More pics from today...

some of the gift mix

one of my favorites from the "gift Mix" batch has a good head of hair

A. myriostigma

some A. asterias

Mammillaria hahniana c.v. Long Hair

Really nice. I'm trying to stiffen up my nerve to transplant some Stapelia hirsuta seedlings that I'd like to up-pot. Only have 5 of them and afraid I'll lose them so still chicken.

Think I might try some cacti seeds. Only cacti I have are a couple of Opuntias and a common Parodia at present.

I have some baby aloes from seed, but I've never tried Huernia or Stapelia from seed. It really is nerve wracking when you have to repot little seedlings.

Wendy,

love your seedlings. Do you have a "best" place to buy seeds? I'd like to better myself at growing seeds this year.

thanks,

Sharon

Really like those two variegated A. myriostigma!

Was going to ask you the same question. I like those variegated ones as well as the varieties of all the others. I've seen some for sale on Ebay but many come from China and I don't trust China. Been ripped off too many times.

The variegated myriostigma came from packet of seeds I bought from a seller (a_little_of_each) in Thailand on Ebay, some of the A. asterias also came from them. The rest of the A. asterias came from nataellis via Ebay (I think they're in Romania). The M. hahniana also off Ebay were from a seller in Australia (botanicbounty), and the gift mix and other Astrophytum seeds came from Star Astrophytum in the Czech Republic.

Lucky you. More luckier than me when I purchase oversea seeds. I though maybe it was x-rayed or something that they didn't germinate for me. Don't have that problem with trusted sellers in the U.S. I heard that bird seed is x-rayed so excess seed don't weed up your yard but under my feeders it doesn't work. I have tons of weeds growing.

Stush, I haven't had any problems with seeds I've bought from overseas, with the exception of one packet of A. myriostigma from Italy in which only one germinated out of 50 seeds. I won't be buying seeds from them again :-)

I also have some Euphorbia obesa x 'Toxic Milkshake' seedlings from Botanic Bounty in Australia that had a decent germination rate, as well as Haworthia truncata seedlings from New Zealand. Had 100% germination with those.

I think I've been lucky in finding some good sellers.

I think you are showing your skills in getting them to germinate. Way to go. Do you use a heat pad? Any secrets on pre-conditioning?

I don't do anything to pre-condition, except for Adenium seeds. Those I soak for an hour or two in a glass of water. For these, I also used some coir in the seed mix.

I use a mix of pumice/turface fines, mostly pumice, which I dampen and microwave (hoping to sterilize it) I use food containers (with plastic lids) from Costco which are microwave safe.I do use a heating mat that's set to 76°. The older seedlings (from 2017) are still under lights, but not on the heating mat. The 2017 seedlings are still on the heating mat and under lights. The mat tends not to turn on during the day, because the lights keep the area warm enough.

I don't have much trouble (for the most part) getting seeds to germinate... it's the growing on part that's more problematic :-)

Except for the heating mat, that's pretty close to me. I use those plastic take home boxes with the clear lid with black bottoms to my seed starting. I did start to water soak my aloe seeds and removed and plant after seeing some sign of germination. Got that tip from on line advise for growing Aloe polypylla seeds. Seemed to work great for other aloe seeds except the A. polyphylla seeds. Go figure?

Very nice Wendy! One thing I have learned to do over the years is to cut the middle man and sow straight into what you call "community pots". My experience is that the transfer of the tiny seedlings is one way to lose more or stop them in their drive to grow. They don't mind to be crowded at the beginning and I transfer later, at least 2 years before touching them when their root system is better developed. It's less and easier work too!

Alain, I've been thinking to try just that next time. When I've planted them in those trays, they seem to start regressing a little after about 6-8 months and that's when I transplanted them. Maybe the trays are more shallow than they like?

Transplanting when they're so small was nerve wracking. Required reading glasses, good light, and a steady hand :-) Also chopsticks were helpful. They actually responded well to being transplanted, and seemed to get established and start growing pretty quickly. I did lose a few.

Do any of you fertilize cactus seedlings? And, if you do, with what?

No, I don't fertilize until warmer summer months when they are in a growth spur. And then at 1/4 strength.

I do nowadays, at low strength. I usually use the C&S low N type but once in a while also use regular 5-5-5 from EB Stone because it is supplemented with a lot of nutrients including the good microbes. I did not in the past when I used to transfer seedling in new media very early. But as I said in previous post I now leave them for long time before transfer and I bake the soil for seedlings. So this way I replenish the soil with good micro-organisms after killing everything. It may help prevent the bad ones to come back, one more way to grow without pesticides.

Not sure it makes a difference but makes me feel good :)))

Many vendors grow their seedlings including mesembs in pure peat with slow release fertilizers at 14-14-14 ratio and plenty of pesticides! They seem to be doing OK at least until we buy them...

I think that I will give them a dilute dose of fertilizer. They seem to grow through the winter, because of the lights (unlike the bigger cactus in the greenhouse). I do use Osmocote on larger plants, but not on cactus.

Alain, what kind of mix do you use for cactus seed/seedlings?

Playing around with my macro lens today...

Here are some from the gift mix batch

This next one has a weird pointy tri corner thing going on. It's one of the smallest seedlings.

The one on the right in this pic, also very small, is simply a little glob of white fuzz that is slowly getting larger.

The next one is one of three seedlings labeled "A. myriostigma Balloon Fukuryu White"

Wendy, lucky me in California we have access to very good quality C&S soil, with zero peat! It's ~40% pumice with Fir and Redwood "aged" bark and wood product and a little bit of sand. Since seedlings like it moist I use this as is for most applications. I add more small size pumice for plants that prefer less compost. For very tiny seeds I sprinkle a layer of sifted soil through a fine kitchen strainer so they don't fall through. Finally I sprinkle some small size pumice once the seedlings reach a reasonable size (a least equal to the size of the pumice I use). This has worked for me in my generally very dry environment. I have to be more careful over the winter or like now when the weather is more humid, most of all this season!!! Thanks to that vortex thingy, it's been wet and cool all winter here. Happy snails and slugs, C&S not so much, but won't complain, we need it :)

You are lucky. Maybe I should try to find some coarse sand to add to my mix. I probably don't need quite as water retentive mix as you, although our winter humidity is really low. Summer humidity is very high.

Here's one more pic of another tiny little tri corner seedling. This one looks to be variegated, not sure if it has enough chlorophyll to keep it going long term.

It has one funny little spine sticking out of the top.

I love the excitement of growing surprises from seed. With seeds, you never know what you are going to get.