growing T. Pachanoii from seeds??

[Guest d0tb0y]

Hey guys, I'm getting some T. Pachanoii from SAB soon and read the growing guide here. Problem is, hydroponics as suggested is not able to be done here... Anyone successfully got T. Pachanoii growing without hydroponics/artificial light?

After sterilizing my medium, if i just plant the seeds and place in the sun and water as normal, what are my chances of viability reduced to? Or is this a recepie for disaster? (touchy cactii?)

[ramon]

I wouldn't place them in the sun right from the start.

They are slow to start and would more then likely get burnt. If you have a mini greenhouse type of thing I would start them in there

[gomaos]

I find that peatmoss is really helpful with germinating cactus seeds. Just sprinkle a layer of it on top of your seed raising mix and the cactus seeds into that.

I only ever mist my seeds(with half-strenght liquid fertilizer), never use a watering can for them.

Also to protect from pests or pets I cover my seed boxes with mosquito netting.

Most cactus seeds like shade for starters.

Shade houses are ideal.

(In Queensland, sub-tropics, that is. Probably different in Victoria and SA and different in Perth again...or not?)

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[Guest d0tb0y]

No mini greenhouse thing, although i'll go pick up a few meters of mosquito mesh and drape it over the top. How much light should they recieve a day? I was thinking of sticking the little pots on my window, which doesn't get much light as it faces away from the morning sun and is shaded all day.

So basically when i get my seeds, make some mix, sterilize in an oven for an hour at 200c, place it in the growing pots, plant the seeds.. In regards to watering technique, I just mix some water soluble fertilizer stuff into some water, and mist it on, right? how often?

i'll get a small bit of peat moss for the top layer, too.

Oh yeah, and out of curiosity, if these things take so long to grow (5-7 years for a decent sized bit) why do they sell so cheap? $10 for like 5-7 years of growing seems.. well, you'd just think that much effort would have a bigger pricetag *shrug*

[gerbil]

Depending on where abouts you live, it's not really a great time for starting seeds, the temperature will be getting far too cold, even if they do germinate, they won't be able to survive the winter.

Generally i think the 10$ ones that are for sale would be cuts of established cactus.

I saw a T. pachanoi selling for $175 the other day, one column around 50cm, then down the road there were two columns around the same size for $40. 175$ is ridiculous.

I've had good success in a perlite/CSS(with some fine sand for top) mix, drop the seeds on top, gently press into the sand just snug, then lighty mist as to not disrupt the seed, had 6 T. pach germinate in one week.

If you are wanting to germinate during winter, i use a heat pad and small watt fluros in a humidity box.

The seed used was from SAB, highly viable.

[Guest d0tb0y]

Hmm. i might consider a little humidity box. Depends which is faster, me building one or me waiting until the right time to plant :>

How much does it cost electricity wise?

And what temps do you need to keep the suckers at? Heating pad may be a problem.

[Terry Trichocerous]

If you use flurescent lights the power wont be an issue. For that sort of thing 40 watts would be heaps. Its only when you begin using HPS and MH lights (at 400 to 1000 Watts, ive seen grows on the internet with over 10 1000 watt lights!) that electricity begins to burn through money.

Buying a 70 litre tub from Bunnings, running a fluorescent light tubes accross the top would produce a nice little enclosure for little Pachanoi's to begin there life. If you keep it inside, perhaps sitting it on or near a heating duct would keep the temps up around the mid twenty degrees they seem to enjoy.

As has been said, a 50cm tall Pachanoi is easily available at around $25, so it may be a nice place to start. If you're in Melbourne, the Cactus Garage normally has a few nice ones. I picked up 2 20 inch babies from there that each had 2 new growth points for a total of $50.

[ 11. May 2003, 21:28: Message edited by: Terry Trichocerous ]

[Rev]

Growing can be as simple as planting shallowly in regular seed raising mix in a pot then putting that in a plastic bag to act as a greenhouse - place somewhere warmn but not too bright, keep them warm and moist but with good ventlation and they grow fast.

Once they have 5cm under their belt they rocket away

Or you could go high tech and surface sterilise all the seeds with bleach followed by rinses in sterile water and then plant in test tubes full of sterile CSS. Once they germinate you can feed them filter sterilised thrive or such

Theres 2 extremes - it all depends how rare the seed is. Ive done both.

If you want good Cactus economic then go with seed rather than large plants - $50 will buy you absolutely shitloads of seed and the cumulative increase in biomass year by year would far exceed cuttings from one large plant.

[Guest d0tb0y]

Hmm. I will pickup a 40 watt fluro and see how it goes.

What is the photoperiod they prefer,and what ambient air temperature? For all I know my house may already be hot enough with insulation and all my computers.

[gerbil]

Have had good success with a heat pad set at 27C for root zone. Was using one of those yates humidity boxes, and the fluro. was just above that, stuck some white paper to the top of the humidity dome to filter light, since the fresh sprouts started to burn even from the 40w. Just keep an eye on them to make sure they don't burn.

Light and pad is on constantly. about 60w all up. It's important to keep the temperature constant.

[ 17. May 2003, 18:32: Message edited by: gerbil ]

[Guest d0tb0y]

Well I bought a 50L plastic tub from crazy clarks.. still working on the fluro, light shop was shut. Any ideas where to get a decent cheap heat pad? The only one i found was over 40 dollars :/

Why did you put paper over the light to "filter" it? I thought they'd enjoy maximum exposure so they grow quickest?

I'm looking at a 32 watt ring fluro, because the bucket isn't long enough for a wider fluro and the standalone case+long fluro is soooo overpriced compared to a 32 watt ring and a holder. is 32 watts gonna do it or should I find a higher rated one?

[Guest d0tb0y]

Oh yeah i forgot to mention, during the daytime it'll be by a window getting light.. im gonna time it so that it gets daylight and then when it gets dark, fluro light.. that way, save money and have constant growth. Sounds okay?

Oh btw, its really only the cases of the fluro's that cost so much.. Is there anything really inside those cases :/ Or could i just supply one lead to the bulb, and the other to the bulb with the regulator in series to the tube? or is there more circuitry. Yep, i know this is 240. let's just assume i'm a electrician.

[Spurious]

The 32 watter ring tube should be sufficient.

While this subject is current, does anyone have an excess of T. pachanoi or other Trichs. seeds?

I'm looking for seeds of Lophophoras and Trichocereus. I've got a couple of things to swap in my trade list.

[Thelema]

ive just got a shitload of trich peruvians sprouting here. I just wacked them in a plastic container of cactus soil, sprinkled a little over the top, and watered with a mild fungicide.

Couldn't be easier. got em' sitting in my laundry sink which gets indirect sunlight all day. keep moistish.

[waterdragon]

thel -how long from planting to visible sprouts?

[Thelema]

the fungicide definitely slowed things down, took about 14 days. success rate at the moment only 25%. but maybe more.

but hey, i like 1:4 odds using the poor mans method. if it's good enough for charles darwin it's good enough for me.

[t st tantra]

i have a few t werdermannius[sp?] seeds to spare.

t s t .