Propagation of asterias from seed

All about seed grown plants. How-to information, progress reports, show of your results.
Post Reply
User avatar
Hanazono
Posts: 3534
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:21 pm
Location: Adelaide SA
Contact:

Propagation of asterias from seed

Post by Hanazono »

The main species of my cacti collection is Astrophytum asterias, mostly Japanese cultivars.
I sowed seeds every year since year 2000.

Seed source:
I bought seeds from others originally but I have kept enough matured plants to collect seeds by myself.
They are in a small greenhouse, asterias only.
All of them are propagated from seeds by myself.
Image

Sown seeds in August 2015:
I sow seeds in August every year, when is the early spring in here.
Pots are 10 cm square.
Super kabuto-
Image
Miracle kabuto-
Image
Variegated asterias-
Image

Sown seeds in August 2014
1 year old seedlings are repotted in 10 cm square pots, 25 seedlings each.
Hanazono kabuto x red flowering asterias-
Image
Miracle kabuto-
Image

Sown seeds in August 2013
They start to show the character of cultivars.
Super kabuto-
Image
Miracle kabuto-
Image

Sown seeds in August 2012
Seedling shown the character of cultivars are only selected and repotted into 5 cm square tubes.
Miracle kabuto-
Image

Sown seeds in August 2011
Good ones are selected again and repotted into 6.5 cm square pots.
They have reached the flowering age.
From top to bottom, red flowering asterias, royal super kabuto, miracle kabuto and super kabuto
Image
george76904
Posts: 487
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 2:01 am
Location: Americus GA

Re: Propagation of asterias from seed

Post by george76904 »

Wow those are all amazing! Do you ever consider trading or selling some of the seeds, or do you sow them all every year?
Amazing asterias!
User avatar
hendryterok
Posts: 960
Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 11:38 am
Location: Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
Contact:

Re: Propagation of asterias from seed

Post by hendryterok »

:shock: =D> :salute:

Neat arrangement

Cheers
Hendry
User avatar
Hanazono
Posts: 3534
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:21 pm
Location: Adelaide SA
Contact:

Re: Propagation of asterias from seed

Post by Hanazono »

I am just a hobby cactus collector and have never considered to sell cactus seeds to others.
Since the making fruit affects on the growing speed of own-rooted asterias, I limit it, 1 fruit per plant in a season.
Young asterias such as sown seeds in 2011, I cut all flowering buds out to maintain the growing speed.
I make necessary number of seeds for my sowing only and sow all, around 500 seeds for a year.

Small number of seedlings show the original character of cultivars and it is hard to sell seeds to others.
User avatar
hendryterok
Posts: 960
Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 11:38 am
Location: Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
Contact:

Re: Propagation of asterias from seed

Post by hendryterok »

around 500 seeds for a year.

:shock: in couple of years your GH will be full I believe :lol:

Cheers
Hendry
IrisA
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2015 8:11 pm
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: Propagation of asterias from seed

Post by IrisA »

Wow these are amazing. Please share your secrets. :D
User avatar
Hanazono
Posts: 3534
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:21 pm
Location: Adelaide SA
Contact:

Re: Propagation of asterias from seed

Post by Hanazono »

I use fresh seeds and so the germination rate is very high, almost 100%.
Although I get around 500 seedlings every year, they are reduced significantly by the selection.
They will be reduced by 50 when they reached to the size similar to ones sown seeds in 2011.
Numbers will be reduced further in future.

The photo is a super kabuto sown seed in 2011.
The flecking pattern is excellent but it has still in 5 cm tube because the size is not good enough.
I will wait a while but this also is out of the selection if the small size came from the gene related issues.
The size of plant is also critical.
Image

One process is not normal.
I introduced it in this forum before.
It is the cutting of tap-roots. I cut tap-roots of seedlings completely before repotting.
The best age of this process is not fixed yet, tried 1~3 years old.
Seedlings in 5 cm tubes, sown seeds in 2012 were cut tap-roots before the repotting.
They are rooted, fine roots only and growing with a good speed.
george76904
Posts: 487
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2015 2:01 am
Location: Americus GA

Re: Propagation of asterias from seed

Post by george76904 »

Does cutting the tap roor off make them grow faster and with less chance of roting?
Fatich
Posts: 211
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2015 6:08 pm
Location: Turkey

