supergodzilla seed growing

[supergodzilla]

Like many of you, I've decided to create a thread to track my seed growing. This year is my second year sowing cacti seeds - last year, I sowed many and learned a great deal. There were lots of failures and growth rates were a long way from optimal, but I do have many very small cacti seedlings awakening from their winter slumber.

Here are a few notable highlights from the 2017/2018 season:

Pachycereus Pringlei - sewn 5/7/2017

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Frailea Asterioides - sewn 8/8/2017

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Astrophytum Asterias - sewn 23/10/2017

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Epithelantha Bokei - sewn 21/12/2017

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Building on what I learned last year, I've refined my processes with the hope of increasing germination and growth rates. This year, I've adopted a fairly uniform process. 63mm pots are filled with a mix of 1:1 finely sifted coir and pumice. These are soaked in water and microwaved for four minutes to kill any pathogens. They are placed in a baggie and allowed to cool. Seeds are soaked in a diluted bleach mix for an hour and dried before sowing to kill any mould spores on the seed coating. (I have found that this has greatly reduced mould on the seed coats, but hasn't eliminated it entirely.) The baggies are labelled and placed on a heat mat under a pair of fluorescent T5 lights which are set to run 16 hours each day. I manually set the heat mat to 25C each morning and turn it off at night to simulate cool nights.

So far, here's what I've sowed and it's current progress. I won't bother posting any photos just yet, few cacti are showing any particularly unique features at this early point.

Sowed 14th August 2018 - Sowed/Germinated/Germination %
Pelecyphora Strobilliformis - 50/35/70%
Turbinicarpus Valdezianus v. Albiflorus 64/51/80%
Epithelantha Bokei - 16/7/44%
Aztekium Hintonii - 111/80/72%

Sowed 19th August 2018
Carnegeia Gigantea - 21/9/42%
Ariocarpus Kotschoubeyanus v. Elephantidens - 25/6/24%

Sowed 25th August 2018
Astrophytum Coahuilense - 25/20/80%
Astrophytum Myriostigma cv. Kikko - 27/23/82%
Trichocereus Pachanoi x Scopulicola Hybrid 54/27/50%

Sowed 31st August 2018
Astrophytum Asterias cv. Lizard Skin 52/45/87%
Astrophytum Asterias cv. Superkabuto 123/87/71%
Astrophytum Asterias cv. Nudum Ooibo 112/100/89%
Astrophytum Asterias cv. Kikko 100/58/58%
Astrophytum Myriostigma cv. Rokkotsu 100/82/82%
Copiapoa Dealbata 8/3/38%
Copiapoa Cinerea v. Columna Alba 10/2/20%

Sowed 1st September 2018
Tephrocactus Geometricus 22/5/23%
Austrocactus Bertinii 29/2/7%
Maihuenia Patagonica 10/2/20%
Maihuenia Patagonica v. Rubrispinus 10/0/0%

Sowed 9th September 2018
Geohintonia Mexicana 44/27/61%
Ferocactus Lindsayii 24/0/0%
Epithelantha Micromeris v. Neomexicana 32/17/53%
Turbinicarpus Pseudopectinatus 35/33/94%
Mammillaria Luethyi 29/1/3%
Matucana Madisoniorum 25/8/32%
Azureocereus Imperator 27/13/48%

Sowed 19th September 2018
Trichocereus Scopulicola cv. Hulk 59/40/68%
Copiapoa Hypogea cv. Lizard Skin 48/30/63%

Sowed 23rd September 2018
Ariocarpus cultivar mix 32/5/16%
Copiapoa Haseltonia v. Gigantea 42/1/2%
Strombocactus Disciformis 104/36/35%

[cosmotoad]

Hi, your seedlings are looking good. I'm growing a few of the same types you are and also planted them around the same time (ariocarpus, austrocactus, copiapoa, etc.). Soon I'll have some aztekium and geohintonia seeds coming too. You definitely seem to be more organized than me with the % of germination rates and all. Some of the September 1st seeds are pretty difficult to germinate I think, but it looks like you've got a few to grow. I don't know if Maihuenia is as hard as germinating opuntia but I've pretty much given up on those kinds of seeds for the time being (austrocylindropuntia floccosa was impossible).

Best of luck to you!

[Aiko]

I don't know if Maihuenia is as hard as germinating opuntia but I've pretty much given up on those kinds of seeds for the time being (austrocylindropuntia floccosa was impossible).

Restart the seeds a year later, if they don't germinate. And if needed, once more a year later, and again and again. You might be surprised what (finally) might still germinate.

[cosmotoad]

I did do that and many other things over the years but no results. I think I got the seeds like 6 years ago, I tried stratification, scarification, leaving a couple outside all winter, some in humidity, etc. I read online that sometimes it helps to have a bird eat it and collect it from the droppings. I just happened to get a couple of budgies about a week ago but I don't have the seeds anymore, and these birds are pretty small anyway so.. I don't know if anyone actually tried that method but that's maybe the one thing I didn't try. Anyway, I definitely came at it from many angles but I think I'll wait a while until I try again.

[Daedalux]

I've pretty new to seed growing and I have only germinated Frailea so far, how do you do the baggy method? Seems like Frailea is pretty easy to germinate but I wanted to grow some more species

You only water it once and then bag it up until they get somewhat big?

