Acclimatisation Guide
Step-by-step guide to transitioning tissue-culture plants from sterile agar to soil. Follow these steps to ensure high survival rates.
Unboxing & Inspection
Unpack immediately on arrival. Inspect shoots for damage, mould, or contamination (brown/black jelly). Healthy shoots are bright green and firm.
- Wash agar off roots gently under lukewarm water — agar left on roots promotes rot
- Discard any contaminated plantlets (do not put them in the same tray)
- Keep healthy shoots in a shallow dish of clean water while you prepare substrate
Substrate Preparation
TC plants need a sterile, airy, low-nutrient substrate to root. Mix equal parts:
- Coarse perlite (or washed river sand) — 50 %
- Coconut coir (rinsed to remove salt) — 30 %
- Vermiculite — 20 %
Sterilise the mix with boiling water or dilute hydrogen peroxide (3%), allow to cool before use.
Transplanting into Substrate
Plant shoots 1–2 cm deep. Do not compact the substrate. Firm it gently with your finger.
- Use small cells or 5–7 cm pots — overcrowding causes humidity to stay too high
- One shoot per cell is optimal for Nepenthes; banana / Musa can go 2–3
- Water lightly with clean water (RO or rainwater ideal)
Humidity Chamber — Week 1–2
Cover with a humidity dome, inverted plastic bottle, or zip-lock bag. Target relative humidity: 85–95%.
- Keep out of direct sun — bright indirect light or LED grow light at 50% intensity
- Temperature: 22–28 °C
- Open the dome 5 minutes daily to prevent mould build-up
- Mist lightly if the substrate surface dries out
Gradual Hardening — Week 3–4
Begin opening the dome for progressively longer periods each day to reduce humidity.
- Day 15–17: open 1 hr/day
- Day 18–20: open 3 hr/day
- Day 21–24: open half-day
- Day 25–28: remove dome entirely
Watch for wilting — if it occurs, return to previous humidity level for 3 more days.
Post-Acclimatisation Care
Once fully hardened (no wilting at ambient humidity), transition to final growing media.
- Nepenthes: sphagnum moss or orchid bark mix
- Banana / Musa: well-draining potting mix with slow-release fertiliser
- Orchids: bark mix with charcoal
Begin half-strength foliar feeding after the first new leaf unfurls.
Common Questions
Yellowing is normal from transit stress. As long as the growing point is green and firm, it will recover within 2–3 weeks of proper acclimatisation.
White mycelium on agar is contamination. Wash the roots thoroughly, dip in dilute fungicide (Copper Oxychloride 0.1%), and plant in fresh sterile substrate immediately.
No. Garden soil is not sterile and contains microbes, fungal spores, and salts that will overwhelm a vulnerable TC plant. Always use the recommended sterile substrates.
Typically 6–8 weeks post-arrival for the first fully-hardened leaf. Rapid growers like Musa can be repotted within 4 weeks; Nepenthes may take 3 months to establish fully.
Need help or have a specific species question?
Our team is experienced with TC acclimatisation across 40+ genera.