Propagation Ariocarpus fom seed

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Hanazono
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Re: Propagation Ariocarpus fom seed

Post by Hanazono »

Updated photos for seedlings:
These 2 pads were posted photos on Dec 04 2016.
Ariocarpus seedlings are growing slowly but you can see how much they grow during last 1 year.
Seedlings are in 5 cm square tubes.

A. retusus v bicolor sown seed in 2012
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A. retusus cv mitsuibo botan sown seed in 2012
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Ksenija87
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Re: Propagation Ariocarpus fom seed

Post by Ksenija87 »

Congratulations, they look really good and healthy! You're very good at it!!!
Sorry for asking you that, I'm a non professional and I grow some cacti from seed in my spare time. I do have an Ariocarpus fissuratus seedling, which is not growing as I expected. So if I may ask: how many times it has to be fertilized?

Thanks in advance!!!!

Francesca
stefan m.

Re: Propagation Ariocarpus fom seed

Post by stefan m. »

I personally dont feed my plants fertilizer, because i use nutrient rich soil.
If you were to upload photos of the seedling, we could troubleshoot whats wrong with it.
In addition, seedlings are slow to grow(and these are 5 years old and still small).
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Hanazono
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Re: Propagation Ariocarpus fom seed

Post by Hanazono »

G'morning Francesca,

I am also a hobby cactus collector, not a professional.
I do not feed any fertilizers to seedlings.
Seedlings rely on organic materials in the potting-mix and water.

Light flux control should be key for the growing speed of seedlings.
I use an additional shade cloth in my greenhouse for young seedlings.
The target light flux is a half of full sun, around 1000 lumens.
If the light flux was too high, seedlings turn the body color to brownish and stop the growing.

Ariocarpus fissuratus will be in flower with young age.
Some of my fissuratus were in flower when they were 5 years old.
The attached photo is a 5 years old fissuratus f Big Bend, in a 5 cm square tube.

Frank

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Ksenija87
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Re: Propagation Ariocarpus fom seed

Post by Ksenija87 »

Hi guys,

thanks for answering my post and again congrats to your beautiful seedlings! Hanazono, you're really a master =D>
Attached is a photo of my Ariocarpus: it doesn't look very good... It has this brownish color since last summer, even though since then I kept it in a shaded greenhouse (I used newspapers as shade). Actually I'm not using a lamp, I put them by the windowsill, exposed north, so they get a shaded light. My soil is made of 80% sand, 10% acid soil and 10% gravel. Is there still hope?

My bests,

Francesca
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stefan m.

Re: Propagation Ariocarpus fom seed

Post by stefan m. »

80 % sand is a somewhat high. Young cacti need nutrients to grow(nitrogen , phosphorous, potassium, calcite (some north american), and other mineral compunds. The first few are found in organic matter,and seedlings need a lot of it, especially nitrogen.
Ive had great germination this autumn, put them on a west facing window, 50 % peat with perlite and coir, 10% rich humus(vermicompost), 40 percent fine sand, with a 3mm sand cover on top of the seeds, and over 70 percent germination rate. So far, they havent had discoloration.
Ive even seen people add processed cow manure with astrophytums, and theyve had huge success.
I also think that your cactus isnt receiving the necessary light it needs. And finally , i think youve uncovered your cactus too early.
Over i dont think its doing too bad,but its growing conditions are not optimal. if you could transplant it to a more nutrient friendly soil, and place it east/west ward it could look better. Just remember to do it gradually.
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Hanazono
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Re: Propagation Ariocarpus fom seed

Post by Hanazono »

G'morning francesca,

Thanks for posting your photo.

I have 2 questions.
1. Can you remember when you sowed the seed?
2. Did you sow the seed on this soil or repot the seedling on this soil?

I sowed fissuratus seeds every year since 2003.
I can compare your seedling to mine.
I think the current your seedling condition is normal.

