Aztekium Ritteri seedlings: what to do next?

[bvdg]

Hi all,

About 6 months ago, I was lucky with a batch of seeds of Aztekium Ritteri and I germinated about 20 of them in two different pots. Now 6 months later, I wonder what to best to make sure they survive the winter and develop as nice plants. THe plan is to have them grown on their own roots. According to the pictures, I still have about 10 seedlings left who are still quite tiny for their age. They are held inside the house (16 °C) next to an east-oriented window for indirect light. I keep the soil most but not too wet. Sometimes I leave the pots for a day on a heating map that goes up to 25 °C. Soil is a mixture of pearlite, humus, lava and some fertilizer which I got from a local hobbyist.

What would you recommend? Place them on the heating map non-stop during winter time or keep them as they are? Repot in a similar mixture? Any input is appreciated. Thanks!

Bart

[Jangaudi]

if you've kept them warmish and humid until now, you could as well stretch their summer growth a bit longer, and give them a short winter rest towards the end of the winter. Mine are 8 months old now, but are inside a jar in which I have slowly decreased the humidity, until there's enough to survive, but not enough to rot, so they are resting already, but inside the jar, locked lid. They seem to be very happy
If yours have been open and dry a long time, it might not work to enclose them again...
Oh, and I remember reading somewhere you'd better keep them in the same soil for the first couple of years, due to their slow growth etc.

it's a mix with hintoni, in case you wonder.

[bvdg]

Thanks for the reply, and nice pictures! Indeed I have removed the lid a while ago and they seem to have adapted to the less moist atmosphere. I'll continue what I'm doing so far, just wondering if I should put the heating on from time to time, or even permanently. Do you keep them warm or just room temperature?

[Jangaudi]

if they are only 6 months old, I would extend their summer artificially, so heat a bit (depends what your room temperature is of course), and some occasional watering.

[yonnoy]

I have thought in keep them in bag for almost 1 year, no open and no aditional water.

What do you think?

[Fatich]

I have thought in keep them in bag for almost 1 year, no open and no aditional water.

What do you think?

As long as there is no fungi or mould, its the best way to keep them in this way.

[bvdg]

Thanks for the feedback. For the next batch I'll be sure to keep them in a moist atmosphere for at least a year.