Trichocereus bridgesii

[apothecary]

Here are some young seedlings:

Once they are a bit older I transplant them into same sized pots but less seedlings per pot and they grow like this:

Seeds are from member Fugushi (who rules)

Pots are creach goodness.

I love my bridgesii.

Oh and why not here is a Lophophora diffusa

[Kenny Blister]

Some questions...

Are they still in high humidity, high temps? Natural light?

At what point are your fertilising your seedlings and, if so, with what?

Nice pics btw

[apothecary]

No, I only leave them in humidity for a month maximum after germination, less if possible.

I always use planthelpers advice 'the longer you leave them the harder it is to harden them off'.

They are in natural light, but the icecream containers are covered in a double folded piece of shadecloth. As they get older I reduce it to a single layer of shadecloth and then eventually remove it altogether.

I have only fertilised them once with some seasol and water soluble organic ferts just added to their usual "once it dries out" watering regime.

[Kenny Blister]

Ahh, sage advice for this cactus noob. I have a little work waiting for me when I get home.

Thanks

Edited February 13, 2007 by Kenny Blister

[apothecary]

The trick for seedlings I guess, is always bottom water.

You can get away without bottom watering, but now I've tried, I have to agree with everyone who told me to bottom water.

That's why the pots are in the icecream containers, so I can fill that up halfway with water and the pots just soak it up.

[Kenny Blister]

Hmmm, my seedlings have been in aluminium take away trays since germination. There has been a lack of progress in recent weeks. I'll definitely be making some changes.

[liftyourskinnyfists]

No, I only leave them in humidity for a month maximum after germination, less if possible.

I always use planthelpers advice 'the longer you leave them the harder it is to harden them off'.

They are in natural light, but the icecream containers are covered in a double folded piece of shadecloth. As they get older I reduce it to a single layer of shadecloth and then eventually remove it altogether.

I have only fertilised them once with some seasol and water soluble organic ferts just added to their usual "once it dries out" watering regime.

hmm, I've always left then in humidity domes a lot longer than a month, but I think I'll try your method; I just planted a bunch last night that I found lying around. I seem to always have a lot die in the seedling stage because they dry out too much or I give then too much light too soon. I think I'm gonna try grafting for the first time so that I can get passed the seedling stage sooner. Good luck to us both.

[bit]

Nice work apothecary, they're lookin good! My 6 month old bridge seedlings were in a state of suspension until I started bottom watering them (I was only misting them daily). Now they've taken off again and more than doubled in size in the last few weeks!

[XipeTotec]

Nice work apothecary, they're lookin good! My 6 month old bridge seedlings were in a state of suspension until I started bottom watering them (I was only misting them daily). Now they've taken off again and more than doubled in size in the last few weeks!

I will have to try this... how much water if in a standard puttet?

[bit]

These are my seedlings just before christmas - had just transplanted into this container:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/evo...IMG_9407_lo.jpg

Stayed that size for about a month until I started bottom watering. I remove the trays and put around half an inch of water in before replacing trays. Probably do this 2 times a week at the moment (summer). The wet/dry cycle seems very important to these guys growth.

[strangebrew]

What kind of mix are you starting them off on Apo?

[apothecary]

Normal potting mix with a bit of sand. I've never bothered with anything else.

[Kenny Blister]

Do you sterilise the mix?

My seedlings have taken off since the changes. Thanks.

[apothecary]

Nope.

Good to hear

[KlUe]

Nope.

Good to hear

Glad you posted mate, good to see some nice seedlings!

One question I've wanted to ask is how many seeds you put in per pot that size?

Cheers

KlUe

[apothecary]

I just sprinkle them liberally (i.e. no counting) and let them germ as they please.

Once they are a bit older I transplant them into same sized pots but less seedlings per pot (like it says in the first post/photos).

Once they get a bit older than that they go into the same sized pots again but at 1 seedling per pot.

I usually germinate a new batch each time I transplant one of the previous batches out to keep the ball rolling.

[Ace]

I usually germinate a new batch each time I transplant one of the previous batches out to keep the ball rolling.

Now thats efficiency! No doubt these fellas will become much more abundant in Oz over the next couple decades

[apothecary]

Yeah I bet, although I doubt it'll be so much from my contributions, I am definitely on the low end of the propagation scale...

[KlUe]

I just sprinkle them liberally (i.e. no counting) and let them germ as they please.

Once they are a bit older I transplant them into same sized pots but less seedlings per pot (like it says in the first post/photos).

Once they get a bit older than that they go into the same sized pots again but at 1 seedling per pot.

I usually germinate a new batch each time I transplant one of the previous batches out to keep the ball rolling.

Cheers dude, i'll have to give it a go... Had some seeds laying around for a while

[Gardener]

Wot, u don't sterilise the mix? U grow seedling lophs in unsterilised mix? Or did you mean just the bridgesii?

I have had SOOOO much trouble getting germinated lophs past the 'size of a mayonnaise drop' stage. They start of green and bright, then go yellowish brown then die. Thought it was the mix wasn't sterilised right or something.

I am going to sow another lot and follow your directions exactly.

Where u get those little square pots u put inside the ice-cream container?

This dude at Cactus Plaza is like a Fungicide Nazi. Check how clean he is when he gets stuff to germinate. http://www.cactusplaza.com/cacti-from-seed.php

Edited March 6, 2007 by Gardener

[apothecary]

No I don't sterilise the mix for Loph seedlings either.

Where I got the pots is mentioned in the first post.

I haven't really given any directions to be followed, just what has worked for me.

[apothecary]

Soooo..

Took me all fkn day, but it was worth it.

[apothecary]

They could be bigger but I neglected them all Winter and even Spring.

Only now that I've got time off from uni and work did I get a chance to move the batches along. I'll really be pumping them full of water this summer.

All the original batch are in individual pots now, second batch were transplanted from germination pots to 4-5 to a pot.

Next up on the list is an envelope full of KK920 bridgesii that I got from passive (THANKS PASSIVE )

Edited December 21, 2007 by apothecary

[mu!]

Nice work there mate, very nice

[PD.]

Slow and steady wins the race....

Those lil babies are lookin happy apoth, well done. I got very good germination rates with my KK920, they are all lookin a lil pink after going from fluoro light out to the shadehouse but they will pull thru and start to fatten this summer some time no doubt. Another shadehouse would be good though.