Cacti under light, inside project

[mutant]

I decided I should take my younger, most precious and fragile cacti inside, as the temperature outside is now flirting with 11 C [the winter has delayed a while his coming ineed this year]. The room has a window to an areaway so a minimal airflow can be provided from time to time, when needed. The lamp had an indication of 13 W, and I guess it could be far from sufficient for maximum growth. Still, most of the tiny seedling grafts and own root seedlings where not used to lots of light, so I have also not added reflectors to the side of the shelf YET - would plain foil paper do any good? The ledges are white all over...

It's also notable that the small Tricho seedling grafts [on pere] have not actually 'taken', meaning showing growth, even though some are over a month on the stock. All these grafts were done in a hurry towards the end of the season, in semi-rooted stock, so I thought the change in a brighter & warmer enviroment might help them cope and survive.

The specific room is a room where I also play music and jam wiuth friends, so it gets quite smoky even foggy that special days when we smoke a lot in this rather small room... You think this might be of any harm for tha plants?

Well, what do you guys think? Does it look purposeful or any good?

I am thinking of making more of this. Would this work with succulent seedlings as well, like Delosperma bosseranum and Sceletium joubertii?

Would this be good for lophophora, own root or myrti grafted as well?

What about bigger Tricho cuts that have partly rooted and taken up growth?

Edited December 1, 2008 by mutant

[Jack]

I decided I should take my younger, most precious and fragile cacti inside, as the temperature outside is now flirting with 11 C [the winter has delayed a while his coming ineed this year]. The room has a window to an areaway so a minimal airflow can be provided from time to time, when needed. The lamp had an indication of 13 W, and I guess it could be far from sufficient for maximum growth. Still, most of the tiny seedling grafts and own root seedlings where not used to lots of light, so I have also not added reflectors to the side of the shelf YET - would plain foil paper do any good? The ledges are white all over...

It's also notable that the small Tricho seedling grafts [on pere] have not actually 'taken', meaning showing growth, even though some are over a month on the stock. All these grafts were done in a hurry towards the end of the season, in semi-rooted stock, so I thought the change in a brighter & warmer enviroment might help them cope and survive.

The specific room is a room where I also play music and jam wiuth friends, so it gets quite smoky even foggy that special days when we smoke a lot in this rather small room... You think this might be of any harm for tha plants?

Well, what do you guys think? Does it look purposeful or any good?

I am thinking of making more of this. Would this work with succulent seedlings as well, like Delosperma bosseranum and Sceletium joubertii?

Would this be good for lophophora, own root or myrti grafted as well?

What about bigger Tricho cuts that have partly rooted and taken up growth?

Plain foil is no good as it can have hot spots and burn your plants, mylar is a better alternative or paint any walls with flat white paint. What u have is a good start, I would recommend moving the light closer to the plants my lights are roughly 10cm away from the plants. I wouldnt bother with tricho cuts under a small light they will grow etoliated.

Are you using heat pads for bottom heat? I beleive heat is as important as light.

[mutant]

No I don't have bottom pads. But I think it's gannw be pretty warn... Will take the temperature and report back. Thanks for comments, I see it exactly as you said: a good start. I might eventually lower the light as you said, and rather will, as well as put white walls to the sides and/maybe some reflectors. And I might also try another one with bigger light... so what should I get??? any tips?

[Jack]

No I don't have bottom pads. But I think it's gannw be pretty warn... Will take the temperature and report back. Thanks for comments, I see it exactly as you said: a good start. I might eventually lower the light as you said, and rather will, as well as put white walls to the sides and/maybe some reflectors. And I might also try another one with bigger light... so what should I get??? any tips?

Had another look at your pic, you may want to enclose the entire unit in plastic to keep the heat in, I forget the wattage I use but I have a couple of reflectors that accomodates 2 x 2 foot fluro tubes I use fluros from hydro shop but I think cool white fluros are ok as they are predominantly blue sprectrum. Each of these special reflectors is good to 2 heat pads (1 tray on each heat pad) Fluro lights are good for seedlings even some mature plants depending on genus and species. You really need both light and heat to get decent growth. How high is the light from the top of the plants, it really does look too far from plant tops, you are much better off having it much lower and using shade cloth to protect the plants, I have not had any problems with plants burning.

[Jack]

Also, checking ambient temp is a good idea, but check the temperature of the soil.

[kushizm]

I have my inside covered by a thick tarp, it hold deat in well... I use a reflector with 4 vitalume 4ft cfl's. It keeps it around 90 or so... Great setup and keep us updated!

[kushizm]

As well, Ive recently rooted a few trichos under these...Works well for me

[Hellonasty]

I have used a similar setup in the past and it has worked pretty well. I'm with Jack and say you need more powerful lights and put them closer. I have used 2 x 18watt fluro tubes in a shelf much the same size as yours, with the tops of the plants being 15cm or less away. The only real problem I found doing it this way is getting enough air flow, low air flow will cause all sorts of fungal problems. It is not such a problem with seedlings but once the plants are older they are more prone to rot and skin problems. Trchos should be fine, they are tough buggers and will grow almost anywhere.

I have has sucess with Lophophora, Trichos altho once they got more than 3months old the light was not intense enough, Ariocarpus, Astrophytum and a heap more minitures.

