Journal Number 102
February 2007
CONSERVATION BY CULTIVATION
An interview with John Dodunski
John Dodunski is a descendent of Polish settlers in New Plymouth, and he is a pioneer in his own way. Local enthusiasts remark on his genius for growing NZ natives when others fail. His garden is a rich tapestry of orchids.
There are Thelymitra, Chiloglottis, Nematoceras, Pterostylis, Microtis (as well as South African and Australian species) growing and multiplying in the soil of his front garden, the trees are festooned with a polyglot mix of epiphytes, the garage is a mess of light box, flasked protocorms, orchids in all stages of growth, the shade houses are bursting with pots of terrestrials and slabs of epiphytes.
Trees festooned with epiphytes
Most of it is grown from seed. He has been fascinated by Pterostylis since he was a kid, and it shows in his collection.
He is the complete natural gardener - he can tell you the fundamentals of what he does, but the rest is instinctive. "How much of that do you put in?" I ask. "Well, it's just like cooking," he replies, "You really have to use your own judgement. Every pot is different, and you give it water or fertiliser when it needs some: you cant work to a routine."
He modifies the basic mix for different species…
- 2 parts coarse sand, 2-4mm grains;
- 1 part leaf mould - kamahi is best - from underneath the surface layer, with some fungus, but not fully rotted down;
- 1 part plane shavings, hardwood like gum, weathered or kept in a bag in the shed a month to get the sap out
(a planed dead branch is best); this gives an aerated layer, similar to the surface litter in the bush;
- a pinch of blood & bone and a pinch of dolomite to a 5 inch pot.
More moisture (loam) for Corybas - it depends on the orchid and its natural habitat. Thelymitra grows well in Taranaki red clay alone. Pterostylis trullifolia is thriving in straight river sand.
Growing From Seed
John prefers a mature pod - the best time is as soon as it splits, soon after it starts to yellow.
What follows was first printed in Orchids 2004, the Orchid Council of NZ publication, and is reprinted with the permission of the author and editor.
It is not as simple as shaking the seed at the base of the pot and hoping they will grow… but it's still quite easy if you follow some simple rules. The following has worked for me.
Flasks (old jam jars are ideal, preferably with a metal lid and a rubber seal). A pressure cooker, scales, food processor, a distiller for water. A sterile cabinet - an old aquarium lying on its side is ideal - so you can see through the top while your hands are through the sides. A spray can with 10% Janola in distilled water, a bottle of distilled water, rubber gloves, a test tube, a pipette with a rubber hat (or eyedropper) and a scalpel.
And finally an incubator, a simple polystyrene lined cabinet with a cool grow fluorescent lamp in the top. Two 40-watt lamps plugged into a thermostat will act as a heater (the temperature inside the box should be about 20 deg C).
First assemble the flasks by drilling a hole in the lid, cover the hole with a wad of cottonwool, cover the wad with masking tape, leaving a crinkle to let the air in.
John uses the late Malcolm Campbell's mix for the flask medium (this is enough for 20 jars)…
- 1 litre distilled water with 20Gm sugar dissolved in it;
- 2ml each of Bio Plus orchid food spring mix A and autumn mix B (or any garden shop formula);
- 3 drops Maxicrop (pH adjuster);
- 1 firm banana mashed with a little distilled water in the food processor;
- 8Gm agar (available from the "health food" shop).
Heat all these until dissolved, and just before boiling pour 10mm into the base of the jars.
Screw lids on loosely, place in pressure cooker and boil for 20 minutes.
Tighten caps and store till needed.
Now for the action.
You will now embark on the most important action in the whole process of seed sowing, and that is providing a sterile environment in which to sow the seed. Mix up a 10% solution of Janola and fill the spray can. Put all your flasks and other gear in the cabinet. To sterilise the cabinet, hang a towel over the opening, put on your gloves, and spray everything in the cabinet, including your gloves; leave half an hour; this is the most critical phase of the whole process: do not breathe inside the cabinet!
For dry seed, work with rubber gloves inside the sterile cabinet and place the seed in a test tube, cover with the Janola solution, shake for 5-10 minutes, let the seed settle, and pipette off the Janola. Wash the Janola off the seed with 3 distilled water washes. Sterilise the flasks with a spray of the Janola solution around the lids before opening, drop in 2-3 drops of seed, reseal lids, label and place in the incubator.
For green seed, work again with sterile gloves inside the cabinet, wipe the pod thoroughly with the Janola solution, sterilise the scalpel with Janola, cut the pod lengthwise and scrape seed directly into the sterile flask.
Seeds should germinate in a couple of months. Don't be in a hurry to throw out a flask if there appears to be no activity, as some seed may take a year. Actually… "They just grow.
Deflasking
John doesn't "reflask" as the Melburnians recommend. In June to September (just before the growing season) he plants seedlings unwashed, agar still clinging to the seedling, out into 50/50 chopped sphagnum and pumice ("Spongey, not too wet, not too dry"), and leaves them a couple of months.
When they look stable he puts the whole lot, medium and all, into the basic mix above (there's enough fungus in the leaf mould). Chopped Casuarina needles on top. Sickly ones he will put in with a mature Pterostylis or other (eg, South African) terrestrial pot, with its ready source of fungus.
Repotting
"Simple: when they die back they are dormant, tip them out, put a few tubers in the new mix and give the rest away."
"Water? When they need it. Feel around the pot. Every pot is different."
"Fertiliser? Rarely - the annual change of mix is usually enough."
If you would like to learn more about this, contact John: jrdski@infogen.net.nz.
A selection of cultivated natives on John's dining table.
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