is my cactus producing fruit?

[jmoney]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this or even if I have the terminology right but here goes nothing.

Is the cactus pictured below.producing 'fruit'?
Should I be able to harvest seed from this?
When and how would I go about getting the seed?

The 'fruit'?

IMG_20150620_141909.jpg (82.64 KiB) Viewed 1783 times

shot of the entire cactus

IMG_20150607_152817.jpg (70.96 KiB) Viewed 1783 times

[rgiesecke]

Yep, that's fruit. Looks ripe. Tweezers to get it off, then squeeze or cut to remove seeds. Rinse well (I shake them in a water bottle) and dry thoroughly before storing.

[george76904]

Its most deffinetly fruit but I'm not sure about ripe yet. I'm assuming its a mammillaria nejapensis. But their fruit will grow long and skinny. If you pick it too early then you won't have viable seeds. I will show you a picture of one of mine with a fruit it has now when I get home.

[iann]

Looks like M. magnimamma. Even so, wait until the fruit looks past ripe. Harvesting too early might give you no good seed, but it isn't possible to harvest too late (unless ants steal the seed!).

[jmoney]

That's awesome! The seedlings I'm growing now are from a variety packet so I don't know what I'm growing. The advantage to the variety is that I have more than one type growing from seed at the moment but I have no idea what they are. It is very cool that I'll have seed that I can identify.

Looks like M. magnimamma. Even so, wait until the fruit looks past ripe. Harvesting too early might give you no good seed, but it isn't possible to harvest too late (unless ants steal the seed!).

What's past ripe?

[jmoney]

So unfortunately I think a bird came around and snatched my tiny cactus fruit. It is just gone. I didn't see the theft but I can't think of any other scenario. I do have another one that I spotted on the opposite side of the cactus so hopefully that one stays safe. darn birds!

[george76904]

I had that happen too. I bring potted ones inside if they are bearing fruit to avoid theft by animals.

[jmoney]

I had that happen too. I bring potted ones inside if they are bearing fruit to avoid theft by animals.

Mine are in the ground...

[george76904]

You could try using a wire mesh cage then.

[jmoney]

My cactus ended up producing fruit on the opposite side! This time around I put some grass clippings on that side to 'disguise' the fruit. Hopefully that will hide it from the birds a bit. Now I wait.

[jmoney]

Here's the fruit with the seed inside! I refused to let the birds steal this one! Hopefully this works! Unfortunately I won't know if the seed is viable until next year. It is a little too late in the year to begin seed right?

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[george76904]

I mean you can start seeds indoors anytime you want. I sow seed year round, and I've never had a major problem with it.

[jmoney]

I would but my wife wouldn't like that too much! Our apartment is not very big so indoor real estate is precious. I will just have to be patient and wait until next year! I have a lot of plans in the works on expanding the flower beds anyways so I have plenty of work to keep my busy in the meantime.

[jmoney]

I harvested about 79 tiny brown seeds from the fruit I pulled off of my mammillaria nejapensis.

I put them in a paper towel folded it and put it in a sealed plastic bag.

The bag is in a cool, dry, dark closet.

Would this be a good way to store the seeds for long term (until next year)?

[george76904]

It will probably be fine. As long as they stay cool and dry they will be good for awhile.