This is my post for #freewriters 2395 prompt don’t contact him! hosted by @mariannewest
I have never seen this green pod that is at the end of one of my orchids, I have had orchids for the last 30 years or so. It has to be a seed pod.
I am not sure if I can grow orchids from seed but I am willing to give it a try since all I have is time on my hands. I will need to go to good ole google to see if it is possible.
I decided to ask google before writing more and all I can say about it is don’t contact him!, that is if he is a him, google might be a woman, anyway I am going to call him a him because right now I am not too happy with him because I did not like what he is telling me.
The reason I am calling him a him is because he did what my husband does when I want to try something new, google burst my bubble about growing my first orchid seed pod seeds and getting orchids from them.
Growing orchids from seed can be challenging and time-consuming, but it's possible with the right conditions and patience. Here are some tips to consider:
Environment
Work in a sterile environment and use a heated pressure vessel.
Seeds
Harvest seeds just before the capsule splits, when it's swollen, its color has changed, and the ribs have begun to lift. Clean the seeds and store them.
Germination
Sow the seeds in a sterile, nutrient-rich gel that contains growth hormones. After germination, transfer the plants to pots.
Growth
It can take months for the first leaves to develop, and they might only be visible with a magnifying glass. Outdoors, it can take up to two years for leaf growth, and four to eight years for a blooming plant.
https://www.google.com/search?q=growing+orchids+from+seed&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS914US914&oq=growing+orchids+from+seed&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyCQgAEEUYORiABDIHCAEQABiABDIICAIQABgWGB4yCAgDEAAYFhgeMggIBBAAGBYYHjIICAUQABgWGB4yCAgGEAAYFhgeMggIBxAAGBYYHjIICAgQABgWGB4yCAgJEAAYFhge0gEKMTEzODJqMGoxNagCCLACAQ&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
I was so excited before reading this, but still, I am going to give it a try, I do not have a sterile environment nor do I know what a heated pressure vessel is or what I would do with one.
Harvesting the seeds, I think I can handle that, and I can clean and store them. I read to use a tea strainer to clean them.
I am not sure what a sterile nutrient-rich gel that contains growth hormones is. So they will have to go in some sort of miracle grow potting mix. There will be no transplanting them, they will be in their pots.
I can handle the months to get their first leaves and the two years for the leaves to grow but I can only hope that I am still here to see them flower.
Photos are mine