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Seeds

In my highschool greenhouse are about 25-30 orchids, several of which are blooming. I have managed to pollinate several, and they have swollen up with seeds. I know from google a vague procedure for germinating the seeds, and, lucky me, my school has a nice biotechnology lab with sterile environments. I am going to ask the biotechnology teacher if he would help me to grow them, but I was wondering if anyone has tried to grow orchid seeds, and any pointers would be much appreciated.
Brian
 
Good steril technic. Is the biggest thing. That and I hope you have severl years to grow them. Going to have a place to grow them that long?

You will need to buy some agar and have access to an autoclave to sterilize the media and flask. then youwant the seeds to ripen on the plant. Wait till the seed pod starts to burst. You have to check it. Whe it starts to yellow it is about time. Take the seeds and soak them in a test tube with hydrogen peroxide. Make sure you place the cap on loosely then put in in the sun or light. It will degrade the peroxide and turn it into pure water. You will be able to sow that into the flask, but if you can spin them down and remove alot of it it would be better.

Then you need to make sure you have the proper chems to keep the cotton filter from letting in contaminates. the online guides are pretty good so if you have some specifics I can try to help.

The givest thing. Do not move the flasks to much when you do them. It can increase the risk of contaminating the media. Do not spread the media too think either. It will be a liquid till it congeals.
 
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