Can I leave my TC plants in bags for a while after I receive them?

We got asked this question a lot.

Your tissue culture plants have spent some time travelling in a dark box, so there's no need to rush into deflasking them immediately.

If your plants look healthy

If the bag is fully sealed, the media looks clean, and the plantlets appear healthy, you can leave them inside the bag for several days before deflasking.

Healthy cultures can generally be kept sealed for weeks or months when stored under suitable conditions.

While they're still in the bag

Keep your TC bags:

- At approximately 18–23°C

- Under gentle, indirect light (not spotlight) or diffused LED light

- At approximately 20–50 µmol/m²/s PPFD

- Away from direct sunlight and excessive heat

- Upright and undisturbed where possible

If they've just arrived after several days in darkness, start with gentler light for the first couple of days before gradually increasing it.

When should I deflask sooner?

We recommend deflasking promptly if you notice:

- A damaged, leaking or opened bag

- Cloudy media

- Fungal or bacterial contamination

- Rapidly yellowing or melting plantlets

- Black or mushy stems

- Significant deterioration inside the bag

A little yellowing, flattened leaves or general tiredness immediately after shipping doesn't necessarily mean something is wrong. Give the plantlets some time to recover while still sealed and monitor them.

Don't open the bag until you're ready

Avoid opening the bag just to give the plants some fresh air.

Once the seal is broken, the sterile environment is lost and the plantlets should be deflasked and acclimatised promptly.

Ready to deflask?

Remember that tissue-culture plantlets have been growing in a very humid, protected environment. Moving them into normal growing conditions is a significant transition.

Some transplant shock, temporary wilting, browning or loss of older leaves can occur during acclimatisation. Take your time, maintain high humidity initially, and gradually introduce the plantlets to their new environment.

Happy growing!

Flora Magnifica Australia