We know cardboard is a great growing and maintenance medium for the type of fungi that are useful for germination and growth of terrestrial orchids.
Previously, my attempts to germinate Anacamptis morio on (near) 100% cardboard have failed.
On 24 October I prepared a margarine box with rolled up cardboard in the base and strips of cardboard above that. I then soaked the cardboard in water from a water butt for a minute then drained. I added a few slabs of agar from a waste petri dish that I had weaned orchid seedlings from (B1 fungus).
I pit the lid on and kept at room teyfor just over a week. On 2 November the fungus had grown and covered most of the cardboard surfaces.
I scattered dry Anacamptis morio seed over the surface as in this picture ( no sterlising).
The tub was covered at cool room temperature.
Pictures one month later 4 December show the obvious germination of that same section of the tub.
The difference between this a and previous failed attempts is just the one week wait to ensure the fungus has largely colonised all the cardboard before sowing.
Alan. This is absolutely brilliant