Services and Products

Tropical Orchid Seed Processing

$25 per orchid cross (regardless the number of seed capsules per cross)

Processing includes:

Cleaning seed pod and/or seeds to stop growth of bacteria and fungi contaminants

Setting up seeds on appropriate culture medium for genus/species

Taking a sample of seeds (if enough in batch) for viability testing

Checking seeds for embryos with dissecting microscope

Estimating total number of fertile seeds

Reporting back to client findings

Setting up mother flask from which to replate protocorms to appropriate culture media

Replating from Mother Flasks

$1.00 per seedling

(50% due when replated flasks established; 50% due prior to shipping)

Terrestrial Orchid Seed Processing

$25 per orchid cross (regardless the number of seed capsules per cross)

Processing includes:

Cleaning seed pod and/or seeds to stop growth of bacteria and fungi contaminants

Setting up seeds on appropriate culture medium for genus/species

Taking a sample of seeds (if enough in batch) for viability testing

Checking seeds for embryos with dissecting microscope

Estimating total number of fertile seeds

Reporting back to client findings

Setting up mother flask from which to replate protocorms to appropriate culture media

Replating from Mother Flasks

$2.00 per seedling

(50% due when replated flasks established; 50% due prior to shipping)

Pod Bags
Are you losing valuable orchid seeds because the pod splits before you remember to harvest it?

Use KCL pod bags to capture those seeds and end your worries. Place the bag over the pod a few weeks before it ripens and end your worries. The pod can then be sent to KCL for processing in the same container. Roger and Jane use these bags on terrestrial orchids in the field and are then able to harvest the pods weeks later.

Once the bag is placed over the developing capsule the opening can be closed with tape or with a paper clip. These glassine envelopes allow the pod to "breathe" so moisture can escape and prevents a wet environment where microbes could grow and overwhelm the pod and seeds.

The bags are useful for a basic cover when shipping. The bag with the pod can then be placed into a box with simple cushioning, such as crumpled newspaper or packing peanuts. As a side note, orchid capsules should not be placed into plastic bags for shipping. It takes only a couple of days for a capsule (especially green pods) to succumb to microbial infection before arriving at destination. Once a capsule begin to rot it is almost impossible to rescue.

Samples available to first-time inquiries !

The pod bags come in two sizes: small, for most capsule sizes (phal, paph, oncidium, terrestrial orchids; and large, for those heftier capsules (catt, etc.)

They can be purchased from KCL: 30 regular sized pod bags for $15, 120 bags for $55; large bags (catt pods) $15 for 20 bags, $55 for 80 bags.

Email us with mailing address to receive samples:

kelseycreeklabs@comcast.net

Kelsey Creek Laboratories

Professional Orchid Seed Flasking and Terrestrial Orchid Sales