Monday 27 February 2012

Syringe filter observation

After testing and sowing sterilized seeds via syringe, I have found that a small peice of cotton ball works the best. I tried coffee filter, but found that it was easy to tear, and if folded so it doesn't tear it then is very difficult if not impossible to draw up solution. Once I did get a good peice of filter in the cap that was not torn it worked beautifully. When I tested paper towel, it didn't tear and worked fine with just water, however once seed was added it became clogged. This eventually lead to the paper towel filter tearing and become pretty much useless. The small peice of cotton ball however maintained the same properties drawing up and expelling solution even after seed was added. My conclusion, use cotton balls, they really are pretty inexpensive and are much easier to work with.


Contamination was found

The first flask was found with contamination. It did not have seed sown in it yet, but was a microwaved poly flask of P723. As and experiment I dumped out the milky contaimnation then wiped with a lysol kitchen wipe. After all they are advertised to kill 99.9% of all household bacteria and viruses. The contaminated flask was then put in the sterile box and a second lysol wipe was used to wipe the surface and the whole of the container once more. Then a small amount of seed was sown with 1ml of water.

Otherwise the other 40 flasks show no contamination, aside from 2 flasks that were pressure cooked that look to have some small particulate stuck in the media. There does not  appear to be any mold or other growth on those two just the foreign particulate that must have been present when they were sterilized. 

(photos will follow)



Thursday 23 February 2012

Lighting the Flasking Cabinet

After diligent searching, I finally settled on using a plastic socket with a modified extension cord. I wanted to make sure it worked before purchasing additional supplies and good cfl daylight bulbs. The total cost was only $3.25 (in canada no less). Once I get a good bulb it will only come to less than $8 per light. If I feel I need more like I can add a second bulb and still be less than the cost of a standard fluorescent fixture. (nearly $18 including junk bulb with lumen output) Its very simple there are only 2 components. A socket and a cheap lamp
extension cord.

I just cut the female end of the cord off and and split the wires. Then stripped back a bit of the insulation. You need only find which is the hot wire and which is the black wire and the screw the leads down.


I used the pliers to chip two small grooves in the plastic socket flange so it would sit flush to the cabinet wall and screw the plate down.

Then just screw in a blub and plug in, and presto we have light.
( I doubt this is to code, and please use caution when dealing with electric)

The photo to the left was taken through the 1/8th inch crack between the doors, so it is quite bright when the doors are closed. I think with a daylight bulb the color will be more natural.



 Photo to the right is the flasks with media that is just waiting for seed.



Monday 20 February 2012

Tomatoes growing fast

It appears that nearly all varieties have grown their first true leaves under lights in just 14 days.

Orchid seed sowing part 2

Rather than describe each adventure I have made a simple spreadsheet to explain technique. Where applicable I will post a more detailed description. If you have a question post it in the comments or email it to me and I will try to update the post with the information.
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Eulophia seeds
Gas Fumigation in ziplock bag 





 

Orchid media status

1 week has past since media was prepared and so far there has been no sign of contamination. I do highly doubt that there will be no contamination at some point. Once some contamination has been identified though, I hope to try some decontamination tests.

Seed sowing part 1

Today sowed seeds for Trias nasuta. This seed was gathered in Mar. 2011 and stored in folded wax paper. I apologize for lack of photos. However I have been doing this solo so it's difficult to photograph and do what needs done. I will try to work out a way to get some photos, even if that means just videoing the process.

Now for the process: Seeds were laid out onto a piece of copy paper that had been folded to create a crease. The seeds were then funneled into the syringe with the plunger removed. Seeds were disinfected 2 different ways. First  the majority of the seeds were treated in a syringe filled 1part bleach to 9 parts water for ten minutes. A small hole was drilled in the rubber cap and a small piece of coffee filter was inserted. This was then shaken for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes the solution was expelled out and pressure cooked distilled water was drawn up. This was shaken slightly then allowed to rest for 2 minutes. The distilled rinse was repeated 3 times whereupon on the 3rd expulsion 2 ml of seed water mixed was left in the syringe. The cap was then removed and 1ml of seed + water was dispensed into 1 poly container of cornstarch media, 1 poly container of p723. Then one baby food jar (pre-sterilized with 50% bleach solution) had 1 sterilized coffee filter soaked in OSP1 baby food media placed in the bottom. 1ml of water was then drawn into the syringe gentle swirled then dispensed into the baby food jar. The plunger was then removed and dabbed onto the soaked coffee filter to remove any additional seed not dispensed. Cap then screwed on tight and everything was sprayed with bleach water prior to removing from the glove box.

