Stillman Posted January 7, 2013 Grafts are now about 15 days old. looks like about 80% success rate, scions are starting to throw some fluffy white out of the top I think there could be some good ones amongst this lot. I won't bother taking a photos my camera and I struggles with vary small images. Currently my only concern is from moth larvae Last year I lost a huge amount of seedlings to a plague of caterpillar, hopefully nothing like that happens this year. Will probably do monthly updates. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hellonasty Posted January 8, 2013 Stillman, I missed in your original post you had a plant from one of my seeds. Looking good so far! well grown indeed. Great work. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bogfrog Posted January 12, 2013 Here is my astro collection so far, i'm well and tryuly hooked super kabutos (note the colour change as the flower gets older) Astrophytum myriostigma "tricostatum" Astrophytum nudum Astrophytum myriostigma Astrophytum myriostigma "Onzuka" Astrophytum asterias "nudum" Astrophytum asterias Astrophytum asterias x Astrophytum coahuilense next time i buy some seeds i'll definately be after some astros 7 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jox Posted January 13, 2013 Nice plant's Bog, If you are interested in growing A. myriostigma, I have some fresh seed here from two plants I crossed. I put down some of the seed on the 7th of this month & they are sprouting nicely. Here are some pics of the parents, I did the cross both ways. The Parents This ones a quad & throws yellow flowers This one has five ribs & throws pink flowers Fresh seeds If anyone would like to grow these let me know, I don't have heaps of seed but will try to spread it around. Cheers jox 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bogfrog Posted January 13, 2013 I would love some jox, will send u a pm. I just crossed my myriostigma tricostatum both ways with a nudum, accidentally knocked the bud off the trico but have two seed pods growing on the nudum. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jox Posted January 13, 2013 That will be a awesome cross bogfrog , if you have any spare seed I'd love to get some. I will pack you up some seed this arvo, I crossed them both ways so I will send you two lots (One lot, the quad will be the dad & the other the Quad will be the mum ) Cheers jox PS: sorry to hear about your tricho flower . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bogfrog Posted January 13, 2013 Sure thing will set a few aside for you when its done. How many seeds do you usually get per pod on an astro? And i wonder, is the pollen still good once the flower has closed? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snowfella Posted January 13, 2013 Few of mine, don't really have many so far. Even planted a small A. ornatum out in the new bed to see if it can cope with Sydney climate. A. myriostigma. Keeps on going even with whatever it is that discolours the ribs Tiny little Astro hybrid I got not long ago Vareigated A. capricorne...not quite as tiny but in the same size pot Another hybrid, A. capricorne x asterias possibly Old photos of others 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stillman Posted January 17, 2013 First update of my Astro grafts, my camera is not the greatest at taking micro shots, but starting to see some interesting developments. These seedlings were all grafted 25 days ago. super kabuto x A asterias produced from my plants. All of these have grown but the one at the front is showing some good markings. And I think this seedlings O'D on auxins and has produced 3 crowns will be interesting to see how this one develops (sorry about the photo lol) I think it was about 90% success rate with the grafts and the peres has just gone mad with the warm weather I've also done a heap of Gymno hybrids looking forward to how they grow as well. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snowfella Posted January 17, 2013 Nice! Wish I could get my head around grafting, every time I've tried so far I've had 0% success rate! Just came home with another little Astro capricorne, likely hybrid in some way, that's trying to outdo itself with ribs. 14 ribs in all 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stillman Posted January 17, 2013 Grafting is easy once you get past cutting your seedling in half. Get your peres healthy and use razors or scalpel blades. work clean and fast, the more you do the better your tech gets. Thats a wild Astro hybrid. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stillman Posted January 23, 2013 (edited) Some of the grafts have really taken, interestingly all of the first rapidly growing are showing unusual growth, I'm unsure if this is from the seeds own genetics of the peres forcing rapid growth. I would say there looks to be about 5 unusual scions that I have noticed so far 3 are starting to get some size. Some more bad photos.lol plant 1 Multi headed but as they grow some look like they will be slightly monstrose. plant2 this scion has long spines and is showing some monstrose behavior in the main crown, also threw a pup at teh scion stock point, I was initially hoping for a chimera lol. But it looks like a crested pup, may grow out of it but as its very small. plant 3 doesn't seem to be growing from a apical crown it may crest or monstrose I'm hoping. Edited January 23, 2013 by Stillman 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
