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New to growing from seed

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 8:20 am
by erodgers1946
Hi
I thought I would give it a try and grow cacti seed so I collected some from my Mamm. matudae and Mamm. schiedeana. and just sowed them in some cacti compost purchased from my local garden centre. The M. matudae germinated quickly ( within 5 days ) and I now have 6 or so healthy looking baby cacti that are about 1.5 mm in diameter. The M. schiedeana are just starting to germinate after about 3 weeks. I have both lots in poly bags to keep them damp but I am wondering how long I should keep them in the bags and should I let the compost dry out each time before re-watering these delicate plants. One of the matudae seedlings as already turned brown so I don't want to lose anymore.
Regards
Eileen

Re: New to growing from seed

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 8:23 am
by Arjen
if the bags are closed they should be good in there for up to a year, you won't have to water them too!

next time I would advise you to use something preventing fungus and to mix up your soil with, for example, perlite (50-50)

Re: New to growing from seed

Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2012 1:49 pm
by peterb
I would remove them from the baggies if you didn't sterilize the soil, as the atmosphere in there is perfect for pathogens to grow like mad. But it sounds like a great start!

peterb

Re: New to growing from seed

Posted: Fri Feb 10, 2012 11:39 am
by erodgers1946
Thanks Peter, I will do that . I was thinking on those lines too because the condensation in the bags is quite amazing and to my mind too much for cacti.
Eileen

Re: New to growing from seed

Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 7:54 am
by Arjen
actually it's perfect for cacti if you sterilize the soil...

Re: New to growing from seed

Posted: Sat Feb 11, 2012 8:06 pm
by iann
Cactus seedlings are weird, and most of them grow best in 100% humidity and constant muggy warmth. In most cases, if they die it is because the growing conditions are wrong, not just because they are humid. Many times I've had seedlings growing in contact with the plastic, bathed in water 24/7, and they're the ones that grow fastest.

Re: New to growing from seed

Posted: Sun Feb 12, 2012 9:41 am
by Peterthecactusguy
I suspect, and this is just from observation and no scientific facts but that cacti seedlings that grow "naturally" germinate when the conditions are just right, and a lot of them like water. I have two Opuntia volunteers coming up where a vehicle used to be parked. (it was a SUV that had high ground clearance and it looks like they sprouted last winter. (not this winter, but last winter, or maybe during the summer monsoons.