Hiya all I have just recently got the lithops bug! LOL I would trade anything im my exchage list for some of em! Please if anyone has any, expecially the bright colored ones that they wanna trade, send me a email or just post here! Thanks alot whisst

Do you still have any of these plants left? You can feel free to email me at jolly_rancherscream@hotmail.com

Lithops seedlings grow fastest with consistent warmth and moisture with fairly high humidity. This works well for the first couple of months to put on a lot of growth quickly. Eventually, certainly once the first true leaves come through, you'll need to give them strong light, lower humidity, and more temperature variation, or they will just bloat up so badly they will die. Lithops seedlings are also quite happy in the sun, even very strong sun, but they must not be allowed to overheat. On a cool day or when there is a reasonable breeze, full sun is fine. On hot still days in summer you will definitely need to shade them. Lithops will colour up strongly even before the first true leaves appear, this is normal. L. aucampiae will go a dark reddish brown. Any sign of bleaching is a warning that they are overheating. A boiled Lithops will go completely white or transparent, it is then effectively dead. In the sun you will need to water quite frequently during the first summer. Don't allow the pots to completely dry through until winter is approaching. Although regular water is needed, you probably still want to protect the little Lithops from torrential rains or long continuous periods of rain. Faucaria seedlings will grow under more or less the same conditions. Definitely don't allow them to dry out completely. Most cactus seedlings, your Echinopsis for sure, will not like full sun at this size. Try some morning sun when they get a little bigger. Watch the colour carefully, dark green is good, some brownish shades like yours is OK, strong red is too much light, crimson or pink is damaged by the light. Pale green or yellow usually means they need more light but be careful since it could also indicate overwatering, too cold, or nutrient problems. Cactus seedlings will grow successfully for the first year or two with constant high humidity. I keep seedlings in a propagator for at least two or three months. In the open air they should be watered regularly and not allowed to dry out completely until cooler weather arrives in autumn.

The most important factor for getting good germination with Lithops, in my experience, is making sure it is done the right time of year and that the mix stays moist while maintaining good air circulation. The best time of year by far is late summer/ early fall. Sowing in the spring or early summer results in quick germination but poor growth and easy casualties during heat waves. I would encourage you to wait until September to avoid disappointment. Sowing in the winter or early spring results in seedlings often not being large enough to withstand the summer dormant period (depending on species). The moisture/ air issue is a simple one to address. I keep my pots standing in a small amount of water so the mix stays constantly moist, while at the same time I make sure the top of the pot is not covered and I place a small fan nearby to keep the air moving. Most any soil mix will do, but something like "Al's Mix" has the advantage of keeping the seedlings in it longer if need be, and also a gritty mix makes it easier to pull out seedlings for transplanting. x