FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I am getting myself organised with my attempt at growing VFT seeds in a sealed environment with sterile compost.

One question I have is: after I have sterilised the seeds what is the best method to pick them up and transfer them to the compost ?

At my local supermarket I have bought some ready meals in 800ml containers - the diameter of a CD and about 8cm high to the bottom of the lid. How many seeds do you think I should try in each one ? Nine in a grid of 3 x 3 seeds ?

Using this method of seed growing would a conventional temperature of 25c be OK ?

i would pick them up with steriized tweezers.


daniel

I think there is a good chance that using tweezers would squash the seeds.

Tweezers should squish the seed if your careful, ive done it before but I will say that I lost a few in the process.

I use forceps that are basically tweezer and didn't seem to crush any seeds. They do have hard coats and all; I'd expect a significant amount of force would be needed to bust them up.

You can also use filtration, or "teabag" them.

With filtration, you pour the seeds + disinfection solution into a small filter that has been autoclaved. Once the solution drains, the seeds can be removed- with the filter paper, if desired- and placed in sterile flask. The seeds are washed off, or rolled off with the tips of forceps, onto the medium.

Another way to do it is to add a few mL of sterile water to the filter, swirl it around, and then pour off the solution + seeds into the flask. If you do it right, there's not a lot of excess water, but you may have to remove some if you use a lot.

The "teabag" requires placing the seeds in a small mesh bag- filter paper, whatever- and disinfecting in that. Once done, remove the teabag to the mother flask, rip it open, and distribute the seeds.

The seeds probably germinate just fine on top of the filter paper/mesh bag, so that is another variation as well.