Dodo's first seedlings

[DodoBrooke]

I opened this post to have a track of my first attempts. I have been reading about growing cacti from seeds many years ago I found it to be very complicated and some months ago I found this forum and decided I should give it a try.
Due to my limited space conditions I don’t dream big so for now I just want to see if my experiment will work out and then decide if I wish to move on to more seedlings and some challenging species. The winter will be a test period.
Anyway here is my diary regarding my first sow attempt;

M. Prolifera-germ on day 10
Had these seeds as a gift and had almost 100% germination rate. Did not count seeds, there were around 60-70

E. Davisii-germ on day 6 (3/10)
60days after sowing algaes started to spread and I panicked and open the bag trying to sprey seedlings but afterwards I had accident with the pot and spilled soil. Had to trow away everything.

G. Spegazzini-germ on day 4 (5/5)

R. Pygmaea colorea-germ on day 7 (6/10)
These are unusually etiolated don’t know why, they are kept at the same place as all other seedlings.

R.Pygmaea –no germination (0/10)
Fungus spread all over the pot even though soil was sterilized.

G.Saglionis-germ on day 5
Armen's seeds. Did not count but I have around 85 germinated.

Echinofossulocactus-germ on day 5 (18/18)
Had fungus after 10 days but open the bag for few days to dry the soil and later it was fine.

Parodia saint-pieana-no germination
Armen's seeds but he warned be this might happen.

M. Bombycina-germ on day 17 (9/16)

M.Huitzilopochtli-germ on day 2 (30/30)
Unfortunately lot of fungus spread all over the pot and killed almost all seedling. I still have 2 survivors not looking good at the moment

Below are some photos. Those are the best I can take as they are put in a small bag so very inconvenient to take pictures.
I have sterilized soil in microwave and used standard soil mix + pumice + small aquarium gravel.

Right is a Echinofossulocactus, left M.Bombycina

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Rebutia pygmaea coloraea, is it a normal look or etiolated? It is kept together with other seedlings and receiving the same amount of light.

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M. Prolifera

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G. Spegazzini

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G.Saglionis. Here's a bit crowded...

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[greenknight]

Rebutias typically grow elongated at first, no problem there. Looks like the light level is fine, good looking seedlings.

[ElieEstephane]

R.Pygmaea –no germination (0/10)
Fungus spread all over the pot even though soil was sterilized.

Sometimes it's the seeds that are contaminated and it's not your fault. All in all very good looking seedlings. G. Saglionis grows like weeds so you have to repot often!

[DodoBrooke]

Just to report that I have sown Notocactus Glaucinus seeds on 8th Sep but no signs of germination yet.
I'am quite sad. There must have been around 70 seeds.
Now I have tried to move pot to some colder place as I have read Parodias and Noto need lower temps to germinate. Until now I had around 28-29C during day and 23C during night.

[cosmotoad]

Looks like a good start, keep it up

[Licespray]

Just to report that I have sown Notocactus Glaucinus seeds on 8th Sep but no signs of germination yet.
I'am quite sad. There must have been around 70 seeds.
Now I have tried to move pot to some colder place as I have read Parodias and Noto need lower temps to germinate. Until now I had around 28-29C during day and 23C during night.

I’m having no luck germinating a couple Ferocactus and trichocereus species. 10 seeds of each, been 3 weeks and I’m 0/10, 0/10 and 0/10! Temperature is 10c at night and 27c daytime. Dunno what’s going on.

[Spikylover]

I’m having no luck germinating a couple Ferocactus and trichocereus species. 10 seeds of each, been 3 weeks and I’m 0/10, 0/10 and 0/10! Temperature is 10c at night and 27c daytime. Dunno what’s going on.

10 degrees at night is way too low to germinate cactus seeds!

[Licespray]

I’m having no luck germinating a couple Ferocactus and trichocereus species. 10 seeds of each, been 3 weeks and I’m 0/10, 0/10 and 0/10! Temperature is 10c at night and 27c daytime. Dunno what’s going on.

10 degrees at night is way too low to germinate cactus seeds!

So maybe when the nights warm up they’ll germinate?

[Spikylover]

I’m having no luck germinating a couple Ferocactus and trichocereus species. 10 seeds of each, been 3 weeks and I’m 0/10, 0/10 and 0/10! Temperature is 10c at night and 27c daytime. Dunno what’s going on.

10 degrees at night is way too low to germinate cactus seeds!

So maybe when the nights warm up they’ll germinate?

Nothing except mountain species (rebutia aylostera oreocereus...) germinates below 20 degrees

[Licespray]

Started germinating, hooray!

Sorry for the derail, dodo. Please, proceed

[DodoBrooke]

Started germinating, hooray!

Sorry for the derail, dodo. Please, proceed

No problem, glad to hear your Fero and Tricho have germinated! What is the number so far?

I am also happy as today, after 27 days of sowing I see 2 teeny tiny Notocactus seedlings. I hope there will be more to come, don’t know...

[Licespray]

I think 3/3/1 (fero fero tricho). Then about a hundred echinocactus grusonii.

That’s out of 10 for the first 3, and an unknown number for the echinocactus. Got literally thousands of E. grusonii seeds. Gunna see if anyone else would like any (for the cost of postage)

[DodoBrooke]

I have ordered new seeds recently, order was from kaktusy.cz/eshop but afterwards I have read bad reviews about the seller and how people
have waited more than 7 mts for their delivery.
Now I am quite worried as I definitely don't want to wait that long, I want to sow before Nov.
Cross fingers for my on-time delivery...

The list of ordered seeds is as follows;
Copiapoa melanohystrix
Escobaria chaffeyi
Echionocereus davisii
Echinocereus oklahomensis
Gymnocalycium neuhuberi
Gymnocalycium paediophilum
Gymnocalycium riojense
Lobivia pentlandi
Mammillaria Bocasana v.roseiflora
Mammillaria hermosana
Mammillaria herrerae
Strombocactus disciformus
Turbinicarpus hoferi
Turbinicarpus pseudopectinatus rubriflorus

[cosmotoad]

I've never tried kaktusy.cz/eshop but hopefully you'll get your seeds on time, looks like some interesting seed choices. I've ordered mainly from koehres, succseed and mesagarden and they've never disappointed, so if you're not happy with the kaktusy people give those a try next time. All those websites can be a little slow, I'm still waiting for some seeds I ordered 3 weeks ago from koehres, but they always show up and germination rates are good.

Hope you can sow some cacti some time this October, good luck

[supergodzilla]

From experience, the Czech seed sellers move at a glacial pace -- sometimes months to even acknowledge your order, and then further months to post it. However, when the seeds arrive they always seem to be of outstanding quality, with very high germination rates. This is the opposite experience to that which I've had ordering from Koehres, where seeds arrive rapidly and then suffer extremely low rates of germination!