Progress

Well, the hood is done and ready to test. I did it. The first seeds are sown. I made two mother flasks of zygo mackayii. I would have made some paph mother flasks but I need coconut powder for them which I don't have yet. That should come next week sometime. So cross your fingers that there is no contamination. In a week I'll know if the hood is working right and if "I" am doing things right. I will try to do some more next week. I have 6 or 7 seed packets from crosses I have made over the past year. I harvested one capsule today (Sat.) just before it split. I thought it was a goner since the pod was totally browned. But when I opened it up, out poured lots of dry, tan-colored seed. Beautiful!

Flasking Equipment

It's getting closer, this orchid flasking project. I have all of the materials and will start to put together my laminar flow cabinet next week.

Ever since I decided to get back into doing lab work, I have been watching various lists and auctions for a used laminar flow cabinet. There are a few available, however they are all used, overpriced and very, very heavy. And most are too big to fit through my door. If I bought one of them, I would have to do all my lab work out on the driveway. In the winter time, that would suck.

A laminar hood is a sterile place where I can do the necessary lab work to sow orchid seeds. It is usually constructed of a fan, a hepa filter, and a box for the sterile air to flow through. I decided that since I could not afford a new unit and the used ones... well, you never know where they've been, ya know... I would try building a unit.

I lucked out by finding a self-contained fan and filter unit on ebay. It was still sealed in its original box. All that is left is to build the box. I decided to make it out of 1/2" cast acrylic. The chamber will be 48" wide, 24" tall and 24" deep. For me this is the perfect set of dimensions.

Right now, the acrylic is at the glass shop being custom cut to size. When I get it done, I will take some pics so you can see what the final product looks like.

later...

New Horizons

Well, here we are, 13 years later. I spent the first couple of years learning as much as I could about orchids. I bought books and scoured the internet for information and people who were like me, hopelessly bitten by the orchid bug.

I went from a beginner grower to an intermediate in a matter of months. But that wasn't enough. I wanted to try new things, even the hard stuff. I was convinced I could do even the most difficult procedures required to grow orchids from seed. This meant I had to figure out a way to make a sterile environment to do the necessary lab work.

You see, orchids seeds need to be sterilized, then added to jars containing sterile nutrients and agar so that they can germinate and eventually grow leaves and roots for life outside the lab.

Way back then, I managed to sow several batches of seed and successfully raise babies to blooming sized plants. This takes years and is truly not for the faint of heart.

Orchid Initiation

Ever wonder what it is about orchids that gets people hooked on them? Here's what happened to me.

March 31^st, 1995, my husband, Dean, and I signed with a contractor to build our new home. It took us close to a year to find one that would allow us to do a lot of the work ourselves. Dean was planning to do all of the wiring, I was going to do the staining and varnishing and some of the painting, and my Dad was expected to do the finish woodwork. We were so excited. This was our chance to build the home of our dreams.

The day after we signed the contract, we had a visit from Dean’s parents and his sister, Mary. Mary was quite ill and had recently learned that her last kidney had shut down. Her long bout with lupus had destroyed both of her kidneys, a kidney donated by her sister, and a cadaver kidney transplant. Dialysis was not working. Her antibodies were so high that her only hope was to find a perfect match. She was here to ask if Dean would go through the testing to see if he could help her.

All kinds of things started running through my mind. “No, not now,” and no, not my Dean, please, not Dean.” I couldn’t help it. I understood Mary’s need and was intensely concerned for her. She was my maid of honor when we got married. She and I have always been close. My mind was not on her, but on our own family situation. Here we were, at the brink of having what we had waited so long for and now Dean was being asked to put his life on the line. It wasn’t fair.

After our visitors left (with Dean’s commitment to at least go for a blood test), he and I sat down to talk. It became clear to me very soon that there wasn’t really a choice to be made. This was his sister and her life was at stake. I knew what he was going to do before he did. I finally told him that whatever he decided, I would support him and go through it with him.

