Beginner's Improved Version of Cactus Seed Sowing Detailed Method
Main Content Introduction: This article provides an explanation of cacti as a type of succulent plant, focusing on the detailed method of sowing cactus seeds with improved granular soil for beginners. The site editor will introduce this method to netizens.
Sowing cacti is an essential training for beginners in succulents. Many people give up after a few failures. I hope this method can inspire those who have failed multiple times to find the fun in sowing again. This method is improved from Leo martin's article "growing cactus from seed," which is based on his years of experience in sowing cacti, aiming to make sowing simple and enjoyable. I have learned a lot from him. In the process of practice, I found that some situations in the United States are different from ours and cannot be copied completely. Also, I do not agree with some of his views. Therefore, after referring to some successful sowing methods and combining my own experiences of success and failure, I have summarized my own method of sowing cacti.
1. Cut the sowing bottle: Collect colorless and transparent plastic bottles, cut them to a suitable size with a utility knife and scissors, leaving about 5 cm at the bottom to fill with soil, keeping the top for moisture retention, and not punching holes at the bottom; Of course, you can also choose other sowing containers, such as ordinary plastic pots, seedling boxes from gardening stores, hard paper cups, lunch boxes, etc. Compared with using waste colorless plastic bottles, there is slightly more work but almost no cost. A "Nongfu Spring" bottle can accommodate 100 seeds to survive for 1-2 years. If there are not enough seeds, you can use a toothpick to separate them in the middle. Due to the small space occupied, beginners can collect many favorite varieties on a narrow windowsill.
After cutting, stick the label given by the seed merchant on the bottle, secure it with transparent tape, and supplement the information with a non-fading marker pen, such as seed name, number, source, parents, and sowing date.
2. Prepare the soil: It is not recommended to buy pre-mixed "seedling special soil" from the flower market or online. First, these formulas have not been scientifically verified to be suitable for your cacti. Secondly, the soil is determined by the sowing method, and different people, climates, and watering methods require different soil, not the other way around, buying soil first and then sowing.
I divide the components of the sowing soil into three types: inorganic particles (such as red jade soil), organic matter (such as peat), and other auxiliary materials (such as rice husk charcoal). In my sowing method, I only choose the first material: completely inorganic particles. Yes, it must be completely inorganic particles, a key to successful sowing emphasized by Leo martin multiple times. Although it has many disadvantages: not moisture-retaining, not good for root hair adsorption, lacking nutrients, etc., it can ensure that the seeds survive after germination. Any organic matter will increase the risk of fungal infection, and fungi are the number one killer of cactus seedlings.
I bought 1-3mm volcanic stone particles, fine-grained hard red jade soil, pearl rock, etc. online, sifted out small coal cinders for backup, and of course, you can also try cat litter from pet stores or substrates from aquariums, as long as you think the particle size is moderate (1-3mm), the pH value is neutral, and it is not too "plain" when mixed (for example, pure quartz river sand is too "plain"), there should be no problem. The particle size should not be too small or too large; otherwise, the seeds might fall through the gaps.
No organic matter such as peat, coconut bran, grass charcoal, decomposed leaf soil, or mixed culture soil should be mixed in. It is essential to use completely inorganic particles as the sowing culture medium, as any organic matter will increase the risk of sowing failure for the following reasons: 1) Seeds do not need nutrients to germinate, and the seedlings can obtain nutrients from the small amount of elements released from the particles. If you are worried about insufficient nutrients, you can add an extremely low concentration of fertilizer (such as potassium dihydrogen phosphate, liquid flowering plant fertilizer) in subsequent watering; 2) Organic matter is a breeding ground for fungi and pests. Although removing organic matter cannot guarantee that fungal infection will not occur, it can indeed significantly reduce the chance of fungal growth; 3) Particles are less likely to compact and are more breathable than culture soil. The disadvantage is that they do not retain water, so the bottom should not be pierced, or the seedlings will easily dry to death.
If you don't mind the trouble, you can lay a double or even triple layer of different planting materials. This layered method is recommended by many experts, but it requires different management methods, which require everyone to explore slowly. What I introduce below is the experience of the pure particle culture method.
3. Put the bottle with soil in the microwave to kill eggs and most fungi. Fill the soil about 3-4 cm high, add water to make it completely wet, put the bottle in a large plastic bag, tie it loosely, and place it in the microwave for 2 minutes on medium heat. More than 2 minutes may melt the bottle, and the large plastic bag can prevent the liquid from boiling over and contaminating the microwave during heating. Two minutes of medium heat is enough to kill the eggs, and it's not a problem if the bacterial spores are not killed, as the cactus seedlings are not无菌 cultivated. Normal "soil" flora can competitively inhibit harmful bacteria and prevent fungal outbreaks. In my sowing practice, I found that the peak period of fungal outbreaks is within one week after sowing, which is when the flora balance is not yet established. Therefore, I believe in the Em bacteria method, using "good" bacteria to competitively inhibit "bad" fungi, which is a feasible method. I have sown more than ten bottles with this method, and only two have had fungal infections, while the others have not had any infections so far. For the infected bottles, spray with carbendazim, and the seedlings will grow normally after sprouting without further deterioration. I have not tried the potassium permanganate disinfection method, as colored chemicals are unacceptable to me. Interested friends can try it.
