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First post here, have a question on sowing copiapoa from seed. How soon after they sprout should I begin hardening them off? I'm using the baggie method. Seems like finding info on copiapoa sowing is almost as rare as hens teeth. Thanks.

Hey, Colton,

In the same situation here. My seedlings are two months old now, and I've begun hardening with a few hours in increased air circulation, a few hours misted, a few hours out of incubation. Another set is in an intermediate setting with higher humidity, not room dryness, not in enclosed environments. What I've learned is that standing mist on the skins will cause problems. Enclosed environments too long will cause problems.

The current care that seems to be working is intermittent exposure to drier air circulation with misting in the morning and late afternoon. Leaving them overnight in a moist environment encourages collapse.

Bret

I sowed a couple of species of Copiapoa earlier this year. I opened the bags at 3 moths after germination.

I think you just have to get a feel for it. There really is no set amount of time when you take them out of the bag. There are too may variables such as light,temp,soil,moisture,and type of Copiapoa.
I have C. Marginetta,and bridgesii. Looking at my notes,I took the marginetta out of the bag at about a month and a half because they were stretching and not looking so well. And the Bridgesii I took out at over 4 months because I thought they were getting big and I just thought it was time(Last April,springtime)
I started them in bags under a Mars grow light,and a heat mat that comes on with the grow light to mimic daytime temp swings.
I know most copiopoa supposedly get watered by mist and dew in their natural environment. But for the time being,bottom watering is my preferred method for watering ALL my seedlings. That way the soil doesn't get wet,it just gets moist. And makes the roots grow. They seek the moisture at the bottom of the pot. Not sure exactly how I am going to handle their first winter as semi adults,but I think I will keep bottom watering, just way less often depending just where I keep them.
But the seedlings I lost this summer (outside) got wet by rain blowing on them. They were under shelter,but got watered from a storm. I didn't think they got that wet,but obviously they did because a few rotted.
I am by no means an expert. Lat fall was my first attempt at growing from seed. Most of my losses so far have been from fungus gnats,and harsh outdoor environment. I plan on a big batch of seedlings again this winter,and the only thing I will probably change is all out war with fungus gnats.

That's good to know, Fred. I tend to agree with the feeling of when your seedlings are ready, or needing, to come out of nursery care. It's not helping that I sowed four types in the same container--each species seems to want something different. I tried describing the intermittent periods of moisture in my previous post, but the most important lesson so far is no moisture remaining for any periods on the seedlings, with twice daily "dew" or mist events. The C. calderana seem to want more right now, the C. echinoides seem to want a little less, the C. coquimbana simply are, and the C. cinerea are similar--happy with whatever's going on. The planting medium is primarily coarse sand with light loam mixed throughout, underscored by 4-8 mm gravel with a touch of limestone. A light, dilute fertilizing has been consistent since germination due to the lack of organics. Light is bright indirect with a bit of direct from a window; pigmentation is indicating that it's just enough. When they first began to pigment, I noticed the growth slow a bit. The temp has been fairly consistent at 73 degrees Fahrenheit, dropping a degree or two at night, rising a few degrees with daylight. The environment is sheltered, but open primarily for circulation and drying. I tend to open them for the day, and partially cover them at night.

At two months, I can't hardly compare to yours if those are four months old. Are those really four months, or a year and four months?
They are like 15-20X the size of mine, and I feel as though I'm too attentive to mine. I notice more change overnight than during the day. They are just beginning to develop out of the seedling stage, and I need a magnifier to see the microscopic hairs and spines, although the future body growth is starting to emerge. I don't foresee fall or winter changing the routine much, as the seedlings still demonstrate water needs throughout the day--shrinking, slight wrinkling, receding into the sand--with drying.

I posted how long they were bagged,not how old they were
The Margineta were sown last Halloween,and the bridesii last December right before Christmas. So they are in the neighbor hood of 9-10 months old.
Right or wrong,last year when it got cold I had the hankering to sew seeds. And I am going to do it again this winter. And the reality is,by spring,most all can handle going outside. Which is good I already have a 3 or 4 bags going.
I think if you give bottom watering a try,you would be happy with the results. I think I gave a link to the wicking mat before,but not sure. In case I didn't here is a link. https://cactiguide.com/forum/viewtopic. ... at#p397290
I don't believe i have lost a seedling watering this way,except I'm sure it contributes to my fungus gnat problem. What I did last winter,is as soon as the pots started getting light I would put that pot on the mat overnight. I should probably go longer between watering. But then again I think diatom powder was working. Time will tell. I have a feeling the gnats are a seasonal problem. because I am still using the wicking mat. But I don't really have any gnats right now.

Someone I know keeps carnivorous plants around and they use this larvicide for fungus gnats on their seedlings. Active ingredient is BT… Bacillus thuringiensis spp israelensis.

Ecological Labs AEL20036 Microbe Lift Mosquito Control Aquarium Treatment, 2-Ounce https://a.co/d/hVZgRtw

FRED! Thank you for the clarification--I was feeling like a really bad dad to my little ones for a while. I just couldn't figure out how yours were SO MUCH BIGGER! I should have read the post differently. And thanks for the link--I really need to consider a better system for the watering.

The Mosquito Bits also work for Fungus Gnats.

Hi! My first post here
Are the Copiapoas self-fertile or not? In the picture is Copiapoa marginata v. bridgesii blooming last year. I have got lot of seeds with good germination. In same time were blooming C.humilis and C.leonensis, but no other C.marginatas. Are the seedlings hybrids?

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):

riinel wrote: ↑Wed Dec 20, 2023 12:50 pm 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, including C. bridgesii.