Within the next couple of days, we found someone to take care of the kids and Dean and I left for the city. There he underwent test after test, first to see how well he matched and later to make sure he was healthy enough to give up a kidney. And guess what. As far as matches go, he was a one-in-a-million perfect match. April 2nd, he underwent surgery.

I had gone through all of the testing with him and was at his bedside every waking moment of those first days after surgery. Back then surgery was very hard on kidney donors and it was tough to see this man I loved go through something so grueling and painful. Each day, early in the morning and late at night, I drove back and forth from Dean’s parents’ home, where I was staying, to be with him in the hospital. Each trip to and from the hospital those chilly April days, I passed this intriguing place called, Orchids by the Ackers.

“Orchids. Those are pretty flowers. Oh, would I love to go look inside a warm greenhouse,” I thought to myself. I wished I could stop but they weren’t open so I drove on by again and again. On the 4th day, after my husband’s pain lessened in intensity a bit, I left for the hospital a little later in the morning so I could stop in at the Orchid place during business hours.

I drove down the driveway to an immaculate white building with long greenhouses jutting out on both sides. I parked the car next to a white delivery van, and walked in. Warm moist air engulfed me. A white cat greeted me at the door and followed me around as if he knew I needed a friend. A lady named Dee asked if I needed help. I wondered out loud if there were any orchids blooming. She showed me into the first greenhouse where there were all kinds of blooming plants on display.

Oh… Ohhh... Oh My. I was immediately mesmerized by all the delightful flowers I saw. All the colors... shapes. And the intoxicating fragrances.

You must understand something. I began my adult career as a florist but I never had any contact with orchid plants. The only orchids I had ever touched (aside from a plant my husband had that died before we were married) were cut flowers that, in my mind, were destined to be beautiful for a short time, and then die. To see a greenhouse full of gorgeous orchid blossoms, all hooked up to their roots, that was mind numbing.

I came out of that first greenhouse looking for more. I found Dee and asked if there were any more in bloom. She showed me to another greenhouse, where she said there were another 1700 orchids in bloom. I walked in and the sight took my breath away. As far as I could see there were countless huge pink and white phalaenopsis orchids. I could do nothing but stand and stare. All of a sudden, all of this beauty and the stress of what my husband was going through and my own internal struggles... all just came over me. I sat down on the gravel walkway and cried. The cat came close and rubbed against me. I remember looking up through my tears and sensing a greater Presence and the feeling of resting in His arms. I remember hearing a thought... "See? See all of this incredible beauty? If I can do this, I can take care of Dean and you. Why worry any more?"

That was it. Done Deal. I was hooked. I got up, dried my face and went looking for the perfect gifts for my husband and his sister. I chose two huge purple phalaenopsis orchids for them and picked up some seedlings for me to grow up. On my way out, I grabbed a handful of their business cards and put them in my pocket. When I got to the hospital, I noticed heads turning as I carried my treasures through the endless halls. A couple of people stopped me to ask where I got such beautiful flowers. I whipped out two of the business cards to hand them and hurried off to share my new discovery with my husband.

Before we left the city to go back home and finish Dean’s recovery, I stopped back at the Orchid place and bought as many plants as I could carry. I even took the whole family with me. I have been back countless times since. Orchids by the Ackers is my favorite place to go for the occasional orchid fix and to remember…

Dean has recovered completely. Mary has a new lease on life. We built our house and live there now. I have hundreds of orchids. (I wish I had thought to add a greenhouse to the house plans.)

Orchids have a special meaning for me. They signify new life, and new beginnings. They stimulate a profound appreciation and respect for the imagination and sense of humor of their Creator. I have met some incredible people because of them and have learned a great deal. At times of difficulty in my life, they were the only things that brought me joy, peace and sometimes sanity. It is my wish to share their wonder and intoxicating beauty with as many people as I can.


BIO:

Barbara enjoys sharing her love of orchids. She speaks to women’s organizations, Master Gardeners groups, garden centers, etc. and conducts greenhouse tours for local visitors. Her multi-media orchid presentation and her enthusiasm are sure to spark the interest of many. To invite her to speak to your group, email her: andrewj at airnetisp.com.