Advice on my method

[abhikjha]

Hi guys

I ordered a loads of Melocactus, Discocactus and Uebelmannia seeds from MG, Succseed which will arrive soon.

At the moment, I am planning to use following method to germinate my seeds:

1. Put the seeds into fridge for stratification for atleast 15 days
2. Use a clear, clean and transparent plastic containers with 4-5 drainage holes and 1 hole on top for ventilation.
3. Take out the seeds from fridge 48 hrs ago before sowing
4. Overnight soaking into warm RO water for 24 hrs
5. Potting mix as 2 parts cocopeat, 2 parts perlite, 1 part vermiculite and 1 part vermicompost.
6. Microwave it for 5 minutes
7. Cool it down for 2-3 hrs
8. Use fungicide and rooting hormone to mix with the potting mix
9. Instead of plain water, I spray the mix of 1 part Hydrogen peroxide with 3 parts RO water till water comes out of the drainage holes. Gently tap the mix to make it a even and smoother surface on top.
10. Spray seeds on top and gently press to make seed to soil contact.
11. Cover it with fine river sand on top and most it again with same hydrogen peroxide with water.
12. Close the lid and place it a bit away from my South facing window

Is the above approach fine? Any changes you might suggest.

Also I have few questions:
1. Do I need to put seeds in fridge before sowing. Have seen different views on the forum here.
2. Do I need a hole on top of the plastic containers for ventilation. I have never seen anyone doing it.
3. Is my potting mix right? I can use pumice but pumice here I get is of a bit larger size so I am worried if it will block the seeds to germinate.
4. Is overnight soaking of seeds helpful? Anything else which can be helpful to get good germination rate?

Thanks
AJ

[teo]

Don't think stratification is any good for these (tropical) species?

[abhikjha]

Thanks much Teo!! This is understandable given no winters in tropics!

Soaking seeds in water and ventilating hole on top of the lid is okay in your view?

[teo]

Yes - or at least look for signs for mildew/fungus/algae if it is closed

[keith]

2. Do I need a hole on top of the plastic containers for ventilation. I have never seen anyone doing it."

Not if you microwave your soil because it will let possible fungus in. Your method is the "boy in the bubble " method. Soak your seeds in Hydrogen peroxide also they could have fungus on them. All sterile if they are enclosed like that .

[abhikjha]

Thanks Keith & Teo..

I will microwave the mix and soak seeds in H2O2 as well. Will keep the lid fully closed. Usually in how many days Melocactus seeds germinate? I won't be using any heat mats etc., as the weather is pretty warm here anyways (33-34 C in day and 24-25 in night)..also, I am planning to keep them fully enclosed for 3 months..

[mmcavall]

I live in Brazil and have germinated lots of Melocacti and Discocacti, and a few Uebelmannia.

My method is the bag method, but I make things much simpler than you are planning to do.

No cold stratification for these species.

I prepare my sowing mix (similar to yours) and bake it in the oven. Them I put it in the pots and water the pots with a diluted fertilizer solution. The solution is not sterile, nor the pots etc so some algae and mold sometimes appear but it is not a problem.

Them I throw the seeds (without any previous treatment) over the sowing mix and spray a little water on them. I do not cover them. It is not necessary but a very thin layer will do no arm.

Put all pots inside a closed transparent container and let it closed (without holes) for some months.

That's it. These genera are not difficult to grow from seed.

[7george]

2. Do I need a hole on top of the plastic containers for ventilation. I have never seen anyone doing it."

Not if you microwave your soil because it will let possible fungus in. Your method is the "boy in the bubble " method. Soak your seeds in Hydrogen peroxide also they could have fungus on them. All sterile if they are enclosed like that .

You don't need wholes on the top of the covers at the first time, maybe just after some time when seedlings grow up to 5 mm big. Even then you better uncover completely your containers because microwaving (of the moist soil mix!) may not eliminate all fungi and spores will get inside through the wholes.

Don't assume that everything will be fine from the first attempt so maybe you will have to repeat the sowing once or more times. Save some seeds aside if you have extra ones.

[abhikjha]

Thanks a lot @mmcavall and George!

@mmcavall - since ours climate would be very much similar, I will draw lots of inspirations from your method. It sounds much easier than my method though..

one question I had - when do you remove the transparent container especially for Melocactus and Discocactus? Is 4 months period sound ok? And do you remove it completely just one fine day or gradually acclimatize the seedlings to outside weather over few weeks? And one last question - do you water the pots when they are inside the container or its done only after few months when you remove the container?

[mmcavall]

After a few months they are already read to leave the container. I don't have a exact recipe. It really depends on the size of the plants and on the season. If I sow in early spring, I can take the plants out of the container in a few months, in the summer. If I sow in autumn, I will let they grow in the container until the spring. That means that I prefer to take them out o the container in the hottest seasons, when I know I can water them very frequently. Taking them out of the box in the (relatively) cold and dry season is not a good idea.

You don't need to water them when they are inside the container. Never. Provided that the contêiner is really closed and the mix is soaked.

You can open the container removing the lid completely. No adapting steps are needed. In fact I just take the pots out of the container and put them on the shelf directly, just remember to keep them watered when you do it.

I suppose by your questions that you don't have much experience so I recommend you to sow only part of your seeds and see how it goes. You will be more and more confident after doing some different attempts. And you always have to adapt the things to your conditions and climate, so take it easy.