Please help me choose some Mesembs

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mmcavall
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Please help me choose some Mesembs

Post by mmcavall »

It has passed almost a year since my very first batch of Mesembs, and considering I have been relatively successful until now (except for Monilaria and Lapidaria), I’m planning a second purchase of Mesa Garden seeds.

The “problem” is that there are so many cool plants, so I’ll have to severely cut my wish list.

So I would appreciate if you guys could give me some advice. The genera listed below were selected among many others that grabbed my attention.

Argyroderma
Conophytum
Dinteranthus
Ophthalmophyllum
Lithops (not sure I would choose Lithops... it feels like when I start, I'll never stop growing them)

In a general manner, which are the easiest to grow? Which are the tricky? Why?

Also, what are your opinions about the mixes? (for example, “Argyoderma mix”). In a 20 seeds pack, how many species are expected to be? They are really assorted? Is there any difficult to grow different species altogether?

Thanks in advance,
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mmcavall
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Re: Please help me choose some Mesembs

Post by mmcavall »

After all, I think I'll be able to do my list on my own, but, anyway, could anyone report any experiences with MG mixes?
Thanks again!
keith
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Re: Please help me choose some Mesembs

Post by keith »

Mesa gardens lithops mix germinated well for me, conophytums no luck a few germinated but then died a few weeks later.

probably my fault with the conophytums? Never tried them before.
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mmcavall
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Re: Please help me choose some Mesembs

Post by mmcavall »

Hi, Keith, thanks for replying!

Can you tell me somethng about the diversity of species observed in your Lithops mix?

Maybe Conos are a little bit difficult (?). I dont know, since I've never tried them (or even Lithops). But your experience make me think that:

- once in the mix there are probably the more common species of a given genus, these species may be among the easiest of the genus (the more dificult to grow will not be in the mix)
- so, choosing a mix of $1.4, instead of 3 or 4 species x 1.4 each, is a good way to start (it will be cheaper, anyway)
- than, after some experience, one can start choosing the species of particular interest.

Is this reasonable?

Thanks again!
keith
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Re: Please help me choose some Mesembs

Post by keith »

Can you tell me somethng about the diversity of species observed in your Lithops mix?"

Here's a picture at least 3 or 4 different types I think ? Don'y know too much about Lithops identification but they are probably common types .

6 months old
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Lithops mix
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mmcavall
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Re: Please help me choose some Mesembs

Post by mmcavall »

Thanks Keith for posting this picture! Really cool!
I've just received my order from MG, and the Lithops mix is among them.
Can you tell me what is the composition of your mix?
Thanks again and congrats for the seedlings.
keith
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Re: Please help me choose some Mesembs

Post by keith »

3 pots of lithops from seed. 2 of the pots are at least 2/3 pumice and the third pot is 1/2 pumice. experimenting like this the 2/3 pumice are doing
better. I also tried the same with cactus seeds not so great they need more soil less pumice , roots dry out too fast and the pumice is too course for the tiny roots. Lithops have one big tap root goes right through the pumice.
keith
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Re: Please help me choose some Mesembs

Post by keith »

the red stuff is crushed brick I think? baseball fields use it . its a top cover along with tiny rocks the pumice and soil mix starts below that ,
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mmcavall
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Re: Please help me choose some Mesembs

Post by mmcavall »

Thanks Keith for all the info. I have already sow the seeds, I'm testing four different mixes, from pure grit to pure loam and two intermediate mixes between these extremes.
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