Re: Propagation of asterias from seed

Post by Fatich »

As i remember you also cut the tap roots of Ariocarpus species, right?.
IrisA
Posts: 44
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2015 8:11 pm
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Re: Propagation of asterias from seed

Post by IrisA »

Very interesting thanks for sharing! I'll have to look into the taproot cutting I have a bunch of seedlings started this year, may try this with a few.
User avatar
Hanazono
Posts: 3534
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:21 pm
Location: Adelaide SA
Contact:

Re: Propagation of asterias from seed

Post by Hanazono »

Seedlings of asterias grow faster if you fed much water in hot summer.
This condition will also make rotting from tap-roots.
If the seedling had no tap-root, it will grow faster without rotting problem when you fed much water in hot summer.
Japanese use this method as a normal practice.

This method can work for other Astrophytum but can not work for Ariocarpus.
You should not cut tap-roots off Ariocarpus seedlings because of re-rooting is harder.
In case of Ariocarpus seedlings, you should lift the joint of body and tap-roots from top-soil.
This will minimize the condition of rotting.

We all live in different places with different climates.
You need a trial.
User avatar
Hanazono
Posts: 3534
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:21 pm
Location: Adelaide SA
Contact:

Re: Propagation of asterias from seed

Post by Hanazono »

I found an old photo taken in 2014 and attach it for your reference.
The photo is 2 years old miracle kabuto seedlings, after cutting tap-roots off.
Image
User avatar
piyeron
Posts: 80
Joined: Fri Aug 24, 2007 10:55 am
Location: Philippines
Contact:

Re: Propagation of asterias from seed

Post by piyeron »

Hanazono I've been following your techniques since you started posting here and I must say they are extremely instructive and help me give ideas on how to experiment with my plants and techniques as well.

Regarding the 2014 photo with the cut taproots I'm a little surprised as it seems you only cut until the root-main body junction. All this time I thought you cut well above the roots (resulting to plants with a flat bottom with no conical below ground portions). So you basically just need to remove that thick main root then huh? Very neat information just with one photograph :lol: :D
User avatar
Hanazono
Posts: 3534
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:21 pm
Location: Adelaide SA
Contact:

Re: Propagation of asterias from seed

Post by Hanazono »

Asterias cut tap-roots on the photo were sown seeds in 2012.
They were repotted into 5 cm square tubes after completion of the drying process.

35 seedlings in 5 cm square tubes on the photo shown as "sown seeds in 2012" are same ones.
You can estimate the growing speed.
More than 150 seedlings, sown seeds same time have still been remained.
User avatar
Hanazono
Posts: 3534
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2007 9:21 pm
Location: Adelaide SA
Contact:

Re: Propagation of asterias from seed

Post by Hanazono »

The climate in here has been changed gradually, warming up .
June to August is winter on calendar but I believe June is late autumn and August is early spring.
Only July is a true winter month lately.

I normally sow cactus seeds in August, early spring to maximize growing season for 1st year but I sowed seeds in this morning as a trial.
The estimated germination completion is 2 weeks.
It is enough days to grow by the end of June.

Seeds:
Astropytum asterias cv super kabuto- 2 pots
Astrupytum asterias cv miracle kabuto- 4 pots
I did not count number of seeds but it was around 50 seeds per pot.

Potting-mix:
Organic material base plant seed rising-mix- 1
Zeolite 1~2 mm size- 1
Scoria 1~2 mm size- 1
Clay 1~2 mm size- 1
Coarse sand- 1
I do not repot seedlings for 1 year after the germination and so I mix 20% of organic material in the potting-mix.

Top dressing:
Zeolite 2~4 mm size
Since the seed of asterias is large, I cover seeds by the top dressing.
This top dressing forms air gap between potting-mix and seedling body after the germination and can minimize rotting chances.

Pot:
10 cm square pots
Free-board i.e. distance between top soil and top end of pot- 20 mm
As shown on the photo, pots are covered by a plastic wrap.
Free-board will be rooms with 100 % humidity which are necessary for seed germination.

Heating pad setting:
6 pots per pad.
Target temperature of top soil- 30 'C
Light-natural

6 pots on the heating pad with plastic wrap
Image
A lid on the heating pad
Image
Post Reply