I use the method is called "Fukashi zukuri" for Ariocarpus seedlings, which is normally used by Japanese cactus nursery.
Soil, moisture and light strength are referred to the method.
This method gives a reasonable growing speed on Ariocarpus seedlings.

Your seedling is an Ariocarpus but it is not like fissuratus.
Is it available any permeable materials? It is not easy to get a good growing speed of Ariocarpus seedlings by sand base potting-mix.
I am not sure but please look your seedling closely. It may be attacked dust mites or affected by photo condition.

You never know what is the optimum condition for seedlings for specific species.
I just record result and related conditions.

Frank
Ksenija87
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Re: Propagation Ariocarpus fom seed

Post by Ksenija87 »

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stefan m.

Re: Propagation Ariocarpus fom seed

Post by stefan m. »

Hanazono (Frank) it has spots.
Is that normal(provided mine germinated) ?
Ksenija87
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Re: Propagation Ariocarpus fom seed

Post by Ksenija87 »

Sorry guys I'm having troubles answer thru the blog
Ksenija87
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Re: Propagation Ariocarpus fom seed

Post by Ksenija87 »

@ Stefan: very interesting, congrats to you!!!! With peat you mean the acid soil (PH 3-4) used for some plants, like blueberries? I don't have a window exposed to east... South-east will do?
@Frank: Sowed on 28th February, born 10th March, in the pot where you see it. There were originally two of them, one got last September fusariosis, I treated them with Syllit 35 and could one save this one...
stefan m.

Re: Propagation Ariocarpus fom seed

Post by stefan m. »

Cacti soil should be neutral(average is 6,5-7,5, however, ariocarpus and a lot of "cacteae" members -north american cacti like lophophora , ariocarpus, aztekium(and yes i tried to germinate those as well) like it slightly alkaline 8 . I added a small amount of topsoil mixed with limestone and a bit more sand. I guess they germinated(only 3 trays out of forty flunked-check out my collection). South east is in fact preferable, provided if its in a shady corner in summer. And no , peat is more neutral(peat and coir mix). more acid heavy is what is labeled as humus, vermicompost - black-ish by color, humid-er, and smoother. Peat is dryer and brown, resembles leaf flakes .
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Hanazono
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Re: Propagation Ariocarpus fom seed

Post by Hanazono »

Francesca

I think your seedling is 9 months old and quite normal.
The color of body is acceptable level.
The seedling will grow when you repot next spring.

The photo is my 1 year old seedlings, Ariocarpus fissuratus.
They still have juvenile tubercles as same as your seedling.

Frank
Image

stefan
Fissuratus may have spots but I am not sure.
Frank
Ksenija87
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Re: Propagation Ariocarpus fom seed

Post by Ksenija87 »

Hi guys, thanks for all the useful advice and for sharing your photos :)
Stefan, I'll check the acidity of the soil when I'm preparing the soil for the spring repotting. I know they sell some device for it. Nice set of cacti and succulentae ;)
Frank, phew, I thought it was doing terrible. Always congrats for your beautiful collection and how you keep it.

My bests!!!

Francesca
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Hanazono
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Re: Propagation Ariocarpus fom seed

Post by Hanazono »

I have experienced the problem of sciarid flies.
Larvae eat tap roots of young seedlings.
I use organic material soled in market and eggs are in there.
This material is used for 3~4 years old seedlings and they get this problem.

This material is not used for very young seedlings, 1~2 years old and they do not get this problem.

It was a common idea which you can cut tap roots of asterias but you can not ones of Ariocarpus.
People said the tap roots of Ariocarpus will never regrow If you cut the tap roots.

Although as I describe above, I found a photo of matured Ariocapus cut tap roots off in a Japanese website.
He cuts tap roots when seedlings are 3 years old.

I referred the website and did a small test.
A seedling, 4 year old damaged tap roots by sciarid flies was used.

The result is shown on photos.
Fine roots regrow in 2 month.
I will increase trial sample.
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