Good luck

[kushizm]

Yes Air flow is a key inside... I've noticed only my peruvianus have probs with the transition. ( light black rot) But most definitly keep them lights closer.. My cams broke, but a pals been experimenting with a graft, T bridgesii and A diffus and 34 hour light periods... Only been under it for 4 days, and oddly enough, the root stock has 5 pups each bursting out the side no less than an inch above soil line. Mind you the stock is only a 3 yr old T bridgessii seedling, as thick as a 2" thick if that. The graft itself is growing like a beast!!! SOrry, didnt mean to jack, but I'm digging cfl setups alot lately! You would benefeit greatly, if you found a grow tube or some cfl's for them instead of plain flouros.. As well, check out some LED grow lights, very cheap and usually dont need a fancy fixture..

Probably in about a month I'm gonna try some Trichos etc, under my other grow lights (HPS) and than a combo of fluoro, LED and HID..Ill let ya guys know//

[mutant]

Thanks for tips wishes and replies folks...

I updated the setting covering the sides with white glossy paper and lowering the light. I hope they won't burn at that height .

The temperature of the soil is 19-20 near the surface I guess, while the ambient's a couple degrees more. Will be doing night long measurement [my temp-meter is cheapy but still has a pod and a min max function]

I am begining to think it's already working because a couple of peres [which also don't like colder weather] showed activity in the eyes as well, I think, a tricho seedling graft is finally showing some sign it's really taken!

I suppose rotation would be advisable in the setting ... huh?

Edited December 1, 2008 by mutant

[kushizm]

Rotation couldnt hurt, if you notice signs of yellowing or burning, just move light a lil more up, you should be fine, cacti love flouros I've come to find. Its fun stuff. I think my plant tissue itself is around 93 or so farenheit, keep me updated bro!!!..

[Hellonasty]

There is no chance of burning your plants with that light. I put week old ariocarpus seedlings 15cm under a 20w compact fluro and they do fine.

[Jack]

Rotation couldnt hurt, if you notice signs of yellowing or burning, just move light a lil more up, you should be fine, cacti love flouros I've come to find. Its fun stuff. I think my plant tissue itself is around 93 or so farenheit, keep me updated bro!!!..

interested to know how you measure temperature of plant tissue

[kushizm]

interested to know how you measure temperature of plant tissue

Measuring the outside plant tissue surface is quite simple using an infared 'non-contact' thermometer.

[mutant]

Measuring the outside plant tissue surface is quite simple using an infared 'non-contact' thermometer.

cool gadget man heheh

I can see that my grafts are alive and quite happy in this setting compared with when they were outside flirting with 10 C, even though not all seedlings seem to have taken yet...

[mutant]

update.... plants look happy

PS : the set-up on the right has 2 fluoro lamps

Edited December 1, 2008 by mutant

[kushizm]

NIce bro, keep it up!

[mutant]

trichocereus wendermanianus, about 5 months old on pere. It's just a a couple of days photo when it took and swelled, and this being my first success in the seedling grafting department, I am very glad

small Pedro KK339 pup grafted on pere, also very happy

Edited December 19, 2008 by mutant

[Inyan]

Nice graft mutant. Its always nice to see seedlings being given a boost. Quicker growth, faster flowers, more crosses, more diversity. I'm a super big fan of grafting. Hopefully we can get some more interesting chimera to form if enough of us participate in grafting. Its all just a matter of numbers, luck, and a little skill. Keep it up!

[mutant]

Well feedback is greatly appreciated, here are some more photos of just now

my most successful grafts so far

wendermanianus detail. In is more narrow point is 2-3 times the width of the original seedling, but on the top its several times wider. I hope it doesn't explode

[markcond]

Well feedback is greatly appreciated, here are some more photos of just now

my most successful grafts so far

wendermanianus detail. In is more narrow point is 2-3 times the width of the original seedling, but on the top its several times wider. I hope it doesn't explode

I thought this might be the place to ask: Will growing cacti seedlings under 24 hour light harm them? I had been using a timer until a recent power out stuffed up the settings and since then I've had the lights on 24hrs cause I've been lazy and I lost the instructions (just found em today)

[Inyan]

Trichocereus are not as prone to explode in my experience. I've grown and treated many specimens similar to my Brugmansia and had very fast and good growth. Still, better to err on the side of caution with a new or different species and I must confess I haven't grown that last species myself. I always treat a few representatives of any new adventure harsh, a few easy, and a few in-between to figure out where my limits are in my particular environmental conditions are as they do change, especially with Brugmansia. I have several Brugmansia outside that I've left to freeze to death to figure out the environmental conditions here versus my last place. You would think its rather simple, but its not as simple as you would like to believe with many plants. I'll stop there though as this is the cacti forum. Still, nice work. You've got those babies pumping up nicely.

[Chiral]

I thought this might be the place to ask: Will growing cacti seedlings under 24 hour light harm them? I had been using a timer until a recent power out stuffed up the settings and since then I've had the lights on 24hrs cause I've been lazy and I lost the instructions (just found em today)

I've got about 100 cactus seedlings in a fishtank in eggcartons under a single Grolux light and its left on everyday till I got to bed...they love it..I turn it back on when I wake everyday...mind you the fishtank is next to a window as well so they get ample light...but yeah the seedlings love it.

H.

[markcond]

I've got about 100 cactus seedlings in a fishtank in eggcartons under a single Grolux light and its left on everyday till I got to bed...they love it..I turn it back on when I wake everyday...mind you the fishtank is next to a window as well so they get ample light...but yeah the seedlings love it.

H.

I've also got about 100 on the go in a fish tank. I've had the lights on 24hrs a day for about 2 weeks. I can't see any signs of harm so far. I just don't know if it is wize to keep em that way for any length of time. I know some plants don't like continuous lighting and they lose condition. I'm just about to move some of my little ones outside.

[Chiral]

Well the thing to consider is that all plants need a dark cycle in the day to rest so continous light is very unnatural.

H.