Glass Roots

When it comes to shortening the amount of time needed to mature each generation, couldn't you graft to speed up the process? Wouldn't you also be able to induce flowering sooner by changing the nutrients given to the cacti? I think regardless if you used either of these methods or both simultaneously this shouldn't affect your ability to deduce which cacti carry the desired traits you are looking for. If it comes down to a matter of not knowing how fast the cactus would grow on it's own roots, I would imagine that by degrafting it onto it's own roots after you've gotten it through it's first year or so that you would be able to see it's growth speed after being on it's roots for about a year (not including the dormant period of no roots)? That makes sense. I would imagine that the heritage would just be recorded somewhere else (notebook, file, etc,)? A shortened name makes much sense for a label, but I would hope one wouldn't just switch from the known history of the cactus to the new name leaving a mystery of it's predecessors.

Thanks for the fast replies. I'm actually waiting for some seeds/cuttings to come in from SS, they have a few crosses/clones that I don't have in my collection yet. I'll be getting their catalog in with my shipment, and I'll definitely give it a nice look through once it arrives. Very interested in this! I'll keep my eye out for the release. Both of these Genus' deserve to be photographed like models. Not boring me at all! The cultivation of plants is my lifelong dream/reality. Specifically the breeding of new strains/cultivars of a few different species. Thanks for the link and for the info on a few of those who are actually selectively breeding. I'm definitely going to give the site a thorough read. I figured this was the case that many of the named clones were either wild plants or 1st/2nd generations with desirable traits. I hope that many more people begin to create unique cultivars of these amazing plants. Imagine if the diversity of these cacti reached even 10% that of weed.

I have them under T8 flouro daylight's, sitting roughly 10 inches above . They all are nice, round and plump, but the first 1 that popped up turned orange, and the second one started showing signs of doing the same. I moved the light up a few inches, threw paper towels on top of the dome, and toned down my light cycle to 14/10 from 18/6 (I had up higher for other plants). I did this all over a few day period as to not shock the little guys. The seedlings before the changes that didn't orange (only 1 did completely) are now a darker green, and the seeds that have germinated after the alterations are light green. Am I on the right track, or should they be darker? No experience with loph's before, so I'm not sure if they should resemble other seedlings such as tricho's in color. Later today I can post pictures if needed.

Very dare I say, sexy pupping you have there.

Going to try and bring the peres in, will update after my attempts.

I have some seedlings that aren't doing so well, so I want to try to graft them sooner to give them a fighting chance. The problem is that my peres is outside and my seedlings are inside. What would be the best way to go about acclimatizing one to the other as quick as possible (seeing as I don't know how long the seedlings are going to make it). The seedling tray is not ready to go outside, so I can't take the whole tray out.

Wasn't sure how hardy the peres was to temp changes, but I'll bring a few in to try it out. My temp inside is between 75-85 and outside generally 70-103 (fahrenheit). I agree that it would be best to graft healthy seedlings, but if these aren't going to make it otherwise might as well give it a shot?