Change Posted September 29, 2015 Hey everyone Ive been wondering if any members have success grafting Astrophytum seedlings to Pereskiopsis ? I dont seem to have many issues grafting Tricho seedlings to Pereskiopsis, but when im grafting Astrophytum they look like they have taken a week after surgery then in the second week they shrivel up and die, which is quite heartbreaking to say the least. Im starting to think pereskiopsis isn't the best grafting stock for Astrophytum, but maybe its just my technique.... im not sure Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
oriky Posted September 29, 2015 i just try yesterday, only 1 seeds germinate (bad source of seeds :/) i just parctice my grafting skills and try it on pereskiopsis, i will let you know in few days if it attachment. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philocacti Posted September 29, 2015 I grafted a few to immature selenicereus. I used the same method I use with pereskiopsis and they took. How long do you leave them in high humidity? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Myeloblast Posted September 29, 2015 astrophytum can be grafted to pereskiopsis, but i think selenicereus is a better stock for astros, or i've had better luck with it anyway..astros seem to stall for me on pereksiopsis alot 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Change Posted September 29, 2015 7 days high humidity, then back into the conditions they were growing in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philocacti Posted September 29, 2015 I left them for 4 days. Obviously Myelo has more experience. astrophytum can be grafted to pereskiopsis, but i think selenicereus is a better stock for astros, or i've had better luck with it anyway..astros seem to stall for me on pereksiopsis alot Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
watertrade Posted September 30, 2015 I have had astrophytum grafted onto pereskiopsis but i find they take at a much lower rate than lophs. The scion needs to be a bit bigger than your standard loph seedl8ng too. And a bit of downward pressure can help. My pick for astros would be hylocereus or harrisia. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
myco Posted October 1, 2015 glad to hear its not just me thats getting some pretty shitty success rates with astro's and peresI've done plenty of them plenty of them have taken no problems some have stalled others have immediately shown growthbut as for rate of them taking its definitely noticeably lower than other cacti Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spanishfly Posted October 7, 2015 Why would anyone WANT to graft a fast growing genus like Astrophytum anyway?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philocacti Posted October 7, 2015 To make it grow faster ;) 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Berengar Posted October 7, 2015 If Astrophytum is fast growing, and Lophophora is fast growing, what would you consider a slow growing genus? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spanishfly Posted October 7, 2015 (edited) Aztekium, Ariocarpus, Encephalocarpus, Pelecyphora, Geohintonia, Obregonia, Epithelantha, Ortegocactus, Toumeya - all of which I have in my collection, and all of which I find to be very much slower growing than Astrophytum. Astrophytum are renowned as a genus that germinates very quickly, and grows to maturity rapidly on their own roots. Many species can go on to reach very large sizes. No grafted plant will ever attain anything like the size of my prize winning Astrophytum myriostigma. (And that pic is a year old) Edited October 7, 2015 by Spanishfly Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Change Posted October 7, 2015 ^^wow that thing looks crazy cool, how old is it ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Berengar Posted October 7, 2015 Whatever floats your boat. I personally don't care about prizes and competitions, and I'd much rather have a mature looking plant within a year, than wait five years for it to show it's mature characteristics. It's very easy to degraft and root a plant after that. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Change Posted October 7, 2015 ^^ whats your preferred grafting stock Berergar? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Berengar Posted October 7, 2015 Selenicereus for young seedlings (1 weeks to 3 months old), Harrisia and Trichocereus as a permanent rootstock (for Ariocarpus and Turbinicarpus for example). Pereskioskiopsis for fast growing columnar species. Astrophytum does wonderfully on 5 cms of Selenicereus for at least 3 years. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spanishfly Posted October 7, 2015 (edited) Thanks Change - I reckon it´s about 15. And of course to many serious growers, having plants true to type is very important - which doesn´t happen with grafted plants, particularly for genuses where having a large taproot is an integral part of the plant´s characteristics. I generally do grow most species (but not all) on their own roots, and I grow them hard, on the gritty type of soil that they enjoy in habitat. I could make them grow faster (and more atypically) using a softer compost, with lots of high nitrogen fert, but what´s the rush?? Why would I want to? And is big and plump always healthy and desirable? - think obese people! However I do agree that grafted plants do have a place in a serious collection in some circumstances (i) some cacti are just so slow growing that it is the only way to make progress with them at all, which is why I have a grafted Aztekium ritteri. (ii) some cacti are virtually impossible to cultivate outside their habitat on their own roots, which is why I have a grafted Toumeya papyracantha (iii) the growth mode of some plants can easily bring them in contact with the growing medium, thus inducing rot, which is why cristate plants are often grafted, and I have a few of them. However I do not see the point in automatically grafting every plant that you grow - develop your horticultural skills instead. Edited October 13, 2015 by Spanishfly Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Berengar Posted October 7, 2015 (edited) . Edited October 7, 2015 by Berengar Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philocacti Posted October 8, 2015 However I do not see the point in automatically grafting every plant that you grow - develop your horticultural skills instead. Come on man......this is like saying you grow your cacti on their own roots cuz you didn't develop your grafting skills :s, which I believe isn't the case. Personally I enjoy grafting....hell I even graft mature trichocereus tips. It's like skipping seasons of "boring" growth so to speak ;) 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Change Posted October 8, 2015 After so many failures ive finally got one to take, strangely out of all my attempts i had the lowest hopes for this one, Only the tiniest piece of vascular tissue is connected, but its been 3 weeks since surgery so im confident ive finally got one to take. after loosing so many astro seedlings, ive decided to change my grafting stock before trying again, i cant handle the emotional pain of killing more of my babies trying to get them to take on peres 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
highdesertcacti Posted October 10, 2015 What are you changing your grafting stock too? I'm sowing out what should be some freaky astro next week Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
highdesertcacti Posted October 10, 2015 Selenicereus for young seedlings (1 weeks to 3 months old), Harrisia and Trichocereus as a permanent rootstock (for Ariocarpus and Turbinicarpus for example). Pereskioskiopsis for fast growing columnar species. Astrophytum does wonderfully on 5 cms of Selenicereus for at least 3 years. is there a certain species of selenicereus that works best?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Berengar Posted October 10, 2015 Anything thick enough to support a scion should work OK, grandiflorus, pteranthus, macdonaldiae etc., or one of the many hybrids. But like in Trichocereus, certain clones behave differently, so it's good to find one that is well suited for your climate, that is the main difference in Selenicereus, most grow very quickly and accept scions readily. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Change Posted October 10, 2015 Im going to trying some 3 inch Trichocereus babies as the next stock, while i propagate out some Selenicereus 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spanishfly Posted October 11, 2015 (edited) Never used it as a grafting stock, but Selenicereus is certainly a fast-growing climber. I have some S. grandiflorus growing up my garden wall. The flowers are certainly magnificent, I believe the biggest in the family Cactaceae. They are night-flowering and last just one night, dying back at sunrise. Edited October 11, 2015 by Spanishfly 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites