Where do you Australian growers send your pods?

[emydura]

I was just interested in hearing from Australians regarding where they send their pods to be germinated. I haven't had much luck in the past where I have sent mine so looking for somewhere new.

 

[cattmad]

I havent done any paph pods, so I cant help you there. The guy I use for catts doesnt do paphs, he reckons he cant get germination in his agar.

Brad

 

[TyroneGenade]

You could try send them to Harry Ronken. He sows Disa and terrestrial seeds.

 

[emydura]

I havent done any paph pods, so I cant help you there. The guy I use for catts doesnt do paphs, he reckons he cant get germination in his agar.

Brad

That is the problem with the place I have been sending them to. He is getting little or no germination.

You could try send them to Harry Ronken. He sows Disa and terrestrial seeds.

Thanks Tyrone. Is he Australian?

 

[TyroneGenade]

Tasmania, I think.

 

[Roy]

David, the last lot I had done by Kevin Western (SA) Maybe not the cheapest but what came back were the best I've had ever. I had Catts done but I've seen his Catasetums, Aus Nats, Cyms etc, all very good.

 

[Ozpaph]

Ivan Vescovi (Ivans Orchids), does some catts for me. Not sure about paphs.

 

[emydura]

David, the last lot I had done by Kevin Western (SA) Maybe not the cheapest but what came back were the best I've had ever. I had Catts done but I've seen his Catasetums, Aus Nats, Cyms etc, all very good.

That is where I've been sending them Roy but he has been struggling to get much germination in Paphs (it would appear the same problem that Brad described). He is trialling a new technique in the search for better germination rates. From what I can tell there is nowhere in Australia that can reliably germinate Paphs. I hadn't appreciated they were more difficult than other orchids.

 

[Trithor]

What I have noticed is that they are slower to germinate and seem to prefer a lower nutrient concentration. Eliseo is using half strength P668 which is already a half strength M&S based medium (for his phrags and ?other)
I am using 1/3 M&S with sugar adjusted back to 20g/L, and added peptone and charcoal to start germination and then replating to half strength. Up till now I seem to be getting fair germination. I have the following actively growing (early days yet though and a lot to learn)

St Swithin (seed from JohnM)
spicerianum
gratixianum
sanderianum
rothschildianum
glaucophylum
3 different complex hybrids
4 primary hybrids
2 Maudiae types

What I have noticed is that the flasks need to be wrapped with cling-film to reduce moisture loss as they do take longer than other groups that I have tried to date and never quite look like grass, but they do seem to germinate.

 

[Roy]

I know Paphs aren't all that easy, generally its lack of viable seed that's the problem, not so much the lab problem.
Have you asked Nicky Z ?? Paulines Lab ?? not sure of name in SA used to be able to do them. Bill Miles, Orchid Species Plus, has a Lab, he may be worth asking.

 

[emydura]

I know Paphs aren't all that easy, generally its lack of viable seed that's the problem, not so much the lab problem.
Have you asked Nicky Z ?? Paulines Lab ?? not sure of name in SA used to be able to do them. Bill Miles, Orchid Species Plus, has a Lab, he may be worth asking.

Thanks Roy. I'm sure seed viability is playing some part but I have sent quite a few pods now and have little to show for it. I'm certainly not having a go at Kevin. He seems a nice guy who knows his stuff. I was just interested if others were having success else where. I'll investigate the names you gave. It would have been good if some of the Australians have had some successful experiences with Paph pods but that doesn't seem to be the case.

 

[Trithor]

David, why not give a few pods a try yourself? You don't need much equipment other than a pressure cooker, some babyfood jars, an eye-level oven, scalpel blade and some 'baby-wrap'.

 

[Stone]

You have a PM David

 

[Ozpaph]

where are those stonei's up to, guys?

 

[emydura]

David, why not give a few pods a try yourself? You don't need much equipment other than a pressure cooker, some babyfood jars, an eye-level oven, scalpel blade and some 'baby-wrap'.

I'm not sure I do enough breeding to warrant the investment of time and effort. Where do you put the flasks when they are growing? Do you grow them under lights in heated chambers?

where are those stonei's up to, guys?

I have no idea what you are talking about Stephen.

 

[Ozpaph]

Mike does (I think)

 

[Trithor]

I'm not sure I do enough breeding to warrant the investment of time and effort. Where do you put the flasks when they are growing? Do you grow them under lights in heated chambers

I have a bit of a complex setup now, but as a student when I first dabbled, I had a countertop box with two fluorescent tubes in it. I made a simple sliding adjustable grill at the bottom side and at the top to adjust the air flow (temp control). Using my eyelevel oven, pressure cooker, simple babyfood jars and the light box, I grew acmodontum, urbanianum, callosum, glaucophylum, praestans and concolor amongst others, and a whole range of hybrids. Never in big quantities, just enough for my own enjoyment. I made around 4 mother flasks to ensure that I could select my seedlings, but only replated 5-10 plants per replate, and grew around a total of 25 plants of each. With losses I used to get about 15 mature plants, way enough for my interest. It was a terrific sense of achievement when the first of my own flasklings flowered. Now 25 years later I still have some of those original plants.

 

[Stone]

where are those stonei's up to, guys?

They are being slow. Patience!