Natural or artificial air movement helps keep plants and flowers dry and less subject to pathogens. Cultivated dendrobium orchids, whether seedlings or clones, are started in aseptic flasks. Plantlets thrive in flasks, but should be deflasked prior to depletion of nutrients in the agar medium. Proper care of plants from flasks through the community pot or plug tray stage is critical to optimum growth, development, and productivity. Deflasked plants are placed in a pathogen free medium having good moisture holding capacity, drainage, and aeration.
Several materials are commercially available, some requiring pasteurization.
Young plants should be placed on highly sanitized benches. The full paper provides a table of recommended ranges of nutrients in leaf tissue. Irrigation is provided early to mid-day. Foliage and flowers should be dry during nighttime. Certain plant growth regulators may be effective in controlling plant height and in stimulating flowering.