I heard some people say that after winter you should water gradually. meaning that you should start with a very mild watering and only after some time give the plants a proper soak." That's what I do , I don't soak until weather gets warm but it also depends on the species of cactus. I've alrea...

Plumosa nice

Nice pictures . Hard to say if that's the Mojave or Sonoran desert ?

I use a wet then dry then wet again approach to germinating cactus seeds some are just stubborn to start . Don't keep the seeds wet for weeks at a time if you don't get any germination but maybe you already know this ? I also wouldn't bother adding insecticide at this time just another poison to dea...

80-90F day time and 60 -70F at night . I try and keep the very top of the soil dry and sticky sand grains wet to a tweezers or stick or whatever you use to test the soil 10-20 mils down under the surface. Once you get that dry - wet balance you could put the whole thing in a baggie, many do, but I a...

108F is too hot you'll need to add ventilation or move to a shadier location . If the seedlings turn Red and stop growing its too much light .

Sulfur will probably work better than that other stuff .

your pots look too wet. Take the pots out and expose to sunlight and breezes and under screen to protect from full sun. The seedlings will slow down but should survive . The whole baggie thing I stopped keeping cactus in them for more than a few days years ago . Acually growing cactus now and had fu...

No I don't think so I'm 63 and still sow cactus seeds including Ariocarpus. All my cactus grow slow but its still fun to watch them grow.

I started growing cactus from seed in 1994.

Planted more cactus seeds Epthelantha bokeii a few up, M lenta , M humboltii , Escobaria robbinsonii nothing yet, Turbinicarpus Polaskii one up one rotted, Turb lophophorides nothing yet, M meiacantha many coming up very small seeds, M schumanii nothing yet. These were planted about 1 week ago. Pict...

Opps I meant gypsum I add Gypsum granules to potting soil for certain desert cactus. Dolomite where did I get that from ?

Thanks Jerry

Good job

on top just to give a nod to the plant's habitat be detrimental? " It shouldn't do anything it's more decorative than anything else, maybe hold water in soil a little longer as Mike points out. Many growers add Gypsum to the soil for limestone native cactus. Gypsum is calcium sulfate wont chang...

Nice flowers. My Turbs are flowering now also.

I had terrible results with organic substrates for sowing." Agree i don't use any at all . I use small sized Pumice mixed with sandy soil and spray the seeds with hydrogen peroxide then rinse with water before sowing. I also add diatomaceous earth powder to discourage insect pests.

Pictures taken with a big camera not my phone. Very dry and bright area with all the Limestone reflecting the sunlight. The Echinomastus could be warnockii not mariposensis ?