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Going to try to start from seeds

9 years ago

I have recently noticed a seed pod growing from one of my to tolumina orchids and I wanted to try to start new plants from the seeds...I have done research on how to germinate/sow ect...but I was curious on how long I should let the seed pod go before sowing the seeds? Anyone have any helpful info to share?
P.S. Please ignore the large sunburn I accidentally gave one of my phals...:-(

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Comments (11)

arthurm
9 years ago
Is this a stray pod or a planned crossing? If you only have one plant it will be a selfing.
Then there is the little problem of fertility, some pods do not have viable seeds.
Then there is the question, green pod or ripe seed? AND
do you send the pod off to a professional or fiddle around in the kitchen?
Finally, does the plant bearing the pod have a name?
From memory green pod harvest time was about two months, but that was some years ago, better to be accurate. About 3/4 years from sowing seed to first bloom.
Good Luck

Here is a link that might be useful: Tolumina Discussion

This post was edited by arthurm on Mon, Aug 25, 14 at 21:45
jimbo0108
Original Author
9 years ago
Thank you arthurm. The answers to your questions is...
1. Yes it is a stray pod I did not plan this. I had a 2nd tolumina at 1 time but it has since died about 6 mo ago. Is it possible that it could have crossed with one of my other orchids around it?
2. I was going to try to do the germinating myself not send it out. Was thinking about starting a new hobby. Hoping it works.
3. Unfortunately I do not have the name of the plant species, the spike with the name on it has been lost. I may be able to get lucky and go back to home depot where I bought it and see if there are any exact matches.
And I have a few questions to add.
What do you mean by green pod or ripe seed? This seed pod stuff is new to me. I have propagated new plants from spikes but never seeds (yet:-))
And also are you saying to wait 2 months to sow the seeds out of the seed pod? Or what's a tell tale sign of when to sow the seeds?
Thanks a ton for your response...
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arthurm
9 years ago
All the great hybridisers must have started somewhere, but I think that you need to do some research before you start. I have not been an active partner in the breeding program, a friend arrives with a tooth pick and some pollen and does the deed.
He has a thousand "Tolumnia" I have about 400.
Looked up green pod sowing and Dr Google says 65 to 70 days.
You can do the sowing yourself, but you have to muck about with agar jelly and other ingredients in sterile conditions or you can send the pod off to a lab.
Just say the pod is fertile.....you have to have the space to deflask and raise all the little babies.
Sorry that I cannot be of more help.
dbarron
9 years ago
Needless to say, growing orchids from seeds is not considered trivial, nor does the avg Joe do it.
jimbo0108
Original Author
9 years ago
No you were a great help. Thank you. I have done a bunch of research since i realized that this is a seed pod. I have already ordered the agar and watched videos on YouTube of ppl mixing it and showing the sterile process...it's something that I believe I can do and am willing to out the time and effort into. I'm not one to say that I can't do something. I'm in the medical field and know quite a bit about sterile technique so that's a plus.. I'm hoping for the best. But expecting nothing cause it dosent sound easy. Hopefully in a year I'll be posting pictures of unknown orchids on here. That's the only downside is I know nothing about the plant type if it works as I have a bunch of orchids in the same area that flowered at the same time. Oh well thanks again I appreciate it.
jimbo0108
Original Author
9 years ago
No you were a great help. Thank you. I have done a bunch of research since i realized that this is a seed pod. I have already ordered the agar and watched videos on YouTube of ppl mixing it and showing the sterile process...it's something that I believe I can do and am willing to out the time and effort into. I'm not one to say that I can't do something. I'm in the medical field and know quite a bit about sterile technique so that's a plus.. I'm hoping for the best. But expecting nothing cause it dosent sound easy. Hopefully in a year I'll be posting pictures of unknown orchids on here. That's the only downside is I know nothing about the plant type if it works as I have a bunch of orchids in the same area that flowered at the same time. Oh well thanks again I appreciate it.
arthurm
9 years ago
"Hopefully in a year I'll be posting pictures of unknown orchids on here"
Tolumnia are fairly quick but you will be lucky to see of bloom in three or four years.
Anyway as I said above all the great hybrisers had to start from somewhere, but you need to get access to plants that will produce superior progeny long term.
Maybe join an orchid society.
jimbo0108
Original Author
9 years ago
Figured I would post an update, I said I was going to try to attempt to start new plants from a seed pod I discovered and here it is. Unfortunately I let it go too long and it cracked open so I opened it up...I wanted to do the green seed method but I'll have to sterilize the seeds now before proceeding...hoping to get the agar media going this weekend....crossing my fingers this is my first time and I already have another seed pod in the making
janartmuse
9 years ago
How exciting! DO keep us posted!
cooperdr_gw
9 years ago
I'm still planning on trying that someday. I watched a cool video about flaming the pods. You don't really burn them- it's just burning off the contaminents but that comes later once you have a sterile environment.
jimbo0108
Original Author
9 years ago
Yep will update from time to time...next one will be when I get em in the agar. And yes dr Cooper that's what I was hoping to be able to do but unfortunately mine cracked open so I had to assume it was already contaminated...so now I have to sterilize the seeds in hydrogen peroxide.

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