Question on exposed roots and tipped over seedlings

[wgosner]

Hello, I'm trying out growing cactus from seeds for the first time. Two of the species have what looks, at least to my novice eyes, like unusual growth patterns so far. On some, the first root seems to be exposed and the fleshy part is tipped over. Is this typical? If not, would you recommend doing anything? I wondered about reburying the seedling so that the root is in the soil, for example. I'm growing them indoors inside baggies and under a grow light. The soil is a mixture of cactus mix and perlite with sand on top.

The ones on the bottom are Echinomastus intertextus and the top are Sclerocactus parviflorus var. havasupaiensis.

Thanks for any advice!

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[Aiko]

Don't worry, the seedlings will set themselves up. Although personally I would give the bottom one some help using a knife, dig a deep hole and lower the root into the hole and then close it up.

I must say, growing Echinomastus and Sclerocactus on your first try of growing from seed is quite... a challenge.
Especially Sclerocactus are hard to grow even if you are experienced. I would certainly recommend growing some more common species first to give yourself a bit of a boost of succesful growing. Because these two species might disappoint you on the longer run. Do you have other species growing too?

[wgosner]

Thanks for the reply. I think I will see if I can help the bottom one a bit.

I didn't realize that these two are among the harder kinds to grow! I went on Mesa Garden and picked species that had been collected in Arizona, since that's where I am located and am interested in growing local-ish cacti. The other ones I am trying from Mesa are:
Echinocereus arizonicus ‘coccineus’, Echinocereus triglochidiatus, Echinocereus rigidissimus, and Echinocereus fasciculatus 'engelmannii'. I'm also growing some seeds that I've collected from friends' plants here: saguaro, Mammillaria grahamii, and (I think) Ferocactus emoryi ssp rectispinus.

[Aiko]

I see, your climate should help you a bit here for a higher chance of succes, probably. They are harder for me (but I have a few species of Echinomastus growing and flowering well up here, but I don't have had much succes with the Sclerocactus).

The other species are easier.

[zpeckler]

Thanks for the reply. I think I will see if I can help the bottom one a bit.

I didn't realize that these two are among the harder kinds to grow! I went on Mesa Garden and picked species that had been collected in Arizona, since that's where I am located and am interested in growing local-ish cacti. The other ones I am trying from Mesa are:
Echinocereus arizonicus ‘coccineus’, Echinocereus triglochidiatus, Echinocereus rigidissimus, and Echinocereus fasciculatus 'engelmannii'. I'm also growing some seeds that I've collected from friends' plants here: saguaro, Mammillaria grahamii, and (I think) Ferocactus emoryi ssp rectispinus.

I can't fault you for your approach. I too am primarily interested in growing my own native CA cacti because of my connection to my home state. That being said, I too am only in the beginnings of my seed-growing journey and we both have the bad luck of having some of our native species be ones that are VERY difficult in cultivation. For me it's Echinocactus polycphalus and Echinomastus johnsonii. I've sown E. poly the past two years with increasing but still poor success, and I'm going to sow E. johnsonii for the first time this year. I don't' expect a ton of success with either, but hey that's the learning process.

I am glad to see you're also sowing some easier species to take care of. The Echinocereus, Ferocactus, and Saguaro should be great intros to raising cactus from seed that shouldn't bee too difficult to take care of. Having some successes with some easier species will help you get your sea legs. I've got some Feros and Echinocereus engelmani going at the moment and they're doing alright even though my seed growing skills could be described as somewhere between "flailing" and "bumbling." M. grahamii might be medium-difficult. The Echinomastus and Sclerocactus will probably suffer a high attrition rate even in the hands of a very experienced grower, but the first step towards being kinda good at taking care of plants is sucking at taking care of plants and keeping on trying. Good luck!