holger Perner tigrinum flasks.


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## troy (May 9, 2016)

Thanks!! I just ordered


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## PaphMadMan (May 9, 2016)

PaphMadMan said:


> The only one I ever had problem with was my own fault, deflasking when seedlings were probably too small.





emydura said:


> Why is that your fault?



My choice when to deflask even though I had been cautioned that they needed some time yet. How would that not be my fault?


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## Justin (May 9, 2016)

I leave the agar on and just pot up the whole puck. The agar dissolves over time and this method prevents damage to the tender roots and leaves.


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## paphioland (May 9, 2016)

I am pretty sure Sam has his stuff flasked by Debbie Root. They do excellent work and I use Debbie myself. I would not hesitate to get a flask from OI.


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## troy (May 9, 2016)

I just talked to sam, he's an exceptionally awsome guy!!!


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## C. Rothschild (May 9, 2016)

The p. Concolor X Thaianum seem great. I probably got about 20 plants in ten pots. I didn't have quite as much luck with the other two I tried but I'm not so into community pots.


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## Ozpaph (May 9, 2016)

I've had better success with Sam's flasks since I started to remove most of the agar. I still pot them as a clump, though.


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## ehanes7612 (May 9, 2016)

i think some of it depends on your broad culture..greenhouse v lights,and humidity levels etc..when posting deflasking methods people should also post their conditions


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## emydura (May 9, 2016)

PaphMadMan said:


> My choice when to deflask even though I had been cautioned that they needed some time yet. How would that not be my fault?



I believe a flask should be ready to deflask at purchase. A pretty warped view I know.


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## troy (May 9, 2016)

Sam said it's best to remove as much agar as possible then pot up as a community for a year or so


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## Ozpaph (May 11, 2016)

emydura said:


> I believe a flask should be ready to deflask at purchase. A pretty warped view I know.



I agree. I dont think you should have to 'grow them up' pre-deflask.


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## OR.O (May 11, 2016)

Justin said:


> I leave the agar on and just pot up the whole puck. The agar dissolves over time and this method prevents damage to the tender roots and leaves.



I've done the same, the seedlings( roth x randsii) are strong and fast growing


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## PaphMadMan (May 11, 2016)

emydura said:


> I believe a flask should be ready to deflask at purchase. A pretty warped view I know.





Ozpaph said:


> I agree. I dont think you should have to 'grow them up' pre-deflask.



I really can't agree, on simple economics. A seller will have only a narrow window of time to sell flasks if they are only at the perfect moment. It is a better business model to sell some flasks early, though of course they should make the buyer aware of that. Too young is much better than too old, and some sellers may not have the time or facilities to deflask many seedlings themselves and grow them on. Holding costs (time on the shelf), labor costs and waste (flasks past their prime) are all lower if some are sold early, and could even mean they could be sold at somewhat lower prices. It also allows a seller to have a wider variety available at any one time, so more choices for the buyer, especially at shows. 

Do you expect a fruit seller to only offer each banana on that perfect day of ripeness?


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## cattmad (May 11, 2016)

this is a tough one, while I understand where you guys are coming from, how often do we in Australia get the opportunity to obtain flasks, its not like you can buy them at any given show here, so you gotta take them when you can get them.

I'd prefer to buy Sams flasks that may be a little smaller than buy the cheap stuff from Taiwan or Thailand bred from inferior or questionable breeding. Some of the Taiwanese flask producers have been exposed for selling stuff made with inferior parentage but passing it off as different parents. Roth 'Dou Fang' X 'Green Valley' comes to mind.

At the end of the day I trust Sam's stuff to be true to label and a fair price for the quality offered.


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## troy (May 11, 2016)

I'm glad sams flasks are trustworthy, I think he's a great guy


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