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Hanazono wrote: ↑Tue Nov 13, 2018 12:04 am I could harvest seeds of Strombocactus disciformis form my own cacti lately.
I sowed seeds on 1st in this month.
Their germination is not immediate but it has been increased numbers slowly.
I took a photo in this morning, 12 days after sowing.


2nd sowing was done yesterday afternoon.

Can you explain this setup ?
Why have you not planted the strombo in substrate in pots ?
Doesn't transferring them into soil harm the roots ?
What is the lighting/temperature needs for this plant ?
At what stage will you transfer them to pots ?
Sorry for the excessive questions, I'm having trouble with this species from seed, looking for any info.

G'morning dwood5513,

Can you explain this setup ?
Why have you not planted the strombo in substrate in pots ?
Doesn't transferring them into soil harm the roots ?
What is the lighting/temperature needs for this plant ?
At what stage will you transfer them to pots ?

A solid plastic food container with a lid is used.
The main substrate is 2~4 mm pumice sand and top layer is 1~2 mm zeolite which is crashed permeable rock.
A tissue paper is laid over zeolite.

I used a normal method for fine seeds including this species before but it did not work well.
The germination rate was reasonable but small seedling went down into gaps of substrate grains and disappear gradually.
I found red flowering of this species were sold with a reasonable price, not expensive in Japanese E-bey.
I also found this method on the website of a Japanese professional cactus nursery.

The top is just a tissue paper. It will break down soon. I think rooting will be no problem.

The plastic container is accommodated in a large plastic box kept in my greenhouse.
The light is natural. No heating facilities are used.
The maximum temperature should be 40 'C in daytime and 15 'C at night.
I understand the maximum temperature is too high but it is not easy to reduce.

I will repot them when they reached to 2 mm in diameter, possibly it is one year old.

It is the 1st trial of the method for me.

Frank

That is very interesting roots will break through tissue paper and go down into substrate

I'll have to try that someday .

Hanazono wrote: ↑Thu Nov 15, 2018 10:05 pm G'morning dwood5513,

Can you explain this setup ?
Why have you not planted the strombo in substrate in pots ?
Doesn't transferring them into soil harm the roots ?
What is the lighting/temperature needs for this plant ?
At what stage will you transfer them to pots ?

A solid plastic food container with a lid is used.
The main substrate is 2~4 mm pumice sand and top layer is 1~2 mm zeolite which is crashed permeable rock.
A tissue paper is laid over zeolite.

I used a normal method for fine seeds including this species before but it did not work well.
The germination rate was reasonable but small seedling went down into gaps of substrate grains and disappear gradually.
I found red flowering of this species were sold with a reasonable price, not expensive in Japanese E-bey.
I also found this method on the website of a Japanese professional cactus nursery.

The top is just a tissue paper. It will break down soon. I think rooting will be no problem.

The plastic container is accommodated in a large plastic box kept in my greenhouse.
The light is natural. No heating facilities are used.
The maximum temperature should be 40 'C in daytime and 15 'C at night.
I understand the maximum temperature is too high but it is not easy to reduce.

I will repot them when they reached to 2 mm in diameter, possibly it is one year old.

It is the 1st trial of the method for me.

Frank

very interesting technique. Japanese growers seem innovative in the stuff they try. I also wanted to ask you in another post you talked about intentionally etiolating ariocarpus seedlings. Can you tell me the purpose of that ? Is it to get the tubercles longer ? Thanks for your information, I love to read about your seedling techniques. I feel like you can translate japanese techniques for an english audience, otherwise we'd never hear about this stuff. Very cool.

G'morning Dave,

I found an article described about Ariocarpus seedlings on a Japanese website 15 years ago.
It said they changed 2 things and "propagation of Ariocarpus from seed" became easier.

Changing 1: Sand base substrate was changed to Akadama tuchi.
This changing could make less death of seedlings from rotting.
Akadama tuchi is weathered volcanic rock, a permeable material.

Changing 2: Using "fukashi zukuri" method.
Fukashi zukuri is normally used for bean sprout making which is under a high humidity and low light strength conditions.
Ariocarpus seedlings grow slowly normally but this change could make the growing speed to "reasonable".
This method was developed by Mr Suguri, the president of Japanese Cactus Society.

