The latest method of sowing cactus seeds
In this article, we will introduce you to The latest method of sowing cactus seeds. These amazing plants with their special mechanism to deal with heat and water shortage have been able to protect themselves from the danger of extinction for many years.
The latest method of sowing cactus seeds
Can all cacti be grown from seed !?
In response, we must say that propagation by seed is a low-cost and long-term method that is not recommended for any type of cactus or succulent. Echinopsis, for example, does not need sexual reproduction at all because of its high viability. Cacti are divided into different categories according to the type of shape and how they are grown. Cactus propagation is usually divided into two types: sexual or seed sowing, which includes cuttings, grafting and dormancy. In general, Hawthorn, Mamillaria, Crassula, Turbincarpus, Paradia, which bloom every two years, and Melo, Agave, and Serrea, which bloom every 5 to 10 years, can be propagated by seed.
Stages of planting cactus seeds
Harvesting ripe pods or buying seeds directly from reputable stores
Harvesting seed pods or ripe fruit from your native plants or buying seeds from reputable stores are two choices that depend on you. If you are new to this field, we recommend that you buy and purchase your seeds from reputable online stores that have the Inmad logo for less effort and convenience. Many seed growers do the seeding themselves. To do this, separate the seed pods from the brightly colored branches that have blossomed. The best time to harvest a ripe pod or fruit is when the flowers fall (assuming, of course, that pollination has taken place).
Collect ripe pods
Before drying the seeds, first remove the pods. The pods should not be completely wet but need a little moisture. Cactus seeds are black and have red spots like sand particles that are easily recognizable from the mother plant. Gently press the sheath into your hands to easily remove the cotton-like fibrous viscosity.
Harvesting seeds from pods
Make a superficial incision next to the pod with a sharp, disinfected knife. After dividing the pods into smaller pieces, gently separate the seeds. Although the seeds obtained from tropical cacti are different from the seeds of desert species, the general principles of sowing are the same. For example, the Christmas cactus (which is a type of tropical cactus) is sown by removing the blueberry-like fruit and pressing it to separate its small black seeds.
Planting cactus seeds in well-drained soil
At this stage you should sow the purchased seeds or the seeds that you prepared from the mother plant in a clean, shallow bed with good drainage. Keep the soil moist before sowing the seeds, but do not allow water to remain static in your crop. Then scatter the seeds evenly on the soil surface (avoid planting deep cactus seeds separately). You should cover the seeds with a very thin layer of soil. Cactus seeds need well-drained soil to germinate because they are extremely weak against fungal disease. The best soil composition for planting cactus seeds is a mixture of peat moss with cocopeat (one-third), perlite (one-third) and double-washed sand (one-third). If your soil is not disinfected for planting cactus seeds, you can pasteurize it at 150 ° C. This eliminates all pathogens and pests.
Cover the dish and expose it to sunlight
After planting the cactus seeds, cover with a transparent lid that can pass light. Sunlight should not shine directly and continuously on the planting crate, but should be exposed to it for at least 4 hours a day. The open door helps to accumulate moisture and better germinate cactus seeds. Depending on the type of cactus and the vigor of the seeds, the germination process of cactus seeds can take from a few weeks to several months. Tropical cacti need less light to germinate than desert cacti. You can also use artificial light to germinate tropical cactus seeds. Also, hanging pots under the shade of a tree is a great place for tropical cactus seeds to germinate.
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Keep tropical cacti at a constant temperature
Unlike desert cacti, which like strong, direct light, tropical cacti need to be kept in mild light and constant heat. Extreme temperature fluctuations, cold nights and direct sunlight are destructive factors in the germination of tropical cacti. The best germination temperature for cactus seeds is 21 to 24 ° C.
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