Orchid Seedling Care 101: The Ultimate Guide to Growing Healthy Young Orchids

[@debracancelliere4081]

Than you, Nicole! I have one experience in helping to deflask a Phal. It was in my orchid society meeting and we each got to pick a tiny seedling, gently rinse off the agar(?) /gel like substance in a bowl of room temp water, gently pack in a pot of growing media - I think I chose a mix of moss and bark-and put that in a zip lock sandwich bag. I then kept it in my ikea greenhouse and after a few days started to open the bag a little bit every few days to acclimate the seedling. This was about 2 years ago and it’s grown so much! No blooms yet but I know it’s way too early. Wish I could post a pic!

[@NicoleDeanna]

How lovely! It's a whole process! You definitely have to *wean* them into the world! I usually recommend flasks for advanced growers. I am too fearful to even try 😂❤️

[@renatecormick7399]

Hi Nicole. I was in Thailand many years ago and went to an Orchid nursery where I bought some flasks to bring back to Australia. This was in the days before we had access to the internet & KZbin. I deflasked about 400 plants and potted them straight into bark, placed in my shade house and took care of them as best I knew at the time. How any survived I don't know and only because I gave what was left to a friend I would have lost the lot. I did everything wrong and often wish I had known then what I know now. Thanks for a very informative video, I really enjoyed watching and believe that we never stop learning when it comes to orchid growing.

[@NicoleDeanna]

​@@renatecormick7399 flasks are tough! But we learn so much! Casualties are part of the journey 😅 It's true we can never stop learning, and if we move, we have to adapt to new conditions too and we essentially start over!

[@ileanavalerio3637]

It so nice to see how a seedling becomes such a beautiful specimen. They are more finicky to take care of but it a great feeling to see their final stage in development. Thanks for showing us you journey the different kinds of orchids such as from flask, young and or keiki orchids Nicole. 👏👏👏❤️💐Have a blessed day.

[@NicoleDeanna]

@@ileanavalerio3637 it's so rewarding! I'm so glad you enjoyed the video ❤️

[@Carol-l5r]

Thank you for the video and your knowledge! I haven’t purchased a Cattleyas yet. Knowing the sizes and terminology is invaluable! I will definitely start at blooming size. Or have bloomed once. Thanks again and have a great week! ❤

[@NicoleDeanna]

Tysm ❤️

[@shirleyholt898]

Thanks Nicole. Good job explaining. 👏🥰💐

[@NicoleDeanna]

@@shirleyholt898 thank you Shirley :)

[@hillbillyorchids]

Great tips hon! Always enjoy watching! 😊

[@NicoleDeanna]

@@hillbillyorchids appreciate it my friend ❤️

[@sylviabeichert943]

Thanks yet again for your terrific videos Nicole. I'm a newbie to orchids, but my young oncidiums & cymbidiums seedlings & phals were continually dying from my planting them in a 2/3 to 1/3 ratio of small bark & loose spagnum Moss in pots with air holes and air slits. They took weeks to dry out after watering in their small pots. I don't use A/Cs and winter temps go down to 5°C at night but 18-24°C during the day with humidity rarely under 60/70%. Since growing them in lava rock of various sizes (depending on the finess of roots) & wicks (to check for dryness) they're all doing great. I'm amazed that indoor environmental conditions can make such a difference. Currently, I'm trying to revive a Cattleya that looked great when I bought it a week ago but when I checked it's roots later that day, the root tops were green with algae & the lower roots were mushy. Any tips please?

[@NicoleDeanna]

@@sylviabeichert943 environment is a huge consideration! I should have emphasized that point. What works well in my environment may not work in others. If the pots stay wet for weeks, that's definitely detrimental! Smaller pots help, but yeah that's tough! I hope all goes well with your cattleyas! A little green on the roots isn't a big deal but mushy roots likely are dead roots unfortunately.

[@My.Own.Flashlight]

Oh, gosh. I just had this realisation yesterday 😂 and separated my slipper orchid seedling ❤

[@annatydniouk5739]

Thank you, Nicole, for a very helpful video. I tend to buy near blooming size orchids because it is so difficult to wait for the time when they are ready to bloom. But I expect that with more experience I would become willing to try growing seedlings.

[@NicoleDeanna]

@@annatydniouk5739 you can do it💪 it's so rewarding!

[@JoyceDarden]

Hi Nicole! Great info. I wouldn’t want to do that I will leave that to the pros lol. Thanks for all the info very helpful 19:55

[@NicoleDeanna]

Glad it was helpful ❤

[@Joe-nj3bb]

This year the variety of species that I have in my collection grew so much. Out of the three species phals I got (Bellina, Violacea, and Schilleriana), the schilleriana grew the best for me and it's spiking now. The violacea is on its second flower, but it had leaf tip die back twice. I think it's more sensitive to fertilizer than the other two or it's just bad genetics. I'm planning on having all three in warmer conditions next year in an enclosed porch which is eastern and southern facing. They will love the humidity.

[@NicoleDeanna]

Very nice! Species are great. All three of those phals have amazing fragrance!

[@magicbijoy]

nicole... nice information.... 🎉

[@NicoleDeanna]

TYSM :)

[@TheDanEdwards]

You're amazing.

[@NicoleDeanna]

@@TheDanEdwards thank you 🩷

[@denisesase]

👍🏼

[@MariaAvila-Wallace]

Hi Nicole. First I want to thank you for your suggestions for me to do before travel. My orchids did well 🙏🏼🙏🏼 only one casualty but not surprising. I just bought a Den hellwigianum and is so cute. I’m a beginner but you know how it is 😂. Any tips for me? I live in MA and placed it in my small greenhouse. I thank you in advance. Take care.

[@NicoleDeanna]

Thank you so much for your generosity ❤ I'm really glad your orchids did well 🤗 One casualty isn't bad. They are hardy huh? Oooh I don't have a Den Hellwigianum but I looked it up and that looks like it prefers cooler to intermediate temps since its from a higher altitude area. What are your temps at home? Are you able to keep it under 80 degrees? If so I would water it and let it dry and rinse and repeat :) The blooms are so pretty. For success with it, I think you have to keep it away from warmer temps. LMK if you have any other questions 😘

[@MariaAvila-Wallace]

@@NicoleDeanna You are welcome! I'm keeping the temp 72-78F very consistently. My biggest challenge is humidity. I'm working on it. Some of my dendrobiums and phals have spikes. Is very exciting! I feel like I'm treating them well. Thank you again for all your sharing.

[@lisaallen7219]

I have a humidifier in my orchid spare room. I can only water every 7 days. Does the humidifier help with that.

[@NicoleDeanna]

It can definitely help, but you can't rely on it entirely. Consistent higher humidity will make the pots dry out slower usually, but many humidifiers will not be able to make a huge difference in a big room. If you have them in a tent, or something enclosed, it can make a huge difference for you :)

[@magicbijoy]

❤

[@NicoleDeanna]

❤

[@michaelmccarthy4077]

this is completely unrelated, but I'm wondering how you manage to do any cooking. I sometimes barely have the counter space in my kitchen and I have, probably, 10 times the counter space. I guess if you live in NYC, cooking isn't that important since there is such a wide variety of restaurants. True story, best meal I have ever had in my life was in a little Cuban place in Spanish Harlem. It wasn't fancy, or wild, but it was so amazingly good.

[@NicoleDeanna]

@@michaelmccarthy4077 this is the best kitchen I've had! I have some counter space on the other side. It's a big kitchen for NYC standards 😂 while there is good food around all the time, I cook often :) Next time you come up, you have to let me know!

[@YRMYPPPT]

❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

[@remaeburney832]

😊👋💗