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G'morning Ben,

Algea formed over the capillary mat do not harm seedlings in pots but:

I spray over a fungicide the capillary mat before set on pots there.
I wash used capillary mat by diluted breach once per year and reuse after dried completely.

The fungicide sprayed over the capillary mat does no harm seedlings in pots.

Frank

Thanks for the advise Frank, much appreciated.

Hi Frank,
I just checked and Fongarid is no longer made and there is a replacement called rotguard by the same company.
Have you tried this or think it will work the same?

Thankyou

G'day walker87,

As you described, it seems rotguard is same as Fongarid but I have not tried it yet.

Frank

Updated photos of seedlings

Astrophytum 2nd filial red flowering hanazono kabuto, sown seed on 15th November 2018

Astrophytum 3rd filial red flowering hanazono kabuto, sown seed on 22nd December 2018

Ariocarpus retusus v furfuraceus cv Suguri cauliflower, sown seed on 22nd December 2018
https://cactiguide.com/forum/download/f ... w&id=68925
https://cactiguide.com/forum/download/f ... w&id=68926

Hanazono wrote: ↑Tue Jul 02, 2019 3:03 am G'day walker87,

As you described, it seems rotguard is same as Fongarid but I have not tried it yet.

Frank

Thanks Frank.
I will try it this coming season.

Seedlings of 2 species were repotted into 10 cm square pots in this morning.
They are almost 1 year old and 25 seedlings are in each pot.

No number tag: Strombocactus disciformis sown seeds on 13th November 2018

No. 18: Ariocarpus retusus v furfuraceus cv Suguri cauliflower sown seeds on 22nd December 2018

https://cactiguide.com/forum/download/f ... w&id=71106

Hello Hana,

Could you please share cultivation advice on strombocactus? I couldn’t find much online besides them being very slow and difficult. For some crazy reason these guys have caught my eye and want to try some from seed. Do you sow them in baggies? What temperatures do they need and light intensity? Would greatly appreciate any advice.

Thanks

I hold my pots at a steep angle and lay the seedlings down in rows adding soil as they stack up and they still don't line up as neat as yours.
How do you transplant such small seedlings?

Before when I tried to drill holes in the soil and put them one by one in it was a disaster . Now they come out OK not perfect but OK and I'm sure the taproots are not bent. Soil should be slightly moist too.

I've never grown strombocactus they are pretty interesting though.

Love your seed growing method hana. Going to try it on a few things. Thanks for sharing!

keith wrote: ↑Sat Nov 30, 2019 1:41 am I hold my pots at a steep angle and lay the seedlings down in rows adding soil as they stack up and they still don't line up as neat as yours.
How do you transplant such small seedlings?

Before when I tried to drill holes in the soil and put them one by one in it was a disaster . Now they come out OK not perfect but OK and I'm sure the taproots are not bent. Soil should be slightly moist too.

I've never grown strombocactus they are pretty interesting though.

It doesnt seem like too many people grow these, and they are really interesting looking plants. I hope they arent as difficult as I hear...

Do you sow them in baggies? What temperatures do they need and light intensity?

I do not use baggies for seed germination but the conditin is similar.
Pot top is sealed by food-wrap and it is kept in a large plastic box.

Both temperature and light are natural and can not give accurate values but:
Temperature- 20~30 'C
Light- 1000~1500 lumens

I failed seed germination several times before by purchased seed.
I used seeds harvested by myself and sowed just after the harvesting in this time. Seeds were germinated like moss.
I think life of strombocactus seed is very short becuse of very small.

How do you transplant such small seedlings?

I was born and grown in the country with a different food culture.
A modified chopsticks is used for the transplant.

1. Hole 25 in wet-mix by sharp tip of chopsticks
2. Tong a seedling by chopsticks and insert the seedling into the hole.
3. Pinch wet-mix around seedling by chopsticks

I can not chatch a flying insect by chopsticks but the transplanting of these size of seedlings is easy.

"I can not catch a flying insect by chopsticks but the transplanting of these size of seedlings is easy.' I bet you can probably stab a mushroom gnat crawling out of a pot

Ben, I have been using Physan 20 for years to control algae, fungus, etc. and have never seen any evidence of it harming seedlings or inhibiting germination. I soak my pots (with soil) in Physan (2.5 ml per quart of distilled water) and spray the seeds on the soil surface with it after sowing them. I occasionally spray seedlings if they develop any fungus or if there is an algae bloom on the soil surface. I've never seen any harm done to them by doing so.

Hi Frank

can you have any tips for selection of hanazono seedlings?
i grow around 70 seeds from very good plants, right now i have seedling and i just dont know which to choose for graft for making seeds, i prefer choose the "best" and i think you have the information.