Hatiora rosea v. riograndense

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Hanna
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Hatiora rosea v. riograndense

Post by Hanna »

I'd like some info about growing these from seed. I've never grown any kind of Rhipsalideae from seed, and I'd just like to know whether I should treat them differently than members of the other tribes?

I'm sorry if this is a silly question, but the plant looks really interesting to me and I got my hands on some seeds... and I would really hate to mess something up. :D

Thanks,
Hanna
peterb
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Post by peterb »

I don't know much about growing the epiphytes, but I assume they like a more humid and warm environment and an orchid sort of growing medium, quite different from standard cactus care.

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Hanna
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Post by Hanna »

Most seeds want to be in a warm and moist environment. :P Well, Maihuenias germinate best after having been in the fridge for a month or so, but still.

So, I've thought about mixing some bark (someone please call me an idiot if I shouldn't do this) into my potting mix and not using my usual 500W lamps, but a rather warm heat mat and placing them in a partially shaded area.

I have a few epiphytes, but most of them have been given to me or bought as mature plants. I haven't had problems with them (except for the first one which got a tad too much sun, because I was rather clueless at that time). It's just the seeds I'm a bit anxious about.
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Post by peterb »

Well, I haven't ever tried it. I will be interested in your results. It sounds like it could work. :-)

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dvg
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Post by dvg »

Hi Hannah,

The method you're thinking of sounds good.

These forest type cactus like filtered dappled light, higher humidity levels and more organic components in their potting mix.

You can use bark and even more peat moss than you would with regular cactuses.

A well draining mix that holds some moisture... perlite, peat and fir bark or pumice, peat, and orchid mix bark or something similar to that should work...even a little charcoal to balance the peat out a little. :wink:

As far as germinating them, I'd recommend the bag method.

I germinated a seed pod of Hatiora gartneri, and placed the pots in a Ziplock and grew them beside my fluorescent light...that was a couple of years ago or more, and i must confess that they are still in the bag and have become a jungle in there...now i just need to harden them off. 8)

They grow very well in a ziplock bag and seem to really appeciate the higher humidity levels in there. :D

dvg
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Hanna
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Post by Hanna »

Thanks, guys.
About how long do Hatiora seeds usually take to germinate?
dvg
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Post by dvg »

I don't recall exactly how long mine took, but they were quite quick, somewhere within a timeframe of a few days to a week...and they did not take many weeks or months, as is the case with some difficult seeds.

If you put your pots in a bag, and provide warmth and some light, they should be sprouted up for you in no time.

Let us know how it all works out for you and good luck with them, but you probably won't need it if your seed is fresh.

dvg
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Hanna
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Post by Hanna »

Alrighty, so I had everything prepared, a nice moist little potful of pasteurized soil and my seeds, and as soon as I had finished spreading them across the surface... I remembered I'm all out of ziplock bags since my last bigger batch of seeds. :roll:

Me and my head, I'm pretty sure I'd be forgetting my fingers and toes everywhere, if they weren't attached to me. :D

So, until I get home from work tomorrow, they'll have to be happy under the cling film I wrapped around the pot. :P
dvg
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Post by dvg »

How are your seedlings growing for you Hanna?

Any updates? :wink:

Here are a couple of pics of my Hatiora gaertneri seedlings...

Image

These seedlings are in 4 inch pots and have been enclosed in the same bag since April of 2007...

...and were taken out of their bag today for a photo-op. :D

Image

Though they would probably appreciate being separated and repotted, they have held up very well being in that bag the whole time, despite their shaggy appearance. 8)

dvg
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Hanna
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Post by Hanna »

Hey everybody and sorry for the lack of updates. Went through a rather messy break-up and my new place doesn't have internet access yet.

So, anyway, I had 10 seeds and 6 of them germinated, but I suspect that two of those won't quite make it. The other four look healthy enough, though.

They're still tiny, but I'm pretty sure they'll be fine. It was weird using bark in my sowing mix and not using my trusty lamp, though. :D
But they don't seem to mind at all.
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Arjen
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Post by Arjen »

Went through a rather messy break-up and my new place doesn't have internet access yet
sorry to hear that, I hope you're ok

do you have any pictures of your seedlings?
With apologies to the late Professor C. D. Darlington the following misquotation springs to
mind ‘cactus taxonomy is the pursuit of the impossible by the incompetent’ - Fearn & Pearcy, Rebutia (1981)
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Hanna
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Post by Hanna »

StrUktO wrote:
Went through a rather messy break-up and my new place doesn't have internet access yet
sorry to hear that, I hope you're ok

do you have any pictures of your seedlings?
I'm quite alright. :)

It's just that my new one-room apartment doesn't really have much windowsill space, so yeah.
Trying to find an apartment to buy is rather annoying at the moment, everything's either overpriced or extremely shabby. And from past experiences, I can say that seedlings don't like moving, so he's promised to take care of them until then. Which roughly translates to sorry, but no photos at the moment. :(
peterb
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Post by peterb »

welcome back! hope you find some peace in the transitions...I sure know the feeling.

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