Calvin... Nice flasks! where did you get thos bottles? Nancy. the actual flasking process is the most labor intensive part, so unless you are interested in hybridizing your own plants i would start with bying some seedings in flask. I have just recently done this as it is the easiest way to get plants transported internationally. IE since the plants have never been out of a sterile environment you sidestep most of the inspection requirements. be sure to confirm requirements for your country/state. I also live in an area where orchids are not readily availible and decided this was a good way to start expanding my collection for not too much money. the flasks are cheap and you can always sell of the extra plants. Definitly read up on care of seedlings first. Google "Orchid seedling care" and you get a lot of information. also you should consider getting a small automatic watering system ( you would need it eventually for your own seedlings) it drastically increases your chances of success. seedlings like to be humid all the time but not wet so i potted in very open media and mist more frequently and my success rate is 30% to 70% better than others in my are who tried. anyway, i don't want to hijack your string.. basically do a bunch of reading first and decide wwhich is best for you.. i am interested in germinating too but the seedlings is a definite good first step. Good luck

Here is some great information on sterilizing you seeds and sewing them: You can make your own glove box directions are on youtube. Flask/Medium Sterilization: The flasks & media need go be sterilized before they can be used. A simple pressure cooker works fine for this. Caution: Using a pressure cooker is potentially dangerous, so fully read manufacturers instructions before using. Prepare the flasking media per instructions, and pour into flasks. How much depends on what type of flask you are preparing. For sowing, 1/2 inch (~12.7 mm) of medium will do. For replate flasks, 1 inch (~25.4 mm) would be better, as the plants will be in these flasks for a longer period and use more of the medium for growth. Prepare pressure cooker. Pour 1-2 inches (25.4-50.8mm) of water into the bottom of the cooker. Lightly place the lids on the flasks, and set them into the cooker. Secure the lid of the cooker and place on high heat until the pressure relief valve activates. Lower the heat and sterilize for 15 minutes @ 15 psi. Let the cooker cool, or carefully release the pressure and carefully remove the lid. If any of the lids have fallen off the flasks, carefully put them back on and secure them. Remove the flasks from the cooker and let cool. After cooling, they are ready for use. Seed Sterilization: Once the pod has split or opened, the seed must be assumed to be contaminated. Before it can be sown, it has to be sterilized. To do this, take the seed and place it in a vile, or test tube inside the flasking case. To this add a 5% bleach solution with a drop of dish soap as a wetting agent and agitate continuously for 10 min. Just before the end of this time, decant off the bleach solution and add some sterilized distilled water. Agitate for about 1 min, and then decant once more. Repeat this step one more time. If you don't use a pipette, pour off all but a small amount of water, so you can pour the remaining water and seed into the flask. If a pipette is used, then just leave the water in the vile, and let the seed settle to the bottom. I prefer to use a pipette, as it offers more control. Seed Sowing: There are two procedures for seed sowing. One is the green-pod method. This is the easiest, as you don't have to sterilize he seed. The second is the dry-pod method, done with the above procedure. First you must prepare the case for your work. Place all the tools, flasks, and other equipment you will be using during the flasking process inside the case. Spray a fine mist of 10% bleach solution all over the inside of the case, including the flask tops. Let set for 5 min for it to take effect. Using the pipettete, suck up a small amount of seed and some water. Crack open a flask, insert the pipet into the flask without touching the sides. Eject the seed, and water into the flask. Re-stop the flask, and swirl the mixture to spread the seed around. Do the remaining flasks. Green-pod sowing involves taking a seed capsule that hasn't opened up yet for the sowing process. Put the pod in the glove box, and soak it in the 5% bleach solution for about 5-10 min. Scrub the outside with a toothbrush during this time. Rinse in sterilized distilled water. Slice open the pod, and scrape the seed into the flask. Or you can scrape the seed into a vile of sterilized distilled water, and use a pipette to put the seeds into the flask. This will eliminate much of the fibrous material that's in the pod getting into the flask. Flask Care: After the flasks have been sown, place them under fluorescent lights for 8 hours per day. Do not try to simulate daylight hours. This creates problems with the growing seed. Seeds should start to green in about 4-6 weeks. Some seed may take longer. If mold, or other contaminates start to grow, it's best to just throw the contents out. But if the seeds are of particular value, you can go back in and remove the contaminates. Remove the spot, plus 1-2mm surrounding it. Place a drop or two of 5% bleach in the hole that's left. Keep in mind, that every time you go back into the flask, you increase the chance of contamination. Replating: After the protocorms have reached a workable size, it's time to replate them onto the final medium. Place inside the case both the mother flasks, and the replate flasks, replating tools, a container of 10% bleach solution, and one of sterilized distilled water, a spray bottle of 10% bleach solution. Place the re-plating tools in the bleach solution, and let soak for 5-10 minutes, then rince them in the distilled water. Remove the stopper from the mother flask, and the flask to receive the replate. Scoop out a small amount of protocorms with one of the clean tools, and place them in the replate flask. Don't spread them too heavy, as the young plants do not do well competing for the same space. Sterilize the tools often to prevent contaminating the replate flasks. I use a new tool for each flask I re-plate. After you are done, replace the stoppers tightly. Place them back under the light, and watch them grow up! Resource used: http://www.lincolnorchidsociety.org/flasking/#clean PS. I used this procedure myself in making the flasks up with the agar. I have not sown my seeds yet as they are not ripened just yet. They are just beginning to turn a lighter green color and have not split yet.

Orchid tree can be the common name for more than one plant...If it helps - Bauhinia (general) - pre-soak for 12 hours in warm water then sow 3/8" deep. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Will you have a place to grow it? Moist fertile soil, full sun, but won't be hardy in your zone.

PJ: Thanks for the reply- Normally everything goes into the ground. I just have a few containers(so far.) The peppers that I put in the oak barrels did great, and that was even with 2 plants in each. The habanero that was in a 5 gal did good also, but it was much smaller than the one in the oak barrel. I actually overwintered the smaller one because I could move it in and out of the garage(we actually get near freezing and some days freeze. it's in the ground now but after trimming back, I think it's just going to be a small, bushy, stunted thing. No biggy---I like the heat of habanero, but not to crazy about the taste. That's why I was jazzed to go to the nursery the other day and find a thai hot and a ghost ready to join the others in the garden. it's when i read that ghosts are finicky that I got more interested in the whole container 5-1-1 container thing. I may still have to shove the new guys in the ground because I can't find any pine bark. Anywho...Go Celtics and Thunder! Bob: Thanks for the reply. :) Yeah. No thermostat, but I keep it on the low setting---there's no way it's over 80-90. Actually did some guajillos the other day with no probs. I'm guessing it's been the seeds when I've had issues. Soledad huh? Everybody! Bob married into money! LOL JK ;) Yeah. Self-harvested seeds I've had great success with also. I'm thinking that I just might buy a fresh pepper each year from the grocery store for each of the varieties I grow (Bell, Anaheim, Pasilla, Jalapeno, Serrano, Poblano, Habanero- even guajillo and chile de arbol in the dry chile section). And any specialty peppers, I'll purchase online from reputable suppliers). I may not even do that any longer since I found out the nursery has ghost chile. Now that Bruce showed me a way to isolate pods, I'll harvest my own also. I can't really overwinter too much(see above in my reply to PJ). I'm a bit inland here in San Diego County. Soledad may freeze maybe a day or 2 once every few years if they're unlucky. Hot water heater huh? Not too hot huh?