Vitapod

[Cactusgirl]

Hi I have bought a Vitapod and intend growing my seeds in this in the greenhouse. As my greenhouse is still getting up to the low 30's most days (despite 4 auto window openers) I am going to place it on the lower shelf of my staging (I designed and built my own 3 tier staging). I would like if possible to keep my adult Melocacti & blue cacti in there too. Don't know if this is going to be an unsuitable environment? Being new to this hobby I welcome some advice from members please if you think
this is feasible or plain silly! ☺

[purzo]

What temp are you aiming for? I have mine set at 10C but (according to separate thermometers it drops down to 8). My greenhouse is insulated with twin wall poly carbonate and I have bubble wrap around the vitopod sides adjacent to the glass, at night I cover with more bubble wrap.

Are you planning on adding lights for your seedlings?

I find the humidity is tends to fairly high in the vitopod, this may be a problem for your Melocacti etc not helped by the fact that as you will presumably be watering the seedlings

[Cactusgirl]

Hi Gary? Thank you for your advice. I've got mine set at 15 degrees and it is holding that temp even though my greenhouse is kept (ideally!) At 6 degrees overnight. I think you are right regarding the humidity although I believe Melocacti still need to be watered over winter occasionally? Perhaps Melo and his blue friends will have to continue to stay in my house through the winter as I wouldn't want them rotting in what will be a quite humid environment. Thanks
Debbie

[purzo]

Hi Debbie, hopefully some Melocactus growers will chip in with more informed advice. I do have a couple but don't consider myself at all knowledgeable on that genus. Good luck, hope they all come through the winter intact.

[Cidermanrolls]

I too am experimenting, but I am keeping the vents open to allow air exchange. Mine has last year's seedlings in it, along with several Schlumbergeras, some ancistracanthae group mamms and my one Uebelmannia.
The propagator, set to 10c, is in my 'colder drier' greenhouse, which is set to ca 4c and has a dehumidifier running all day.
I'm not finding condensation in the propagator, suggesting humidity is low with those vents open.
I have the remote thermometer on top of one of the pots so not just measuring base temperature.
With its location, this hot box is another example of 'heat for free' as all waste heat goes towards heating the rest of the greenhouse.
I will probably add lights later this year, when I've decided which way to go.....LED or not.
The seedlings are loving the condition, btw....

[Ewen]

I use 5 x Vitapods in a stacked format. Works quite well with grow lights :-)