modernshaman Posted January 23, 2013 Stillman those are some nice grafts... The multihead is likely from the pereskiopsis pushing such rapid growth... I have a lopho that is pupping like crazy. Here is my Astrophytum Super Kabuto Crest from seed It is now all cut up and only the main(top) head is left on the pereskiopsis. I attempted 4 separate grafts; 2 on pereskiopsis and 2 on larger stock. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stillman Posted January 23, 2013 Nice stuff modernshaman Peres is the great equaliser for lack of patience, I love the stuff, I have a few seedling projects going currently that would take the best part of 3 years if I was growing them out on there own roots. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jox Posted January 23, 2013 (edited) @Stillman those grafts are looking good mate, I have sown some of your seeds (A.asteria x Super Kabuto) as well as mine (A. myriostigma) & some A.caput medusa. Here are a few photo's, these were sown on the 1/1/13. Shot of all the Astro seedlings A. asteria x Super Kabuto A. myriostigma A. caput medusa @modernshaman, that crest looks awesome! Thanks for sharing. Edited January 23, 2013 by Jox 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bogfrog Posted January 23, 2013 Wow they are really looking good Stillman. I'm carefully considering the logistics of grafting my astrophytum caput medusa.. Its got quite a stocky base but has lost 2 of its 3 arms so im a little concern. Its a very awkward shape to graft... No idea how i will do it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stillman Posted February 15, 2013 The peres really messes with the astro seedlings This one is a seed from you Jox. I have lots of strange pupping and rib droping and adding going on so not sure what it will all look like in the end. 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bogfrog Posted February 15, 2013 Which (if any) astrophytum species are self fertile? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hellonasty Posted February 15, 2013 bogfrog, no Astrophytum sp are self fertile however they readily accept pollen from other plants and are not difficult to cross. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bogfrog Posted February 15, 2013 Good to know, thanks Hellonasty. Maybe i should be saving up my pollen, havent had too many flowers syncing up. Here's a superkabuto in flower today. My asterias x coahuilense should be open tomorrow, hopefully the superkabuto will last. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stillman Posted February 15, 2013 just cut some anthers off and put in some foil in the fridge, then give the other flower a fiddle knowing your pollen is fresh ad viable. I store in fridge up to 2 months. Pollen stash. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
planthelper Posted February 15, 2013 mine are not flowering yet, but they still give me lots of pleasure. but for me the only graft i did, wasn't faster than the seedlings on there own roots. nice convolut, thx, eg. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jox Posted March 4, 2013 Here is a update on my seedlings, I am finding that they are all quick growers. It is great to have this thread it is very interesting to see how the grafted seedlings are going compared to seedlings on there own roots. These photos were taken today 4/3/13, the seeds were sown on the 7/1/13. A. asteria X "Super Kabuto" A. myriostigma A. caput medusa 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bogfrog Posted March 4, 2013 I have been enjoying lots of flowers lately. I have been cross pollenating too so hopefully i'll have some homegrown seed to share around sometime soon. Astrophytum asterias v. nudum Astrophytum asterias x Astrophytum coahuilense Astrophytum superkabuto 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jox Posted April 5, 2013 These photos were taken today 5/4/13, pretty much a month since my last post (48). They are loving life under a 600watt light as are all my seedlings & young grafts. Here are some pics. Group photo A. myriostigma A.asterias X super kabuto A. caput med Cheers jox 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
