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I bought seeds initially and sowed in 2003 to 2005 each year.
Seedlings were grafted to get earlier seed collection.

I started to sow seeds collected from my cacti in 2005 and sowed every year since.

I use heating pads to germinate seeds.
The germination process will complete in 20 days.
I moved pots into a wet-box after the completion of germination.
The photo is a wet-box accommodated seedling pot, sown seeds on 13th August 2015, 6 months old.


Since I sowed too may seeds in 2014, just 8 species were sown in 2015.
Numbers shown on photos are my seed Nos.
(13) Ariocarpus agavoides

(14) A. fissuratus

(16) A. bravoanus v hintonii

(20) A. retusus v scapharostroides

(21) A. retusus v elongatus

(23) A. retusus v bicolor

(25) A. kotschobeyanus v elephantidens

(27) A. retusus v furfuraceus cv Daruma royal

As always, very nice work.

It seems that those have more grit in them than the astrophytums did. Do ariocarpus benefit from grit for germination?

2~4 mm size of zeolite grit is used as the top-dressing for both asterias and Ariocarpus.
Same material is used for both.

In case of Ariocarpus, the grit has no special benefit for germination.
The grit can form air gap between the bottom of seedlings and potting-mix.
This air gap can minimize the rotting of seedlings and also can minimize the formation of moss over the potting-mix.

I repot 1 year old seedlings in September, early spring in here.
25 seedlings are in a 10 square pot.
Pots are returned into the wet-box and seedlings spend 2nd year in there.

The following photos are seedlings sown seeds in August 2014 and repotted in September 2015.
The growing of seedlings is not good enough due to the development of moss over potting-mix.
I used a new box redesigned slightly. I have to modify it soon.

(13) A. agavoides

(14) A. fissuratus

(16) A. bravoanus v hintonii

(19) A. retusus v furfuraceus v Suguri cauliflower

(20) A. reusus v scapharostroides

Always I see your posts with great interest and pleasure.
But what do you do with all the many seedlings?

Pardon, I am indiscreet. . .


Best wishes

K.W.

I believe the environment of cacti habitat is not ideal for the growing of seedlings.
I try to fined an ideal environment for the growing of seedlings with various trials.
As you know, any trials need a specific number of samples.
My selection of the minimum samples are 50 seedlings.

I keep all of them.
I just enjoy the propagation of cacti from seed by myself.

Realy nice rows...and seedlings

Seedlings sown seeds in August 2013

I sowed 17 species of Ariocarpus seeds in the year.
They have still in wet-boxes and have grown well as I aimed.
I introduce 5 species.

(16) A. bravoanus v hintonii

(17) A. retusus v jermilae

(24) A. retusus v furfuraceus cv Daruma Seiji

(26) A. kotschoubeyanus f Rio Berde

(27) A. retusus v furfuraceus cv Daruma Royal

Hanazono wrote: >>>

I keep all of them.
I just enjoy the propagation of cacti from seed by myself.

K.W.

I repotted 6 months old seedlings as a trial of autumn repotting.
25 seedlings are in a pot, 50 seedlings in total.
I sprayed a fungicide over potting-mix before the repotting.

(16) A. bravoanus v hintonii

(27) A. retusus v furfuraceus cv Daruma Royal

Seedlings sown seeds in August 2012

18 species of seeds were sown in the year.
They have still in wet-boxes.
They have grown enough for the repotting.

(18) A. retusus cv mitsuibo botan (tri-fingers)

(22) A. retusus v bicolor

(25) A. kotschoubeyanus v elephantideus

Seedlings sown seeds in August 2011

I repot seedlings again in this age if they had grown enough for the repotting.
Seedlings come out from wet-boxes in this time and go into 50 mm square tubes.
I still keep a soft-sunlight for them.
The folowing 2 species were repotted last week.

(13) A. agavoides

(19) A. retusus cv mitsuibo boatan (tri-fingers)

Seedlings sown seeds in 2010 and 2009

They have been grown under soft sunlight in 50 mm square pots.
(19) A. retusus cv mitsuibo botan

(26) A. kotschoubeyanus f Rio Berde
Some of them have reached to the flowering age.

Without words. . .












K.W.