Liz M wrote:There do not seem to be any buds or flowers, so possibly taken in winter

There is quite a bit of condensation on the windows in the second photo, so probably a winter scene.

If you sow early you really need to provide extended day length with artificial lighting as obviously the seeds are not germinating in their normal growing season day length. I'm still 3 maybe 4 months away from sowing anything, do you really think you gain much from sowing early or is it just some...

I've just received my seed and have everything I ordered. Congratulations and thanks to those involved in the sorting, packaging and distribution of the seed.

Thanks Suzanne. I can wait. Hopefully the new growth will have a decent waxy coating. Most of the coating seems to have become marked prior to my acquiring it. I'll post another photo later in the year.

Can anyone ID this Echeveria I picked up a couple of months ago? Any suggestions gratefully received. The outside leaves are 2 inches (50mm) across at their widest. I wondered whether it is E. gigantea but there many conflicting photos when you Google it, some with wavy leaves, some without. Echever...

Cheating a bit here. As there are no flowers open in the greenhouse I've taken a photo of this Auricula that I grew from seed in 2012. It has survived all the wind and rain of recent days (weeks!). Auricula blooms 7 Jan 2014.JPG This Cleistocactus strausii is showing some bright silver hair and red/...

Lovely Richaud. A nice splash of colour in the middle of winter.

This is a good online site for cacti and succulents (and other plants) - http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/ . It appears to have taken over from Cactuspedia which is still available and is also very good - http://www.cactuspedia.info/index.htm.

iann wrote:Yes, send in the form.

I paid by cheque. How 20th century does that make me?

I paid for seeds by cheque but subscription by direct bank transfer. Have I got one foot in either century or am I just perverse?

I use what I call "the advanced baggie method", utilising clear containers with lids. The secret in preventing sciarid fly larvae from running amok, is to sow the seed on top of a thin layer of growing medium on a heat mat or as I use, in a heated propagator. Allowing the growing medium t...