Ghetto Seedling Setup

[illogicalBrew]

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Edited April 11, 2016 by illogicalBrew

[Optimystic]

I dunno about your setup... I just use ziploc bags that fit over chinese soup bowls perfectly like tents..
I take them off every single day for new air which is good for them and helps prevent fungus so no there is not a risk of shock...

I even aired them out daily before there were any sprouts to prevent stagnant air... in fact its best they get a transfer of new air often...

Me I do mine daily but any more often and they'd need to be watered more... ... i'll admit I wash my hands and use sanitizer before I do

that and when I was a little sick I would clean my mouth out before I breathed on them, call it ocd or whatever lol

Also, I don't think the orange is from too much light I think its from too much humidty... Too much light = reddish or purple color... im not sure if they need to be acclimated down from humidity or not but I would empty that bowl of stagnant water, spray the soil lightly and carefully around the seedlings... there should be enough humidity coming from the moist soil in that small area... I didn't have to spray more water in mine til about 30 days but my bowls are about twice as deep as yours.. I did some in shorter bowls like that and they dried out fairly quick plus I hated them because the soil would crack and the seeds would fall in so im sticking with the taller bowls.... as the seedlings grow they need to be watered more often but you'll notice when they get big and start growing faster how the soil dries up quick

If anyone else has any tips on acclimating them to regular air I'd appreciate it too.. im almost at that point but I have one bowl with some large and some small seedlings and I don't know how to handle that lol I may just graft all the smaller ones before I go that route but some are 3 months and still not spines! so im like wth... I've heard of ppl going all the way to 5 months... but I have some that are ariocarpus and I hear they like to be acclimated sooner but im just going by memory

[modernshaman]

The longer you keep them in high humidity the slower you need to acclimate them to the lower humidity. I keep seedlings in high humidity 2 months, 3 max, than just completely remove the dome at once. The pros of keeping the seedlings in high humidity for a longer time is that the seedlings grow quicker and don't need to be watered as often. The cons of high humidity is longer time (week to a month) to acclimate them (not a really big issue), the seedlings are plump (with time you can undo this), and the seedlings are weaker (since you gave them ideal conditions they were baby'd).

I must admit that I abuse most of my seedlings getting near full sun at 3 months old. The seedlings are seriously stunted however growth comes quickly once they get use to the high sunlight.

I agree with Spine Collector that the orange is likely high humidity.

@ Spine Collector - if you sterilize your soil and the pots are clean you can leave the ziplock closed the entire time since the soil will not die out. HOWEVER if you open the bag you shouldn't keep it closed for long periods since you have allowed mold and bacteria to enter. I air out my seedlings every day or two like you however I use a dome.