The Online Community for Cactus and Succulent Growers
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They might have been up earlier Ian as they look to be a few days old, just haven't been able to check on them. The A. papyracea are just coming up so looks like we're in synch.
I don't worry too much about reddish colour in cactus seedlings. I would far rather they showed that colouration rather than etiolation. It's easier, perhaps, to decrease light levels than increase them. As long as I am watering enough/maintaining humidity this doesn't worry me.
Thanks ---- perhaps this is what I am doing ---------- and losing patience with a new hobby which does not respond as quickly as a] I'd like and b] as quickly as the old hobby
Yup - I'd noticed that on one day last week I'd been heavy-handed with the misting and they looked a little more perky ---- so yes - in short - it does help ..... and I've put them under the bench with a large planter on the other side of the glass, so they are getting less light than previouslyconolady wrote: ↑Sat Feb 02, 2019 11:32 am El48tel, I always spray seedlings, often several times a day if they're not in a super-humid environment. I do this even if the substrate appears damp. In fact, I prefer to spray often and NOT have them covered, even with in a ventilated cover. (When they're older I water cacti often, until they're about two years old.) If the tinies have coloured a bit in any sun, I'm not worried, though I take the hint and provide some extra shade, often with curtain net which leaves lots of light going through without the scorch danger. I lift it off the seedlings with bent wire or something. Hope this helps.
Thanks -- yes I did realise a while ago that seedlings were the SLOW way to proceed and am building a collection (also slowly) that way. And realised that there's obviously much more to growing seedlings. Your recommendations are appreciated.Terry S. wrote: ↑Mon Feb 04, 2019 10:34 am Just a couple of thoughts on the above. I am very surprised that seedlings are turning red with excess light at this time of year, I suspect that there might be other stress factors at play. Shading should not be needed for another month. Unless you are setting up a sophisticated seed-raising system with lights, etc. I really do not recommend sowing seeds of summer-growing succulents too early. Seeds sown later under favourable conditions will often do much better than early-sown seeds which have had to struggle in their infancy. I would suggest that when using a simple heated propagator in a greenhouse, then leave sowing until mid-February onwards.
For newcomers to the hobby, seed-raising is a useful skill to develop, but do not rely on it at first to build up your collection. Those seedlings that you can buy from nurseries or acquire at branch meetings relatively cheaply are already 2 - 3 years old and likely to be close to flowering size, which is what one wants initially. Later, particularly if one develops an interest in a particular genus, seed sowing might become a necessity to obtain those missing plants that the nurserymen are not producing.
el48tel wrote: ↑Mon Feb 04, 2019 11:31 amThanks -- yes I did realise a while ago that seedlings were the SLOW way to proceed and am building a visits and branch meetings collection (also slowly) that way. And realised that there's obviously much more to growing seedlings. Your recommendations are appreciated.Terry S. wrote: ↑Mon Feb 04, 2019 10:34 am Just a couple of thoughts on the above. I am very surprised that seedlings are turning red with excess light at this time of year, I suspect that there might be other stress factors at play. Shading should not be needed for another month. Unless you are setting up a sophisticated seed-raising system with lights, etc. I really do not recommend sowing seeds of summer-growing succulents too early. Seeds sown later under favourable conditions will often do much better than early-sown seeds which have had to struggle in their infancy. I would suggest that when using a simple heated propagator in a greenhouse, then leave sowing until mid-February onwards.
For newcomers to the hobby, seed-raising is a useful skill to develop, but do not rely on it at first to build up your collection. Those seedlings that you can buy from nurseries or acquire at branch meetings relatively cheaply are already 2 - 3 years old and likely to be close to flowering size, which is what one wants initially. Later, particularly if one develops an interest in a particular genus, seed sowing might become a necessity to obtain those missing plants that the nurserymen are not producing.
I second this wise advice from Terry. Seed raising is a useful skill which I tried in my early years with what was then the NCSS, personally I found my many failures too discouraging. For the last 30 years or more I have built up my collection mainly by purchasing small plants from specialist nurseries or speakers at branch meetings; this works well! I can then, if I wish, propagate by taking cuttings or offsets.Terry S. wrote: ↑Mon Feb 04, 2019 10:34 am For newcomers to the hobby, seed-raising is a useful skill to develop, but do not rely on it at first to build up your collection. Those seedlings that you can buy from nurseries or acquire at branch meetings relatively cheaply are already 2 - 3 years old and likely to be close to flowering size, which is what one wants initially. Later, particularly if one develops an interest in a particular genus, seed sowing might become a necessity to obtain those missing plants that the nurserymen are not producing.