Propagation Ariocarpus fom seed

[oriky]

How you make the seedling not rot?

i grow in 100% present of humid (a close box), most of the plants just rot (when i touch they just squeeze)

[Hanazono]

I use 12 boxes currently.
6 of them have several small drilled holes on lids but rest are no holes.
Both settings have given a similar result, no seedlings rotting.

I do not know the details of your box but please let me the size of your box.

[oriky]

My box are 15x8x6cm. With holes at bottom. When i open the temp is 22-30c, and growing under 36w of daylight.


It the soil is problem, its normal soil for pots from nursery, almost all seddling rot, and those survive are very red, i try send photos tomorrow.

[esp_imaging]

Ariocarpus seedlings are a bit strange - they like it quite moist and not too bright for several months, maybe the first year or 2. Very well draining compost is essential - mostly grit is good, around 2-5 mm particle size. If yours are red, they need quite a bit less light. Either move the light, or use some tissue paper (etc) to shade them

[oriky]

i try shade the seedsling with tissue paper, but they are still red - astrophytum and frailea seedlings get the same amount of light and look great.
the temp get down from 20C,
i just cant understand what wrong.

[greenknight]

Other types of stress can turn them red, too, though too much light is the most common cause. Those temperatures should be fine. You might try a second layer of tissue.

That soil may be holding too much water, try to keep them just slightly damp. Next time, try adding more grit to the mix - I described what works for me one page earlier in this thread.

[Hanazono]

oriky

I thought you posted seedling photo.
I can give a precise comment if I could see the reddish seedling photo.

I use natural light and can not tell an exact brightness level at moment.
The box is in a greenhouse set as summer condition.

Over the roof: 50% green shade cloth
Under the roof: 50% white shade cloth
Top the box: 50% green shade cloth, shown on the attached photo

I also experienced reddish seedling of Ariocarpus.
I solved the problem by adjusting the brightness.

I think you started to use a tissue paper on 20th and reported the result on 24th in this month.
Seedlings will not turn the body color within 4 days.

My box size is 80 cm x 40 cm x 15 cm height.
Air volume is quite large compared to your box.

[Angophora]

What a fantastic thread Hanazono - I've learned so much - thank you!

I'm interested to know what potting medium you plant your seedlings into when they come out from the wet-boxes and go into 50 mm square tubes. Also, what is your watering routine for your young plants in the 50 mm pots?

[Hanazono]

The potting medium for 50 mm square tubes is:

60%: 2~4 mm pumice sand
40%: organic base cactus-mix in market
Top dressing: 2~4 mm zeolite

Watering: once per week
I water when the topdressing was dried.
The average is one per week.

[Angophora]

Thank you Hanazono, that's really helpful information.

By the way, I found your blog / website via your profile page. All the photos of your astrophytum and ariocarpus are just incredible.

[Hanazono]

I measured the luminous flux in boxes in this afternoon.
It was 400~500 lumens.

Ref.
Dark: 0 lumens
Under full sun: 2000 lumens

[Hanazono]

I am always pleased with the repotting when seedlings grew well and needed to do so.
It had been hard to water to some of retusus related species potted in 65 mm square pots.
I selected 12 seedlings and repotted into 80 mm square pots.

Selected seedlings, before repotting

Removed seedlings from pots

Seedlings after repotting

[Hanazono]

I also repotted 12 seedlings in this morning.
Seedlings are smaller than seedlings which I repotted yesterday.


Seedlings before repotting, in 50 mm square tubes

Seedlings removed from tubes

Seedlings after repotted in to 65 mm square pots

[Hanazono]

Updated photo of A. bravoanus v hintonii seedlings, taken in this afternoon
Sown seed on 7th August 2013
Repotted on 23rd August 2016
Seedlings are in 50 mm square tubes
They grow very slowly.

[Hanazono]

Autumn has been in here.
I selected seedlings sown seed in 2013 and repotted.
They were in a wet-box but moved out to a normal greenhouse environment.

Before repotting, seedlings were in a 10 cm square pot.
Larger ones were only selected.

I selected 35 seedlings and repotted into 5 cm square tubes.


Since I could make some spaces in wet-boxes, I also repotted young seedlings sown seed on 19th July 2016.
Before repotting, seedlings were in a 10 cm square pot.

After repotting, 25 seedlings in a 10 cm square pot, in total 150 seedlings
(19) retusus v furfuraceus cv Suguri cauliflower - 5 pots
(18) retusus cv Shinkawa tama zouge - 1 pot