If you have achieved the masterpiece of getting a vanilla orchid to bloom and produce fruit, the question of propagation by sowing is justified. A ripe vanilla pod contains countless black seeds that provide offspring in the wild. However, success outside the tropics is questionable.
How can you sow vanilla seeds successfully?
Sowing vanilla seeds is problematic because orchid seeds have no nutrient tissue and rely on special mycorice fungi. Successful propagation is possible by scattering fresh seeds in the pot of the mother plant and covering them with vermiculite (€28.00 on Amazon) or peat sand.
That's why sowing vanilla seeds is so problematic
Unlike other plant seeds, orchid seeds have no nutrient tissue. This nutrient tissue is responsible for nourishing the sensitive embryo in the first phase of development. Therefore, a vanilla orchid produces up to 1,000,000 seeds per capsule fruit to compensate for this shortcoming.
In order for an orchid embryo to receive nutrients, it must be connected to a special symbiotic fungus. Only when this mycorizza fungus is present in the growing substrate can germination occur. Another requirement is that a completely germ-free environment is essential for successful sowing. In view of these imponderables, hobby gardeners refrain from the generative propagation of a vanilla orchid. Of course there is a clever alternative.
Symbiotic sowing next to a mother plant promises success
The fact that only a few hobby gardeners have a germ-free workbench and suitable mycorice fungi for sowing orchids does not automatically mean that sowing vanilla seeds is impossible. The solution lies in symbiotic sowing in close proximity to the mother plant. This is how it works:
- Sprinkle the fresh vanilla seeds on the substrate in the pot of the mother plant
- Sift thinly with vermiculite (€28.00 at Amazon) or peat sand and moisten with a fine spray of soft water
Since a high failure rate is to be expected in this non-sterile environment, please scatter the seeds close together. In a bright, not full sun location - ideally in a greenhouse with a temperature of 28 degrees - water moderately and do not apply any fertilizer during this phase. If the symbiotic fungus is present in the potting substrate, you can look forward to the first seedlings within 6 to 30 days.
Tip
If you don't want to deal with the problems of sowing orchid seeds, choose vegetative propagation of vanilla with cuttings. To do this, cut non-flowering head cuttings in early summer to allow them to root in peat-sand. A plastic bag placed over the top creates the necessary warm, humid microclimate.