A designated section of a healthy, vigorously growing stock plant is excised and taken into the laboratory. In alternate propagation situations, seeds or storage organ sections may be used, depending on the type of plant and the outcome desired.

This isolated material is washed and trimmed several times. Each successive washing and trimming is designed to eliminate normal fungal and bacterial microbes from the tissue surface. A final chemical washing sterilizes the surface of the tissue.

From there an experienced lab technician cut the material to final size (usually between 1 to 5 millimeters) isolating the desired tissue. In a sterile work environment the technician transfers the resulting material into individual test tube containing sterile specially formulated gel-based media. Numerous test tubes are produced to give the technician numerous chances for a clean growing culture.

Cultures are placed in a clean well-lit growth room. Careful visual observations are made, and screening on specially designed media is used to eliminate individual contaminated tubes. From there the cultures are optimized through research and skill, to increase yield, health, and true to type ness. Under laboratory conditions many facets of the growing environment can be customized to suit individual plant requirements.

Production numbers are propagated through successive microdivisions of the growing material. When the number goal is met, the healthy plantlets are placed on a rooting medium to prompt root initiation then sent to the customer for greenhouse acclimatization.

Plantlets going to the greenhouse may have some atypical morphology including low cuticle wax, abnormal stomata, and or sensitivity to low humidity. Some special considerations may need to be met to achieve optimal success in the greenhouse, such as maintaining the plants on a low fertilizer feed, keeping the humidity high, and slowly acclimatizing the plants to standard greenhouse conditions.