Growing lithops, a few questions...

[Embrace]

Hi All,

I’ve got myself some lithops seeds and they’ve arrived today and I’m eager to get planting... is it too late in the season to start trying to germinate them now?

Also is a heated propagator necessary to ensure maximum germination?

Any other tips would be greatly appreciated

[cactuspip]

I would suggest you Google Terry Smale's website. He has an excellent guide to growing Lithops, including seed raising.

At this time of year additional heat is not needed and can be bad news, inhibiting germination.

In answer to your question, no it is definitely not too late!

I hope this helps. Seed raising Lithops can be very enjoyable. Good Luck!

[Terry S.]

Sowing Lithops now, with the hot weather forecast that we have, you will need to keep the pots well-shaded and they definitely do not need any extra heat. Sow on the surface of the compost and keep it moist, perhaps by daily spraying with a mist-sprayer. The downside of sowing now is that your babies will not be very large by the time you cut back on watering for the winter months (about October). I like to sow in late March and this year's crop are already around 5mm across.

[topsy]

HI,

I will add a little comment on the previous two answers and remind you that the seeds have a long viability and will definitely not be less fertile for waiting a while before sowing.

Suzanne