Seed that failed to fall into the syringe or still left on the wax paper was brushed into 1 soda bottle with p658 (in open air not in glove box) then medical grade cotton balls were soaked in 100% bleach and placed on the top of the bottle opening and cap then place on top. Cotton removed in glove box and cap screwed tight.











Wednesday 15 February 2012

Orchid Media Preparation cont'd

A little delayed but on 2/12/1012 flasks were made using a modified OSP1 media:
2 level tsp sucrose
1/2 level tsp plant pro 20-20-20
138ml banana baby food (no added sugar version)
mixed with enougth distilled water to equal 1L then pour into two mason jars and pressure cooked. Also pressure cooked 10 coffee filters (to be used in sterile jars for seed flasking) and also a 1 qt container of perlite was pressure cooked for replating later.

Flasks were also made using a modified cornstarch method by CD Moulton:
1/4 cup of cornstarch
1 tbsp + 1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp plant pro 20-20-20
1 L humidifer water
This was dispensed into 3 mason jars which was pressure cooked as well as 1 polypro container that was pressure cooked as well. Also 3 polypropolyene containers were cooked in the microwave for 4:30 mins. then place in a bag sprayed with bleach to cool.

20 Flasks  were produced of P658 as well:
5 vented polypropylene
5 unvented polypropylene
1 unvented mason jar
2 vented mason jars
1 tall recycled food jar with metal lid - vented
3 vented plastic soda bottles
3 unvented soda bottles
- I experienced more melting this time with the soda bottles when dispensing the boiling media. I found that the bottoms are more reistant to the boiling so the bottles standing up have less deformitiy. Next time will have to try to fill standing then rotate to the side as it cools.

Also I have noticed that all of the polypropolene containers have a large amount of condesation in them where the mason, and food jars have nearly none. Perhaps I do not vent the poly containers enough. Time will tell if this becomes a problem in the future.








Sunday 12 February 2012

Orchid Media Preparation

Today I embarked on the first phase of my orchid propagation trials. I started with p723 from Phytotech labs and prepared media in 4 types of vessels: Soda Bottles, Mason Jars, Recycled glass food jars, and polypropylene deli containers (will update with photos later.


For the soda bottles, I cleaned each with soap and water then used a 50% bleach solution for 10 mins to sterilize. Each bottle was then dumped and shook upside down. Caps were put on til the media was put in. These bottles were filled first while the media was just about at the boiling stage. The heat made the bottles without vents shrivel as they cooled so I put all into a bag sprayed with 50% bleach solution and caps were unscrewed to allow pressure to normalize. This may prove to be a big mistake. I probably could have left the vented ones alone, but I put those in the sterile bag as well.

The mason jars and recycled food jars were put into the pressure cooker with 1 additional polypropylene container as well. These were pressure cooked for 30 mins at 15lbs pressure.

The polypropylene containers were microwaved for 4.5 mins at 1.5 min bursts, then placed into a sterilized bag treated the same as the soda bottles. Each time more containers were added to the bag the bleach solution was sprayed again.

Saturday 11 February 2012

Orchids finally potted correctly

It's taken almost 6 months but the orchids brought with me have finally been potted up they way they should have from the beginning. Hopefully I won't lose any more. Also I transitioned some of the plants over to Semi-hydroponic.



Tomato seeds started

Today the seeds planted on 2/7/2012 sprouted.
There are 2 plants of 6 heirloom varieties: Red Peach, Black from Tula, Azoyoka, Pittman Valley Plum, Fireworks, Ruffled Yellow. These were germinated using recycled paper egg carton filled with potting soil, then moistened and place in a gallon ziplock bag on top of the lights (for heat). 1 of each will be planted in typical soil culture the other will be grown semi-hydroponically.