How to grow an orchid from seeds
When breeding indoor orchids, flower growers use different propagation methods. One of the most popular is the seed growing method. Orchid seeds ripen with successful pollination of the plant. In order for the seeds to germinate in the soil, a sterile environment with the presence of mycelium is required.
How to grow an orchid from seeds
Features of seeds
The phalaenopsis orchid has small seeds. It is possible to see what the seeds of a room orchid look like only under a microscope.
Phalaenopsis orchid seeds have some physiological characteristics that complicate the process of their successful germination:
- There is no shell (endosperm) that surrounds the embryo. Such a shell helps the seeds to absorb from the soil all the necessary micro and macro elements for full growth and development. In tropical orchids, seed embryos form a symbiosis with fungi, sticking to their mycelium. Almost any type of mushroom is suitable for this process - honey mushrooms, tinder fungi, rhizoctonia or phytophthora. Li>
- Seedlings without a protective sheath are sensitive to environmental conditions. They do not have strong immunity to various diseases and pests. If they are not provided with optimal microclimate conditions, they will not be able to get new plants from them.
It is necessary to create greenhouse conditions for seedlings with a consistently high temperature, air humidity and good lighting. Under such conditions, you can grow new specimens that will bloom for the first time 4-5 years after sowing.
How to collect
To get an orchid seed, you need 2 flowering specimens.
Collect pollen from the stamen of one plant with a brush and apply to the pistil of another flower. After that, the pollinated flower will wither. If the plant sheds the foliage, it means that the pollination process was unsuccessful. If the result is positive, the fruit capsule will begin to form 2 weeks after the manipulation.
The ripening seed is small and resembles white dust. Collecting seeds is problematic, despite the fact that artificial pollination is almost always successful.
Most often, flower growers order material in specialized stores. The main supplier is China. Therefore, growing an orchid from Chinese seeds is a hot topic for many flower growers.
What to propagate
Growing orchids from seeds is carried out in a special container - a glass flask. Planting seeds in plastic pots, vases, bowls and ceramic flowerpots is not worth it. Some flower growers use containers for chemical reagents with a volume of 200-300 ml.
If you do not have such dishes, you can use a regular half liter transparent jar.
To successfully germinate seedlings, you should use containers with absolute tightness. For flasks, special stoppers are used. If there are no plugs, you can make a tight cotton swab to seal the container.Make 2-3 holes in the lids of the cans and fill them tightly with cotton wool.
Germination substrate
To successfully grow oridea seeds, it is advised to plant them in crushed sphagnum moss. You can also use a special substrate.
This substance includes several polysaccharides, which are obtained from different types of red and brown algae. After the extraction process, this mixture is converted to a white or yellowish powder. But when it reacts with water, it turns into a jelly-like mass.
The most optimal substrate is Lewis Knudson's nutrient medium. This mixture is used in the industrial germination of orchid seeds. The advantage of this mixture is that germination takes place without creating symbiosis with the mushrooms.
Recipe
Agar agar is the basis of any nutrient substrate for the propagation of these flowers. If you are unable to obtain this substance, you can prepare it yourself.
The recipe is simple and consists of several ingredients:
- orthophosphoric acid;
- potassium carbonate solution (potash);
- fructose and glucose - 10 g each;
- agar-agar - 10-15 g;
- distilled water - 200 ml.
Preparation
Nutritional formula preparation instructions:
- First, fill the agar with water. Set aside for some time to swell.
- Add fructose, glucose and the swollen substance to boiled distilled water. Mix well and hold a little more in a water bath until a homogeneous jelly-like mass is obtained.
The first two components from the list are used to create the necessary acidity of the environment. The optimal level of this indicator (Рн) for plant seeds is 4.8-5.2. You can determine the acidity level of the soil with the help of special indicator strips (litmus). You can buy them at any chemical store. Each component is added dropwise to the mixture, then the acidity level is checked, and this is added until the acidity reaches the required level.
