Seedlings

Plantcelot · Post by **Plantcelot** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 5:20 am

Hi Spikey, I know the holidays are a busy busy time but when you have the time give us an update of your seedlings! Perhaps by the end of the week something will arrive over there

Enjoy the Holidays!

Spikey1007 · Post by **Spikey1007** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 9:38 pm

Sorry missed that post comletely! Okay well i will get a phohto they have grown quite a bit still trying to figure what proper lighting to get should i just get 2 standard 30w florecent tubes at 6000 lumen rating to provide lights for these plants and a few others on the window sill

There they are.

The current lights a BlackLite bolt (ultraviolet radiation emmiting Florecent bulb) hmm i think that is 30w, a 75w GrowLux growing bulb and a miniflorecent bulb for a standard light fitting i could put a day light bulb insted of that would that be better?

Any way the seedlings some have at least 14 aleoles now with as many as 30 spines!

I'm very sorry about the quality the camera is a cheap one i got

, Santa didn't think i needed a new one this year tho

.

iann · Post by **iann** » Fri Dec 29, 2006 10:20 pm

Ditch the Grolux, it only gives out 220 lumens. A 20W compact fluorescent gives out 1,200, and a 36W T8 fluorescent gives over 3,000. I know where my money would be

Go easy on the blacklight. UV light is not helpful for photosynthesis (ie. growth), but it does cause skins to toughen up, spination to become heavier, and skins to colour up (defense reaction to damage from the UV). I'd save it for plants that have grown a little. There is some thinking that many UK cacti, behind glass in our northern humid climate, would benefit from increased UV but that is far from proven.

If the fluorescent is a standard domestic warm white (2700K), try to get hold of one of the daylight ones (6500K). I know they are a pain to find but I can point you to some spots on the web if you can't locate them. Or 4' straight tubes are more efficient and very easy to find, if that is suitable for your space.

P.S. Would love to see the seedlings, but I can't quite make them out

Spikey1007 · Post by **Spikey1007** » Tue Jan 02, 2007 12:58 am

Okay Better quality Enjoy!

See him there with his little cacti keyring seedling freind i got for xmass.

Spikey1007 · Post by **Spikey1007** » Thu Jan 11, 2007 8:39 pm

Okay another quick update it would seem i was going to lightly with the watering can!!! For a change

.

I noticed some of see the seelings had got smaller and because i was only giving a them a few sprays so i decided to change my ways and give them about 25ml and what would you know they are nice and plump and look raring to grow.

Post by **daiv** » Fri Jan 12, 2007 3:51 am

Yep, I think that is the biggest problem I have with seedlings. Too little water!

Spikey1007 · Post by **Spikey1007** » Mon Jan 29, 2007 11:36 pm

Bad news, 4 of the seedlings turned ghost white shrivlled and died

. I also tranffresed one to some soil to see how he might fair agaist the ones in the grit.

Mabey pictures untill i can find the USB for the camera

.

peterb · Post by **peterb** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 12:04 am

Hi Spikey- It can be one of the strangest things about growing from seed, the sudden usually inexplicable "failure to thrive." I've just gotten used to a certain amount of loss and try to focus on the ones still growing well. I do try to analyze the whys and wherefores but it's sometimes impossible to determine a cause. Every cycle of seed raising is a big adventure and I never know what's going to happen, even though I use the same medium, methods, techniques etc. year after year. (adjusted for what I think I've learned, but even then certain adjustments end up not being improvements).

anyway have fun,

Peterb

Post by **daiv** » Tue Jan 30, 2007 6:22 am

Sorry to hear that Spikey.

You're still doing better than me -if that helps.

cactifreak · Post by **cactifreak** » Sat Feb 10, 2007 3:00 pm

I planted seeds from a mixed pack... it took 2 months to get 2 seedlings. proper amount of light too always kept moist.... patience is the key. mabye the seeds were bad.

by the way difference in the day and night tempratures mght help. also a coldhot cycle

Spikey1007 · Post by **Spikey1007** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 10:02 pm

I receieved some Different seeds of Melocactus from a generous man

, and i planted them not long ago and here they are germinated. Oh and i decided to plant some more Melocactus conoideus just incase the others dont make it.

Left is the Melocactus conoideus, right is the very succesful suspected Melocactus concinnus
http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/7483/dsc00304dk4.jpg

Now here is the Original Batch of Melocactus conoideus
http://img48.imageshack.us/img48/7668/dsc00302ck2.jpg

And heres one of the seedlings just before it died as i described in a above post.
http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/8954/dsc00236gq7.jpg

iann · Post by **iann** » Sun Mar 18, 2007 11:19 pm

I'm having trouble viewing your photos today, Spikey. Maybe too big for my puny browser?

Spikey1007 · Post by **Spikey1007** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 4:28 pm

Ian I made them into link just incase your browser has problems displaying them at such resolutions.

cactusdan19 · Post by **cactusdan19** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 4:22 pm

This is a great thread guys.

Those that know me from other groups and forums know I love to start anything from seed. I start 1000s of seed in 100s of species every year. Germination is anywhere from 0 to 100% depending on the genus, species, age of seed and care they need. On average I get 70-80% germination and near same to survive. I use standard shop lights (not the cheapest) with cool white tubes (switching to T8s) on 16 hours, off 8. My mix is the same as that I grow in just finer, sifted through 1/4" hardware cloth. After germination I feed with 1/8 to 1/4 strength Miracle Grow with added Micronutrients every watering.

Sorry about your losses Spikey, sounds like you just need more organics in your mix, I only use 10-20% to 80-90% grit/turface. Good luck with you next batch.

I wish I had the survival rate with Lithops that Iann has, at least I think it is the same Iann I am thinking of. I can get mine to about one year old, then lose them when I repot.

Willy does really great with his Parodias, I finally got some microsperm Parodias and have a few nice small plants now. Thanks Willy.

The biggesst problem I have with starting from seed is where to put all the seedlings a year and a half later. I am quickly running out of room

Spikey1007 · Post by **Spikey1007** » Thu May 10, 2007 10:42 pm

Update, On Monday 07/05/2007 i planted Lophophora williamsii
seeds and 4 days in no germination fingers crossed tho i put one batch in my germination chamber and one in the grow house to see how would fare best.

Pics arrive when they germinate