New to growing from seed

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erodgers1946
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Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 11:16 am
Location: Albany, Australia

New to growing from seed

Post 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
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Arjen
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Re: New to growing from seed

Post 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)
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)
peterb
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Re: New to growing from seed

Post 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
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erodgers1946
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Re: New to growing from seed

Post 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
lancslassinOZ
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Arjen
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Re: New to growing from seed

Post by Arjen »

actually it's perfect for cacti if you sterilize the soil...
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)
iann
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Re: New to growing from seed

Post 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.
--ian
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Peterthecactusguy
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Re: New to growing from seed

Post 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.
Here's to you, all you insidious creatures of green..er I mean cacti.
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