Post by mickthecactus on Feb 6, 2008 14:31:30 GMT 1
There are various ways on a theme but this works pretty well for me. You can in theory sow at any time of the year but I find late Feb works well for me in the propagator. If you don't have a propagator leave until May when the temperature has risen.
You need:-
3" pots
labels and pencil
John Innes no. 2
Sharp sand or grit
Vermiculite
Cheshunt Compound
A teaspoon
A flour sieve
Kitchen roll
Polythene sandwich bags
I use square 3" plastic pots but they are hard to find and you may have to use the round ones. I wash them thoroghly and then scald them with boiling water and leave to dry.
Mix up the seed compost - 1/3 soil, 1/3 sharp sand or grit, 1/3 vermiculite.
Using the flour sieve sift out an amount of soft small sandy soil particles and keep separate. Keep the big pieces that wont go through the sieve.
Put a piece of kitchen roll in the bottom of the pot, put some of the large unsieved lumps on that then the soil/sand/vermiculite mixture on top of that leaving a space at the top. Press down gently to firm with another pot. Put a layer of the sieved compost on top of that and tap gently to settle
Divide into 4 if small/few seeds using cut up labels or into 2 if large seeds or a lot of seeds.
Write out a label for each category using pencil.
Open the packet and if small seeds tip carefully onto the teaspoon and tap it gently to release them onto the surface. If large seeds bury to own depth, if flat seeds (Aloes, Stapeliads) sow on edge using tweezers. Don't cover tiny seeds, just cover larger seeds using the flour sieve again.
Mke up the Cheshunt Compound according to the instructions using a glass mixing jug and boiling water (and keep your nose well clear). Pour into a washing up bowl immediately and stand the pots in it until the water has come to the top.
Take out and stand on newspaper overnight to drain off excess water.
Put the pots into the plastic bags, seal and put into propagator.
Mine runs at about 75f and the sun at the end of Feb/beginning of March will nudge that up to 100f at times which is fine for them. They need to vary the temperaure for good germination and this range will cover most varieties although Haworthias and Gasterias don't like it so hot. Echinocactus horizonthalonius which is very rare may need spells at 115f to germinate.
If you don't have a propagator and are sowing in May, don't put the bags in the sun or they will cook.
Germination can start in as little as 48 hours for Astrophytums and Stapeliads but generally they emerege over a 3 week period.
More to follow....
You need:-
3" pots
labels and pencil
John Innes no. 2
Sharp sand or grit
Vermiculite
Cheshunt Compound
A teaspoon
A flour sieve
Kitchen roll
Polythene sandwich bags
I use square 3" plastic pots but they are hard to find and you may have to use the round ones. I wash them thoroghly and then scald them with boiling water and leave to dry.
Mix up the seed compost - 1/3 soil, 1/3 sharp sand or grit, 1/3 vermiculite.
Using the flour sieve sift out an amount of soft small sandy soil particles and keep separate. Keep the big pieces that wont go through the sieve.
Put a piece of kitchen roll in the bottom of the pot, put some of the large unsieved lumps on that then the soil/sand/vermiculite mixture on top of that leaving a space at the top. Press down gently to firm with another pot. Put a layer of the sieved compost on top of that and tap gently to settle
Divide into 4 if small/few seeds using cut up labels or into 2 if large seeds or a lot of seeds.
Write out a label for each category using pencil.
Open the packet and if small seeds tip carefully onto the teaspoon and tap it gently to release them onto the surface. If large seeds bury to own depth, if flat seeds (Aloes, Stapeliads) sow on edge using tweezers. Don't cover tiny seeds, just cover larger seeds using the flour sieve again.
Mke up the Cheshunt Compound according to the instructions using a glass mixing jug and boiling water (and keep your nose well clear). Pour into a washing up bowl immediately and stand the pots in it until the water has come to the top.
Take out and stand on newspaper overnight to drain off excess water.
Put the pots into the plastic bags, seal and put into propagator.
Mine runs at about 75f and the sun at the end of Feb/beginning of March will nudge that up to 100f at times which is fine for them. They need to vary the temperaure for good germination and this range will cover most varieties although Haworthias and Gasterias don't like it so hot. Echinocactus horizonthalonius which is very rare may need spells at 115f to germinate.
If you don't have a propagator and are sowing in May, don't put the bags in the sun or they will cook.
Germination can start in as little as 48 hours for Astrophytums and Stapeliads but generally they emerege over a 3 week period.
More to follow....
;D Not to worry I'm just looking forward to doing it together. 
) wish me luck. 
Maybe Ill get them done this afternoon, I have the stuff all ready, just need to find my flour sieve, I know I have one.... :