germinating rebutia seeds

[Murph]

How would you recommend germinating rebutia seeds?

As in what soil, temperature, moisture/humidity, and do the seeds need to be soaked or boiled before planting, etc...and how long until they germinate?

[Murph]

no-one knows???

[Dominique]

Hello, Murph,

I have no experience in rebutia seeds but from what I read, it appears they are among the easiest. I found a few tips in those articles :
http://homepage.powerup.com.au/~cssq/ar ... butia.html
http://www.bcss.org.uk/seedgrow.html
http://www.teessidecacti.org/BCSS/CULTIVAT/seed_pic.htm

[Murph]

Thanks Dominique - those articles were very helpful. Now i'll try to get these seeds sown and maybe some baby cacti soon!

[Dominique]

Murph, I'm interested in knowing what you are going to get. I started with a few seeds of lophophora and mammillaria last summer and they are OK at the moment. I have every intention to try other types of seeds as soon as spring comes here (another couple of months).

[CactiJim]

Did they ever germinate? I just sowed some Rebutia theresae seeds on August 15, 2020. I used 1 part perlite, 1 part coconut coir, 1 part worm castings.

[7george]

Rebutia germinate easy at lower temps (16 - 20 C) and high humidity. Looks now is the right time for this in Australia. But the soil mix has to be sterilized if you want good survival rate.

[CactiJim]

Rebutia germinate easy at lower temps (16 - 20 C) and high humidity. Looks now is the right time for this in Australia. But the soil mix has to be sterilized if you want good survival rate.

Ohhh at lower temps. I think I might have cooked my Rebutia seeds then. I have them in a baggie outside on my patio. They’re not in direct sunlight but it was recently around 106°F—or 41°C—here in SoCal and I think they may have gotten cooked.

I have not seen any signs of germination and it’s been over 10 days. Many other seeds I sowed at the same time have germinated. Different species, though.

[x_101]

Ohhh at lower temps. I think I might have cooked my Rebutia seeds then. I have them in a baggie outside on my patio. They’re not in direct sunlight but it was recently around 106°F—or 41°C—here in SoCal and I think they may have gotten cooked.

I have not seen any signs of germination and it’s been over 10 days. Many other seeds I sowed at the same time have germinated. Different species, though.

I did the same mistake too, just a bit different. It was pretty cool outside when I sowed them (16-17 C in May, but I got fooled by a few warm days). They germinated half a month later, when temps got around 20-22 C. Then, I got the ''bright'' idea to get the baggies in my greenhouse, in kinda filtered light. After 1 day, they were blackish-red. The next day, I checked the temps and I saw 35 C. Got them out of there, back indoors in indirect light. Some of them were like jelly and just died.

I read somewhere after that seedlings should stay at max 27 C to keep growing and be healthy. I'm thinking of getting one of those heated propagators with artificial lights (maybe build one, those already made ones are darn expensive). I feel like with natural conditions, it's really hard to get the ideal light levels AND temperature.

[CactiJim]

Ohhh at lower temps. I think I might have cooked my Rebutia seeds then. I have them in a baggie outside on my patio. They’re not in direct sunlight but it was recently around 106°F—or 41°C—here in SoCal and I think they may have gotten cooked.

I have not seen any signs of germination and it’s been over 10 days. Many other seeds I sowed at the same time have germinated. Different species, though.

I did the same mistake too, just a bit different. It was pretty cool outside when I sowed them (16-17 C in May, but I got fooled by a few warm days). They germinated half a month later, when temps got around 20-22 C. Then, I got the ''bright'' idea to get the baggies in my greenhouse, in kinda filtered light. After 1 day, they were blackish-red. The next day, I checked the temps and I saw 35 C. Got them out of there, back indoors in indirect light. Some of them were like jelly and just died.

I read somewhere after that seedlings should stay at max 27 C to keep growing and be healthy. I'm thinking of getting one of those heated propagators with artificial lights (maybe build one, those already made ones are darn expensive). I feel like with natural conditions, it's really hard to get the ideal light levels AND temperature.

Ouch. Maybe I should bring my seedlings in during the day then; it’s been pretty hot here in SoCal recently, around 100°F (37°C). I don’t monitor the temp in the baggie by thermometer or anything, I just leave them outside out of direct sun. And when the sun hits their little area, I usually put a very thing sheet in packaging paper that I got in a package over then. If my Rebutia and F. macrodiscus don’t germinate, in a month, I’ll probably let the container dry out and re-wet it and see. If. If nothing happens then, then it’s time to play TAPS for my little seeds

Thanks for the information, brotha.

[keith]

Yea it is HOT I think I killed a bunch of Lithops seeds a few came up and disintegrated by the next day. I let the pots dry out will try again in OCT.

On the other hand I am getting random seedlings sprouting in a few North American cactus pots I germinated a few months ago. Epithelantha and Echinocereus stragglers. They like the heat reminds them of their home way out in the desert.

Rebutia I haven't had luck with them just a few sprouts . I also hear they are easy so IDK ?

[CactiJim]

Yeah, I hear rebutias are easy too. I will try again too. I shan’t lose to the Rebutia!