Sclerocactus seed starting advice?

[dvg]

Sclerocactus seed has a reputation for being tricky and sometimes downright difficult to germinate.

This will be my first attempt with this challenging seed.

I will be attempting to germinate S. parviflorus RP37 and S. spinosior SB740, and have a hundred seeds of each to experiment with.

I've read that repeated freeze and thaw cycles might help with stratification for these seeds.

If any of you would like to add a tip or two from your experiences with germinating Sclerocactus seeds, I like to hear from you.

regards,

Doug
dvg

[iann]

You should get reasonable germination simply by sowing the seed in the normal way, perhaps 50% or maybe more. 30+C might be necessary or at least helpful.

These two species are some of the easiest in the genus. I think I germinated both this winter, certainly S. spinosior, but I don't find any pictures on my computer. I'll try to take some tomorrow.

I don't have enough experience with Sclerocactus to say whether freezing is helpful or not. I suspect not. In many respects they are like Pediocactus and they certainly don't need any cold at all to germinate. In fact they are primed to germinate in late summer in considerable heat, and I believe most Sclerocactus are the same. These two Sclerocactus species grow in areas with dry spring and early summer, although not quite the extremes of dry heat that some Sclerocactus experience. While not quite the total suicide it would be in Death Valley, germinating after winter would not be the best idea for them.

[iann]

Sclerocactus spinosior seedlings from this winter. They are now out in the greenhouse but in partial shade. I didn't have hundreds of seedlings and in fact I got less than 50% germination, but still enough for me to play with.

[iann]

I know other people have grown these from seed, and more often than me, Maybe they are keeping their special methods a secret

[dvg]

Thanks for your thoughts Ian.

Both batches of seeds were soaked overnight and are ready to get set up for germination.

Because there is enough seed to play with, i'm going to try five different techniques with each seed batch, and see how the different methods compare against one another.


dvg

[Ruudt]

This video may help:

http://youtu.be/MGG2-YpGDWA

[dvg]

This video may help:

http://youtu.be/MGG2-YpGDWA

Thank you very much for that link Ruudt!

It was informative for me to see with my own eyes how the chipping technique is actually done.

dvg

[Ruudt]

I just applied it to Maihuenia patagonica with almost 100% germination. Also on Pediocactus pebleesianus gave 16 out of 16 (seeds from this year from cultivated plants SB903)

[SoilSifter]

Thanks for your thoughts Ian.

Both batches of seeds were soaked overnight and are ready to get set up for germination.

Because there is enough seed to play with, i'm going to try five different techniques with each seed batch, and see how the different methods compare against one another.


dvg

I might be grave bumping this but I have to ask... what did you try and what are the results? I've tried some different things with Sclero seeds from Mesa Garden but I've not had much luck. Recently I ordered some more seeds to try again. I'm curious about your results.

[dwood5513]

Thanks for your thoughts Ian.

Both batches of seeds were soaked overnight and are ready to get set up for germination.

Because there is enough seed to play with, i'm going to try five different techniques with each seed batch, and see how the different methods compare against one another.


dvg

I might be grave bumping this but I have to ask... what did you try and what are the results? I've tried some different things with Sclero seeds from Mesa Garden but I've not had much luck. Recently I ordered some more seeds to try again. I'm curious about your results.

Read sulfuric acid helps have not tried it be careful if you do

[SoilSifter]

Read sulfuric acid helps have not tried it be careful if you do

I did do that. Surprisingly, so far, I found only one kind of Sclerocactus seed of the two species I was trying to germinate that reliably benefited from the acid treatment. I suspect this one kind of seed that responded well to the acid treatment might have a single dormancy while the other Scleros might have a double dormancy of some kind but I'm not sure. Also, yes, you have to be very careful with sulfuric acid. Even a residue left on a container after trying to rinse off a drop of acid can eat through things.