Propagating Units

[Guest]

Hi Bill,

I have had to dismantled my set-up due to my illness.

It consisted of an insulated 8*6 shed with a silver reflective covering, to reflect the light to give an all round lighting effect.

I had three shelves down each side each to take standard tray end onwards and a standard tray length ways, the shelves were covered with capillary matting which was dampened to provide humidity.

Above each shelf were lighting units either compact or flourescent all the bulbs being full spectrum. Each bulb was independently (or in pairs length ways) switchable. Each bank had sufficient lighting to grow plants as I overwintered discocactus etc but for seed raising most would be switched off. I also did grafting in this setup and always kept Pereskiopsis and some trichocereus active.

I heated the whole shed but only to 12C as it was to simulate cooler night temperatures The lights provide sufficient heat during the day period. I used a 12 hours on and 12 off regime for the lights.

I used seed trays without holes with capillary in each with a insert for sowing I used the 24 cell type with one pack of seed per cell. The inserts do need trimming round the edge to fit a cover. Each is labeled using a small T label with a laminated brother label on each. The trays are then covered with a standard propagating cover

I kept seedlings in this setup for 9 to 12 months depending on growth and each year used two smoke bombs and then washed the whole thing in a strong disinfectant solution

The Astekium hintoni spent 2 years on Pereskiopsis in this setup and was then rooted in dry Seramis in a seed tray insert. I have never failed to get plants to root in this set up and that includes Ariocarpus Tephrocatus and everything (cactus) in between.

If you plan setting something like this up let me know I can help you.

[Chris43]

Mine is much less sophisticated, I'm afraid. Just a home made wooden box with heating cable and thermostat, sized to fit the cover that I bought at Wyevale, and a bit of a Heath Robinson frame for the lights.
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[Guest]

Hi Bill,

I forgot to add that the lights are positioned 5cm above the propgator covers.

[Bill]

Any information welcomed Ralph.

Bob it is indeed something like yours but not the whole building well least wise not for now.

Chris if it works then that's all that counts it's not a beauty show(:D

[Guest]

Bill,

If you want to collect the lighting units feel free because otherwise I will dump them.

[ralphrmartin]

Briefly.

I have a plastic cold frame inside the greenhouse, with some polysyrene sheet as insulation in the bottom, then a layer of sand, a soil warming cable controlled by a thermostat, and more sand on top.

The seeds get sown in pots, and kept in there.

Its under the bench, with NO artificial lighting. I water the seeds/seedlings every day with a sprayer.

if you want to know more, book me for a talk!

[Susanne]

Hello All

Why do we bag up the pots with seeds? To keep the moist?
Do you remove the bags when you have seedlings or do they stay longer?:S

[David_L]

Susanne

Yes to keep them constantly moist (so that we don't have to spray them everyday!) and to keep the dreaded sciara fly and other bugs away. How long to leave the bag on depends. Most cacti will be happy in there for a while as long as they are getting plenty of light (not direct sunlight, that will cook them).

[Susanne]

Dear David
Thank You! Iam going to bag mine then. I have two Cerei that germinated without bagging. One is from the 8-10 year old Forumseeds that Chris disscussed.
However I sew in about 8 pots and only those two Cerei germinated. I am going to bag the others up next week.
Also I am triing to get some photos in to show them to every body.

[Bill]

[quote] Ralph wrote:

I have a talk on seed raising I can give to branches if you want to see how I do it.[/quote]
[quote]Ralph also wrote:
if you want to know more, book me for a talk![/quote]

Hardly in the spirit of the forum, nor does it do much to encourage newbies and for your information, my nearest branch is over a 2hr drive away