I have found that the most important element for success is
to keep them moist, but not too wet or too dry. You need to keep the newspaper
damp and place it in a sheltered section of your shadehouse and wait for the
roots to start growing (ie the tips of the roots become green).
From time to time I have sprayed the little "suckers" with Envy as
this puts a coating on them and protects them from drying out. At the moment I
am not doing this, I believe that this environment allows me to keep them at the
right moisture level. When I see the roots growing I pot them into 50mm pots
using a mixture of sphagnum moss and perlite. I have found this method to be the
most successful way of lessening the attrition rate. Ideally, when you buy a
flask look for similar sized plants.
Buying flasks is the most economical way of purchasing orchids. If you don't
need that many of a particular cross you can always sell off what is not
required at the local show or club meeting. Along with breeding, I find this
another interesting facet of my hobby (addiction), growing orchids.
Gary
Kopp