Sowing preparation
Waiting for an orchid from seeds is not a quick job
To grow an orchid from seeds at home, you will need to carry out a number of preparatory activities.
Sterilization of the flask and mixture
To grow orchids from seeds at home successfully, prepare containers in advance - wash and sterilize well
Jars or flasks are calcined in an oven at 150 ° for half an hour. Corks, lids are poured over with boiling water.
The second stage of sterilization consists in calcining the cans along with the contents - the nutrient mixture. Pour 70-80 g of the nutrient mixture into a 200 ml container. Then it is tightly sealed and placed in an oven for the same time and at the same temperature as in the previous case.
Sterilized jars are set aside in a closed form, and after 5 days they check how well they are sterilized. If the mixture is not covered with mold, the disinfection process was carried out efficiently. You can store such a mixture unopened and without seeds for about 2 months in the refrigerator. Before sowing, it is heated in a water bath to melt the jelly-like mass.
Disinfection of seeds
Before planting orchid seeds from China, they are disinfected. They are dipped in a calcium hypochlorite solution (bleach). The recipe is simple - add 10 g of the substance to 100 ml of boiled water, then stir well.
The seeds are poured into a disinfectant solution for 15 minutes, shaken periodically. After sterilization, the material is inoculated.
Landing technology
Planting orchid seeds itself is not a big deal. Below is a step-by-step process for this technology. Sprouts grow from seeds for 6-9 months, depending on the type of plant.
Germination conditions:
- diffused light;
- long daylight hours - 14 hours;
- temperature - 25-28 °;
- air humidity - 70-80%.
In such conditions, the seedlings are until they germinate.
Sowing
Sowing orchid seeds from China stands above the steam to ensure complete sterility of the process.
Put a pot of water on the burner, bring to a boil. Then a lattice with a vessel and a mixture is attached above it. The lid is placed on the wire rack.
Seeds are removed from the disinfectant solution using a sterile syringe or pipette in small portions and spread over the surface of the nutrient mixture. Sow the material as quickly as possible to prevent contamination by microbes and bacteria.
Shake the container to distribute the seedlings evenly. After the orchid seeds are planted, the flask is placed in a mini-greenhouse, greenhouse or florarium.
The emergence of sprouts
From the resulting mixture, orchid seeds germinate after about 2-3 weeks. At first, they resemble microscopic green balls, then they transform into thin threads, on which leaves appear and at the very end - roots.
Retrieving
Growing an orchid at home from seeds will not work quickly. This will take at least a year for the seedlings to grow, get stronger and be ready for transplanting into pots.
You can remove the sprouts with tweezers. But this method is risky, since you can easily injure delicate seedlings. There is another, more reliable way of extracting seedlings - pour the nutrient mixture with warm water, shake it slightly and pour the entire contents into a shallow and wide bowl. Add a couple of drops of Fundazole 0.5% concentration. After 15 minutes, you can extract small plants.
Potting
Growing orchids from seeds after germination follows the same principle as adult plants.
You can plant your flowers in plastic, transparent containers with several holes in the bottom. The height and width of the pots should be appropriate for the size of the root system.
For planting plants, a substrate is used from the following components:
- pine bark;
- chopped fern rhizomes;
- pieces of sphagnum moss.
All components should be taken in equal parts and mixed. To prevent infection and decay, the substrate is spilled with boiling water, then sprinkled with charcoal powder (10 tablets are consumed per liter of the finished mixture).
Care
Phalaenopsis grown from seeds needs regular care:
- seedlings are sprayed every day with warm, settled water from a spray bottle;
- provide 12 hours of daylight;
- high air humidity in the room - about 80%;
- the optimum temperature is the same as for adult plants - 23-28 °.
Under such conditions, the cultivation of orchids from Chinese seeds will be productive. Within a few years you will receive strong and healthy plants with peduncles.
Conclusion
Growing orchids from Chinese seeds is easy. Subject to the above described technology, this process will always be successful. In this way, you can get flowering plants on your windowsill, which will delight the whole family.