deflasking,
agar-on
the
deflasking,
agar-on
click on photo to see a close-up
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| The agar-on deflasking technique is popular with many growers and works best with milk bottles. It is quick and easy and creates minimum trauma for the orchid seedlings. Select an appropriate size aluminum oven tray for the flask. You may also use a plastic nursery tray if you are deflasking several bottles at the same time. | Line the tray with a thin layer of damp sphagnum moss. | Remove the stopper. Wrap the bottle in several layers of newspaper leaving some space at the base end of the flask. The mouth end should be open. We will use our metal rod to remove the bottom of the bottle. You may wear cotton or leather gloves for this procedure if you feel more comfortable. |
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| Insert the metal rod into the bottle being careful to not let it rest on the seedlings. It takes a bit of dexterity to keep the rod suspended above the seedlings, but once you have mastered the technique, it is easy. Tap the rod with a hammer or heavy pliers to knock the bottom off the flask. | If you were able to place the rod somewhat centered on the bottom of the bottle, you should get a clean break. The bottle will now be open on the bottom. | Slide your knife under the agar and ease the seedlings out onto the sphagnum-lined tray. A thin plastic spatula will also work. |
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| Use the knife to center the seedlings on the tray. If any small pieces of broken glass remain, use tweezers to remove them. | Use small pieces of sphagnum to cover any exposed roots at the edges of the seedlings. Keep the sphagnum at an even level of moisture. Do not soak it. Do not let it dry completely. | When using this technique, we like to spray seedlings with a broad spectrum fungicide once a day for the first few days. This will help prevent any adventitious mold spores from germinating. |
| An
alternate method of deflasking involves removing the agar. Click here
for that demonstration.
After a year or so in their community pot the seedlings may be big enough to move into their own individual pots. Click here for a demonstration on how to do that. |
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