Germinating Pediocactus simpsonii

[MitchellM]

I'm interested in cold hardy cacti and picked up some Pediocactus simpsonii seeds. A lot of sources say to stratify outdoors in early spring. I'm eager to get these started though. One person suggests chipping the seed coat with a pin and I'm thinking of trying that.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGG2-YpGDWA[/youtube]
Has anyone tried that and if so did it work well?

Or maybe I'll try to stratify in my refrigerator/freezer or stratify outdoors in November. Or just sow without treatment and be prepared for a lower germination rate. The seeds weren't super expensive or hard to get so I can always get more seed and try again the "right" way if what I try now fails.

[DaveW]

If you try concentrated acids like battery acid be careful, particularly diluting it and wear goggles, also keep a bucket of water handy to wash off any spills, preferably don't use concentrated acids.

See also:-

http://seedscactus.com/en/content/62-co ... -awakening

You can get small quantities of Gibberellic Acid (GA3) off EBAY UK, so presume most EBAY's will list it. I have some somewhere but never got around to using it.

http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/GibberellicAcid.htm#GA-3 Information Sheet

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gibberellic- ... xy8e9SVTpQ

[keith]

I grew some from seed years ago I just put them out in the rain in Winter and some sprouted. Not very scientific I'm afraid.

[DaveW]

Yes stratification (subjected to a cold winter, or sometimes a couple for some tree seeds) through being out in the cold or in the fridge for a time often helps.

[MitchellM]

If you try concentrated acids like battery acid be careful, particularly diluting it and wear goggles, also keep a bucket of water handy to wash off any spills, preferably don't use concentrated acids.

See also:-

http://seedscactus.com/en/content/62-co ... -awakening

You can get small quantities of Gibberellic Acid (GA3) off EBAY UK, so presume most EBAY's will list it. I have some somewhere but never got around to using it.

http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/GibberellicAcid.htm#GA-3 Information Sheet

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gibberellic- ... xy8e9SVTpQ

Giberellic acic sounds interesting. Wikipedia says wheat seedlings have a lot of it. It wouldn't be too hard to sprout some wheat, run it through my Omega juicer, and soak some seeds in the juice as an experiment.

I think I'll try the seed coat chipping method now and get a second batch of seed to stratify outside when it gets colder.

[dwood5513]

Stratify in the freezer six months and you should be good to go.
If anyone has any advice how to grow seedlings once they've germinated though, let me know.

[dwood5513]

If you try concentrated acids like battery acid be careful, particularly diluting it and wear goggles, also keep a bucket of water handy to wash off any spills, preferably don't use concentrated acids.

See also:-

http://seedscactus.com/en/content/62-co ... -awakening

You can get small quantities of Gibberellic Acid (GA3) off EBAY UK, so presume most EBAY's will list it. I have some somewhere but never got around to using it.

http://www.jlhudsonseeds.net/GibberellicAcid.htm#GA-3 Information Sheet

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gibberellic- ... xy8e9SVTpQ

Giberellic acic sounds interesting. Wikipedia says wheat seedlings have a lot of it. It wouldn't be too hard to sprout some wheat, run it through my Omega juicer, and soak some seeds in the juice as an experiment.

I think I'll try the seed coat chipping method now and get a second batch of seed to stratify outside when it gets colder.

Giberellic Acid does indeed work but keep in mind high dosages are as bad as no dose. Higher doses cause elongation in seedlings. I'm doing experiments with GA3 and I do not know if the seedlings grow out of it or die of rot. Looks like they would rot but I've been wrong before. So far they are just really leggy looking.

[MitchellM]

There was a disease called "Foolish Seedling Disease" caused by gibberelins produced by fungi in the soil. I got 5 grams of GA3 and have no way to weigh a smaller amount accurately. I decided to make a stock solution of 1 liter at 5g per liter and add 1 ml of that solution to 100 ml of water. I'm thinking of trying it on some English yew, Eastern prickly pear, and sumac seeds that I gathered as well. The Pediocactus seed came from a vendor that is very hit or miss on germination rates so I won't even know if it's the quality of the seed or my method failing if it does not germinate.

[MitchellM]

Stratify in the freezer six months and you should be good to go.
If anyone has any advice how to grow seedlings once they've germinated though, let me know.

Keep them in a humid environment but don't let mold grow! I'm just now getting mold in a tray that had none since I started it in late September. I'm blaming more spores in the air from fallen leaves. I had some Astrophytum myriostigma tamaulipense mold right away. I think that was on the seed coat because the seeds were huge and rough textured. I've had good results misting with 1.5 percent hydrogen peroxide when I see mold on the substrate.

[SoilSifter]

I tried some things to germinate some of these recently. Last summer I harvested some seed from a few of my Pediocactus simpsonii plants. I also read they need stratification to germinate. I'm not sure that is required. I took the seeds and poured them on to some fine sand paper placed in the bottom of a container. I rolled the seeds around on the sand paper with my fingers, applying a bit of pressure, scarifying them. Then I put all the seeds on a homemade seed starting mix, watered them a bit, and put them in a refrigerator. Unexpectedly a lot of the seeds quickly germinated while in the refrigerator! I didn't notice that immediately but eventually I tried to pick out the germinating seeds and put them in another pot with more light and warmth. Unfortunately all except one of the seedlings turned to mush. I think they were caught at a sensitive stage of growth for too long while in the refrigerator. After a couple months I removed the ungerminated seeds from the refrigerator and with a bit of moisture and heat they are currently germinating, too. Rather than try two methods I might've had good germination with only scarification.

[dwood5513]

I tried some things to germinate some of these recently. Last summer I harvested some seed from a few of my Pediocactus simpsonii plants. I also read they need stratification to germinate. I'm not sure that is required. I took the seeds and poured them on to some fine sand paper placed in the bottom of a container. I rolled the seeds around on the sand paper with my fingers, applying a bit of pressure, scarifying them. Then I put all the seeds on a homemade seed starting mix, watered them a bit, and put them in a refrigerator. Unexpectedly a lot of the seeds quickly germinated while in the refrigerator! I didn't notice that immediately but eventually I tried to pick out the germinating seeds and put them in another pot with more light and warmth. Unfortunately all except one of the seedlings turned to mush. I think they were caught at a sensitive stage of growth for too long while in the refrigerator. After a couple months I removed the ungerminated seeds from the refrigerator and with a bit of moisture and heat they are currently germinating, too. Rather than try two methods I might've had good germination with only scarification.

My hands arent nimble enough to scarify tiny seeds. The freezer method works without fail but all my seedlings rot after a few weeks to a few months. I dont have this problem in general.