Have you tried following this advice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGG2-YpGDWA ? Works like a charm, at least for Sclerocactus. I skipped the sterilisation part myself as I see more use in the effort of sterilising the soil I sow the seeds in. Yeah, that's the video I followed. The seeds I didn'...

I've read at least twice that Echinocactus [/i] and Homalocephala [/i] are easier to coax into germination by using it as a means of scarification prior to applying water (soaking in acid overnight). I have not used it, as my current treatment (high temps.) have worked well. Ah yes, I nearly forgot...

Some flowering Conophytum from earlier in the fall. Conophytum hermarium Areb, Northern Cape, RSA. Mesa Garden has this as C. smorenskaduense subsp. hermarium. https://imgur.com/CcVP7dx.jpg Detail of the leaves https://imgur.com/7x3lzHm.jpg Conophytum pellucidum 'terricolor'. https://imgur.com/zmJU0...

Pediocactus and Sclerocactus would probably benefit. Opuntioid seeds would be good candidates too.

Have you tried following this advice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGG2-YpGDWA ? Works like a charm, at least for Sclerocactus. I skipped the sterilisation part myself as I see more use in the effort of sterilising the soil I sow the seeds in. Yeah, that's the video I followed. The seeds I didn'...

I once found a couple Astrophytum myriostigma seeds that germinated within their seed pod.

Britton and Rose observed this behavior in Selenicereus grandiflorus fruit.
From their book The Cactaceae:

Cochemiea theresae those are hard to germinate ( for me anyway ) well done . These germinated no problem within a few days of sowing. I sowed another batch in November and those have yet to do anything. :lol: Cochemiea theresae are my favorite cacti. I tried nicking the seeds which did accelerate t...

I haven't sowed the cactus seeds for this recent order yet, but I did sow the winter growing succulents a week ago. For the Pelargonium, all but one seed of one species has germinated. The others have just started to germinate with the exception of Aloe polyphylla (not really a winter grower but inc...

Last update of the year for the 2022 sowing. These were all between 1 to 1.5 years old when the pictures were taken. A hybrid I hand-pollinated, Turbinicarpus pseudopectinatus x valdezianus . I like how the spine character of both species is so well expressed. https://imgur.com/Yf2qvrE.jpg https://i...

Tom in Tucson wrote: ↑Sat Dec 23, 2023 6:06 pm If you ever are inclined to publish some examples of how cactus seedlings can look, be sure to include a few of those. Well done. Their exceptional growth, and your lighting for the subjects are superb!

Thanks Tom! Don't hold your breath waiting for any book though.

More seedlings from 2021, around 2 years old when I took the pictures. Frailea castanea 'asterioides' . The slowest growing Frailea for me, active spring and fall and mostly dormant in summer. https://imgur.com/I1lvlbw.jpg Astrophytum asterias . I killed the parent plants, so I am glad these are sti...

How long are the lights on?

72F is a bit on the low side, try increasing to around 80F. A heat mat can help. On the temperature, it seems unlikely to me that your sand sowing medium dries within 24 hours at 72F. The surface maybe, but I highly doubt the whole pot is dry.

The seedlings are here, Copiapoa bridgesii is the mother, but are they hybrids or not? Some of them seems to be monstruose (the right ones): They could be hybrids. But in the ADBLPS seed list ( https://www.adblps-graines-cactus.com/ ), various Copiapoa have been observed to be self-fertile, includi...

I try to follow a lot of these Zoom talks and think (besides this) BCSS does a great job. Were these also held before the pandemic? Regarding the lecture of Rob Stevenson, I must say it's confusing. According to Llifle, Turbinicarpus pseudomacrochele is the accepted scientific name, but the Interna...

I got my ADBLPS order in the mail a couple days ago. I will be sowing the winter growers soon! Echinocereus adustus v. roemerianus Epithelantha unguispina fa. cryptica VM_635 > Castaños/COAH/Mexique Frailea phaeodisca v. heliosa CS_713.1_363 > SE Isla Patrulla 236m/Uruguay Mammillaria roemeri Mammil...