Seed results 2021

[Cidermanrolls]

As our thoughts start to turn to the next round of seed purchases, I thought I’d share my results for this year with you. The data relate to the seedlings that have survived to today, so do not include any that germinated and died, or were thrown out at pricking out stage. Whilst most seedlings are in trays in the propagation greenhouse, a few have grown so well that they’ve moved into the main collection areas.
I obtained seed from four main sources, BCSS, Mam Soc, ADBLPS and Piltz.
It is not simple to compare one source with another as the species breakdown is different and each source provides a different number of seeds per pack.
All seeds were sown into very similar compost and kept in the same propagator.
BCSS: an mixture of cactus species. 46 packs sown, six packs resulted in zero seedlings making it to pricking out stage. As of today, 29 packs have 3 or more seedlings surviving. Once again, I failed to get any Strombocactus seed to germinate ( this was the only seed I used the baggy method for).
Mam Soc: 18 packs sown, 15 Mam, 3 Coryphantha. Only 5 packs have resulted in 3 or more seedlings today and 7 had none make it to pricking out. I don’t think that I’m rubbish with Mammillaria seed, as that from other sources germinated well. Today I have just 27 seedlings from the 18 packs.
ADBLPS: a total of 56 packs in two waves, half of which were either Austrocactus or Pterocactus and 12 packs of Turbinicarpus. Only 5 packs, split across the genera, resulted in zero seedlings to pricking out stage. I have 3 or more seedlings from 21 packs. Just one pack of Austrocactus has 3 survivors today, but I do have seedlings from 5 out of the 6 packs, so am quite happy with my first attempt at these. Excellent results from Wilcoxia and Turbinicarpus. Good germination from Pterocacti, and I’m getting better at keeping them going past the first seed leaf stage.
Piltz: mostly Mediolobivias and Lobivia jajoiana forms. A total of 25 packs, only 2 failing to get seedlings to the pricking out stage. Today, 60% of the packs have 3 or more surviving seedlings.
Overall, I am happy with the results so far. I had very variable results with Wigginsia which was disappointing and I think I might give up on Strombocactus. The BCSS seed showed much better germination than I got last year and the yellow sticky butterflies will be a constant feature of my propagator going forwards to control sciara flies and their larvae.

[SimonT]

How many seed do you sow per packet?
This was my first year growing cacti from seed (in many years). I was growing mainly various Rebutia and I had no idea how well they would germinate or grow on. So I bought larger packets and ended up with the seedlings I wanted but I think I could of got by with fewer seed. Also, I found that seed some seed grew mainly fungus while others grew like cress . Overall, I had good success with Rebutia seeds from Succeed and ADBLPS in particular although of course I've only tried a limited selection of other suppliers. . But for me number of seeds and the amount of seed carried fungus seems to be critical.

[esp]

How many seed do you sow per packet?

I find if I get decent germination and survival, 10 seeds is OK to get 3 or more seedlings to the year or older stage.
For tricky species (or where I make a mistake), 20 seeds gives a bit more insurance or a bit of scope to vary germination conditions or pre-treatment. More than 20 seeds is normally unnecessary unless I am after plenty of spare plants. If I get very poor or zero germination, trying seeds from a different supplier (or a different field number / locality) etc is often more effective than sowing loads of the same seed from the same supplier.
I often split seeds of a type into 2 batches. Even though my conditions are similar, I sometimes get much better germination / growth / survival from one batch than another, for no obvious reason.

[el48tel]

How many seed do you sow per packet?

I find if I get decent germination and survival, 10 seeds is OK to get 3 or more seedlings to the year or older stage.
For tricky species (or where I make a mistake), 20 seeds gives a bit more insurance. More than 20 seeds is normally unnecessary unless I am after plenty of spare plants. If I get very poor or zero germination, trying seeds from a different supplier is often more effective than sowing loads of the same seed from the same supplier.
I often split seeds of a type into 2 batches. Even though my conditions are similar, i sometimes get much better germination / growth / survival from one batch than another, for no obvious reason.

I've not considered some of the variables you mention .... but thanks for sharing your thoughts .... it is making me think about seed purchases and sowing for next year.

[Cidermanrolls]

I’m with ESP on this, 10 seeds is normally sufficient and 20 often gives spares.
I suspect germination is frequently down to age of seed and patience. As an example of accidental patience, I have just pricked out a two year old seedling of a Hildewintera hybrid (my own seed) and I found a newly germinated seedling in the pot. I often keep pots from one year to the next, hoping for late germination, but two years was an exception and only happened because just one seed germinated in the first year, followed by a second seed earlier this year. Now a third seed….strange.