Akadama tuchi is not available in here.
I use pumice sand, zeolite and clay grain which are all permeable.

I knew too strong light stops the growing of Ariocarpus seedlings.
When you gave strong light to seedlings, they turn body colour from green to bluish and then to reddish blue.
If the body colour turned to bluish, they stop the growing.

I keep Ariocarpus seedlings in a plastic box covered by 50% shade cloth after germination for 3 years at least.
Humidity in the box is almost 100%.
Seedling can maintain their body colour as light green or green and continue growing even if it was in mid of winter in here.

Seedlings are covered by 50% shade cloth for another 2~3 years after removed from the plastic box.
They can keep the body colour as green under this condition.

The attached photo is an Ariocarpus fissuratus, just before removing from the plastic box.
This is an ideal body colour for a good growing.


I have never visit the habitat of Ariocarpus but Ariocarpus make many seeds, 50 ~100 seeds are in a fruit.
I think the environment of habitat is too hard for Ariocarpus seedlings and difficult to reach to the flowering size.
As the result, Ariocarpus can make many seeds but they become CITES Appendix I species.

Frank

Great information as always Frank. I always look at your posts with attention to see what tips you learned from Japanese growers.

Updated photo of Strombocactus disciformis, 24 days after sowing
Same container was posted on 13th in this month.

Sorry for all the questions, but do you happen to know the optimum luminosity for ariocarpus seedlings (I know it may vary between species)? Thanks for the info.

G'day dwood5513,

I use natural light and so it depends upon the weather.
It is between 500 and 1000 lumens for any species of Ariocarpus seedlings.

Frank

Looking good Frank! I’ll have to do an update on my tiny amount sowed..

Updated photos taken in this morning

Sown seed on 26th July
Astrophytum asterias cv Oibo ruri kabuto

Astrophytum hybrid fukuryu banjyaku


Sown seed on 15th November
Astrophytum myriostigma x red flowering asterias A

Astrophytum myriostigma x red flowering asterias B

Astrophytum asterias cv F2 red flowering hanazono kabuto

Astrophytum capricorne x red flowering asterias

New seedling photos

3rd filial red flowering asterias, sown seeds on 22nd December 2018
I will not graft these seedlings.


Hybrid, myriostigma x hanazono kabuto, sown seeds on 22nd December 2018
I will select 12 seedlings and graft on 22nd in this month.


Strombocactus disciformis, sown seeds in December 2018
It is hard to count quantity because of too many.

Hi Frank,

I’m new on this forum, but have found your posts very helpful and inspiring for some time now......much thanks.

I have a question about your wet boxes, how exactly is one set up? Is the capillary mat placed on a shelf with the mat hanging over the ends into the water beneath, or is the mat simply placed on the bottom of the box? Any chance you could post some detailed photos of your wet box setup?

Also, do you use your wet boxes to germinate all genus of cacti, or only Ario and Astro? Do the same or similar germination principals apply to most genus?

Many thanks,
Ben.

G'morning Ben,

As shown on the photo, the wet-box is a simple plastic box with a lid.
It is covered by a 50% shade cloth because of summer in here currently.

The photo is inside of the box.
A capillary mat, black colour is placed on the bottom of the box.


Any species can germinate in the wet-box but it depends upon the season.
The wet-box does not have a heating facilities.

I sow seed very early spring or in winter if it was necessary seedling grafting in spring.
I use a heating pad at that time.
After the completion of germination, I move seedlings into the wet-box form the heating pad.

In summer, the germination is carried out in the wet-box.
Strombocactus were germinated in the wet-box.

Frank

Hi Frank,

Thanks for your reply and photos.
I have a few more questions if you don’t mind answering?

Is there a particular type/brand of capillary mat that works best?

Do you need a particular type of pot with the right shaped base & drainage hole configuration to work best on the mat? Does the pot only need to partially contact the mat to draw water up?

Do the lids stay on the boxes after the one and two year repotting. At what age are plants removed from boxes and places with the rest of you plant collection?

I noticed you keep your older plants in trays, just curios how you water them? Do you remove from trays and water from overhead, or do you bottom water from in the trays?

Do you use slow release fert in both your seed raising mix and your normal potting mix, or do you liquid feed only?

Thanks for your time,
Ben.