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G'morning Conophytum,

what soil do you use for you seedlings and adult?

Seedlings:
25% Zeorite- 1mm size ( Zeorite is crashed permeable rock)
25% Clay grain- 1mm size
25% Coarse sand- 1mm size
25% Organic materias (Seed rising potting-mix for normal plant)

Adult Ariocarpus
60% Pumice sand- 2~4mm size
40% Organic material (Catus-mix in shop)

I use above mix for my cacti including Ariocarpus.

Frank

Hi, thanks for your response.
But where do you get your zeolite from?

G' morning conophytum,

But where do you get your zeolite from?

I am not sure same or similar one is available in the USA.
A local suplier delivers the product to my place.

You can use any permeable material which is available in your place.
Zeolite is heavier than pumice and does not float during watering.

Frank

Alright! Do you think clinoptilolite zeolite for fishtanks will work?
And can I use crushed akadama instead of clay grains?
Thanks and these will be my last questions.

G' morning conophytum,

Alright! Do you think clinoptilolite zeolite for fishtanks will work?
And can I use crushed akadama instead of clay grains?

Akadama is the best potting material for Ariocarpus.
Since akadama is not available in here I use zeolite and clay grains.
You can use just akadama only.

Frank

Wow really? Just akadama?
Thanks a lot that's I'll use only akadama to germinate my seeds then!
Thanks!

Good info 1mm is small best for tiny seedlings.

Seedlings:
25% Zeorite- 1mm size ( Zeorite is crashed permeable rock)
25% Clay grain- 1mm size
25% Coarse sand- 1mm size
25% Organic materias (Seed rising potting-mix for normal plant)

Adult Ariocarpus
60% Pumice sand- 2~4mm size
40% Organic material (Catus-mix in shop)

I use above mix for my cacti including Ariocarpus.

I have been reviewing my Ariocarpus seedlings which have been still wet-boxes.
There is space limitation in my greenhouse but some of them are in wet-boxes too long.
Attached photos are A. fissuratus seedlings, sown seeds in 2013 and 2014.
They will be out from wet-boxes and be repotted in late August.

Hanazono wrote: ↑Mon May 17, 2021 12:44 am I have been reviewing my Ariocarpus seedlings which have been still wet-boxes.
There is space limitation in my greenhouse but some of them are in wet-boxes too long.
Attached photos are A. fissuratus seedlings, sown seeds in 2013 and 2014.
They will be out from wet-boxes and be repotted in late August.

Wetbox still constant moist soil or just high humidity?

G'morning LateBloomer,

Wetbox still constant moist soil or just high humidity?

Wetbox gives moist constantly to soil because a wet capillary mat is laid on the bottom of the box.
The mat can also maintain the high humidity of the box.

Frank

Hi Frank, awesome thread and big congratulations for beautiful arios!

I don't have access to capillary mat in India, so I was thinking to keep the germinated seeds into air tight box (with holes for drainage and ventilation) for let's say 5-6 months. Then take them out and mist them with water for couple of weeks daily and gradually reduce the watering frequency.

Does this approach look fine to you? Any specific advantage of capillary mat over daily misting?

Thanks
Abhik

G'morning Abhik,

Does this approach look fine to you? Any specific advantage of capillary mat over daily misting?

I just have experienced capillary mat method. I can not give an accurate comment on other methods.


Watering gives soil to:
1. Jast before watering-too dry
2. Jast after watering-too wet

The combination of 1 and 2 gives possible cause of root rotting.
If frequence of watering was increased, the chance of rotting is also increased.

The capillary mat can reduce the frequency of watering.

Frank

Thanks Frank. I recently sowed some seeds and got a good germination rate. Although, it's not even a week, I will let the germination process completed for a couple of weeks. After that I am planning to let them in air tight (with ventilation and drainage holes) for atleast a year or even longer. It's kept in shade with bright indirect light.

1. Do you think keeping them in the boxes is a good idea for that long? After 5-6 months, I will use bottom watering once to keep everything moist and humid. I actually took few other genres seeds out after 3 months and most of them got dried up, so don't want to repeat the same mistake.

2. After at least 1 year, I will gradually start keeping them out for few hours in shade and increase the watering schedule. I couldn't find the capillary mat yet but will do work around to create some home made capillary mats (a layer of moist and wet towels).

Do you think this will work? When do you start keeping them out in open? I read at many places that longer they are in closed humid and moist boxes, better the chances of their survival.

Cheers
Abhik

G'morning Abhik,

When do you start keeping them out in open? I read at many places that longer they are in closed humid and moist boxes, better the chances of their survival.

When sunlight was too strong and/or soil was too dry, ariocarpus seedlings turn to reddish brown colour and stunt to grow.
I use a special technic to minimize this problem. Seedlings should grow without stunting.

Seedlings grow 1st year in a wet-box and repotted when they are 1 year old.
Repotted seedlings retun to the wet-box and stay there 3 more years at least.
I force seedlings to etiolate during that period.

You can use any methods but this method is used by professional cacti growers in Japan.

Frank

Good morning Frank and thanks for your reply.

So, after one year or so, you change the soil and return them back to the wet box. If I understand the wet box correctly, it's a plastic box in which at the bottom you place the capillary mat and on top of capillary mat, you place these small boxes with seedlings. Is that correct. Is the capillary mat constantly kept moist and wet for all those 3-4 years or you let it dry till the small seedling boxes get dry and then again wet the mat? I guess the capillary mat plays an extremely important role and I must find it sooner than later .

Any name for this Japanese method you mentioned? I will try to search and read on this in details on internet.

Cheers
Abhik