How do you do with the lightning? To start with ? (I have mine in my living room, near a south facing window)

Thanks and cheers!

[cosmotoad]

I don't want to take over this thread or anything but yes, more or less you bag the seeds and keep them in there at 100% humidity until you feel they're ready to come out (could be a year or two depending on the type). Sometimes there can be issues with algae/mold which may force you to take them out early or use fungicide/hydrogen peroxide (I usually just unbag them and spray with water regularly if that happens). As for light you may want to use some fluorescent or LED lighting, a window might not be enough especially at this time of year. One of those spiral CFL bulbs works fine if you keep it close enough (too close and they'll turn red, too far and the seedlings will stretch. Just experiment until you find what the seedlings like.)

[Daedalux]

I don't want to take over this thread or anything but yes, more or less you bag the seeds and keep them in there at 100% humidity until you feel they're ready to come out (could be a year or two depending on the type). Sometimes there can be issues with algae/mold which may force you to take them out early or use fungicide/hydrogen peroxide (I usually just unbag them and spray with water regularly if that happens). As for light you may want to use some fluorescent or LED lighting, a window might not be enough especially at this time of year. One of those spiral CFL bulbs works fine if you keep it close enough (too close and they'll turn red, too far and the seedlings will stretch. Just experiment until you find what the seedlings like.)

Thank you!! Will one bulb of those be sufficient for 3 pots like I have at the moment?
How much hours should it be turned on lightning them up?

Thanks and sorry to the OP for the thread "hijack", love those seedlings!

[cosmotoad]

I think one bulb should be fine, you can have them almost touching the bags since they run so cool, so work out what distance is best. Most of the fluorescent bulbs for household use are I think 13w or 26w, either would probably work but brighter is better if you can get it. For my plants I have the lights on 16 hours, off 8 hours, but you can do 12/12 or 18/6, or whatever works in your situation.

[supergodzilla]

Hi, your seedlings are looking good. I'm growing a few of the same types you are and also planted them around the same time (ariocarpus, austrocactus, copiapoa, etc.). Soon I'll have some aztekium and geohintonia seeds coming too. You definitely seem to be more organized than me with the % of germination rates and all. Some of the September 1st seeds are pretty difficult to germinate I think, but it looks like you've got a few to grow. I don't know if Maihuenia is as hard as germinating opuntia but I've pretty much given up on those kinds of seeds for the time being (austrocylindropuntia floccosa was impossible).

Best of luck to you!

Thank you!

The September 1st seeds were all soaked in GA3 in an attempt to stimulate germination. I did so last year and had excellent germination rates, (Austrocactus 100%) but the seedlings succumbed to fungus and rotted. I still do have one tephrocactus geometricus from last year that survived, but nothing else. This year I haven't had the same success with germination, so either it was beginner's luck or my seed source is less viable this go around.

[supergodzilla]

How do you do with the lightning? To start with ? (I have mine in my living room, near a south facing window)

Thanks and cheers!

Cosmotoad has answered re: the baggie method, but I thought I'd add re: lighting.

I have all my baggies under two fluorescent tubes. I can raise or lower my lighting rig depending on light requirements as it's attached by chains to the ceiling. As the seedlings grow and develop a greater tolerance to light, I'll lower the lights to provide more intensity before I eventually move them outside.

Here's a photo of the set-up (apologies about the banding, the fluoro lights play havoc with a phone camera.)

MVIMG_20180917_162306.jpg (73.43 KiB) Viewed 6643 times

[Daedalux]

How do you do with the lightning? To start with ? (I have mine in my living room, near a south facing window)

Thanks and cheers!

Cosmotoad has answered re: the baggie method, but I thought I'd add re: lighting.

I have all my baggies under two fluorescent tubes. I can raise or lower my lighting rig depending on light requirements as it's attached by chains to the ceiling. As the seedlings grow and develop a greater tolerance to light, I'll lower the lights to provide more intensity before I eventually move them outside.

Here's a photo of the set-up (apologies about the banding, the fluoro lights play havoc with a phone camera.)

MVIMG_20180917_162306.jpg

Dang that seems like a lot of watts!
How much time do they run for?

Cheers!

[Daedalux]

These are mine, at the moment, with a 13w led light


What do you think guys?

[supergodzilla]

Dang that seems like a lot of watts!
How much time do they run for?

Cheers!

16 hours on, 8 hours off.

These are mine, at the moment, with a 13w led light
What do you think guys?

Looks fine -- if they're germinating and are staying a happy medium between etiolating and turning red, then you're doing well.

[Daedalux]

Just bought a new 16w led light with 1300 lumens and 6000k. Let's see how they do, for now I only can give them 6h artificial light, will try to give them more if they seem to ask for it! Do you think its way less than optimal?

Thanks guys

[7george]

Just bought a new 16w led light with 1300 lumens and 6000k. Let's see how they do, for now I only can give them 6h artificial light, will try to give them more if they seem to ask for it! Do you think its way less than optimal?

Babies are still germinating so for the moment it might be enough. Then for growing up just 6 hours will be OK if they receive another 6 h of daylight.