4. Flatten and compact the soil: Turn the top of the cut plastic bottle with the cap upside down and press the soil surface flat and firm. A lot of water will come out, which is normal. Use a syringe to remove excess water, leaving the water just covering the surface of the granular soil. This step is key to ensuring that the seedlings germinate smoothly and do not fall over.
5. Sow: Seeds from major international seed suppliers do not need to be disinfected as they have been cleaned and selected, and the fruit flesh has been removed. If you don't mind the workload, you can disinfect with chemicals. There will definitely be bacteria and fungi on the seed surface, but generally, there are no eggs, so you can sow with confidence. Make sure to wash the fruit flesh off the seeds from the pod to prevent it from becoming "food" for fungi. Sprinkle the seeds by hand, and depending on the germination rate, one plastic bottle can sow 50-100 seeds, try to spread them evenly, and preferably place the seeds in the gaps between three granular soils. After sowing, the water should just cover the seeds because they need a lot of water to dissolve the germination-inhibiting substances in the seeds. The seeds should not fall into the gaps below, so the particles should not be too large.
6. Remove the cap and cover the upper half of the bottle with a damp cloth. The cap is not necessary, as the upper half of the bottle without a cap has just the right moisture retention effect. Covering the bottle can easily cause problems due to poor ventilation.
7. Place it in a place where it can be exposed to sunlight for a short time in the morning, and keep it at room temperature of about 30 degrees. The higher the temperature, the faster the germination, and there is no need to use a thermometer to measure the temperature inside the bottle. As long as the cap is removed, the seeds will definitely be fine in the morning. Observe closely in the first few days, add water every day to keep enough water covering the seeds, and deal with fungi promptly if found. The conditions for fungal outbreaks are: fungal strains, appropriate temperature, appropriate humidity, sufficient food, and no fungicides. Fungal strains are bound to be present, as fungal spores are everywhere in the air, looking for suitable living spaces. To deal with fungal outbreaks, you can spray fungicides such as carbendazim or remove the upper half of the bottle, expose it to the sun directly, and let the soil surface dry completely. Although this treatment may damage the seedlings, they can survive. Besides fungi, another troublesome issue is moss. Both particles and the use of distilled water can slow down the outbreak of moss. If moss appears, you should let the soil surface dry out early to kill the moss.
Most cacti seeds will germinate after about 1 week. Stop watering after germination and let the water evaporate naturally until the soil surface is slightly moist. If there are not many seeds and the roots are growing in the wrong direction, you can gently pick the roots with a probe and place them in the gaps of the particles. After most of the seeds have germinated, the cover should be completely removed, and a little sunlight should be exposed in the morning to avoid the midday and afternoon sun. My method is to place it on the east-facing windowsill with a shelter, so it can get 7-9 am diffused light in the summer, which is not too strong. Only diffused light is not enough, as ultraviolet light in sunlight is the best fungicide. Keep the soil surface slightly dry but not completely dry, as seedlings cannot be treated like large cacti and can easily die if they dry out completely. Remember not to cover the bottle; instead, abandon the闷养 method, expose it to the sun directly, and let the seedlings turn a bit color, which may make them grow slower but healthier. If there is a bit too much sunlight, the seedlings will turn red but will not die, and you should pay attention to shading at this time. Never expose the bottle to the sun with the cap on, as it can easily get too hot.
9. Later management: With particle soil, no cover, and a bit of sunlight, the soil easily dries out, so it needs to be watered frequently. If tap water is used, long-term evaporation can easily cause salt deposits, which can hinder the growth of seedlings, so I use distilled water (pure water) for each watering. The daily task is to add water every two to three days as needed. If water is accidentally added too much, you can tilt the bottle and use a syringe to extract the excess water. When the seedlings grow larger, you can occasionally add a small amount of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (0.01%) or diluted flower fertilizer (concentration is 1/10 of the instructions) to the water, with safety being the priority.
10. If there are no problems, let them stay quietly and prevent pets or children from knocking them over. Under these conditions, the seedlings can grow slowly, and there is no need to transplant them for at least one year, unless there is an accident. Control the desire to pot them up, as cacti like to grow close together.
11. Summary:
(1) Pure particle material without any organic matter (preventing insects, fungi, and compaction has many benefits);
(2) No holes in the bottom (particles do not retain water);
(3) Use distilled water (preventing salinization and extending compaction time);
(4) Add extra fertilizer to the water (separating water and fertilizer, low concentration);
(5) Diffused light, slightly direct sunlight in the morning;
(6) Prevent high temperatures;
(7) Prevent collision accidents;
(8) Watering is the most skilled part, neither too wet nor too dry;
(9) Control the desire to transplant;
(10) Look more, think less, and touch less.
12. I believe that a clean and dry windowsill environment helps reduce the risk of fungal outbreaks and improve survival rates. Moreover, the varieties I collect are the beautiful flower varieties of cacti and Echinopsis, which are strong, grow rapidly, and like sunlight, making them suitable for indoor circulation and grow well.
PS: Some people question the effectiveness of this method, which is normal. I didn't use this method for my first sowing. With pure particles, the gaps are so large and there are no nutrients, how can the seedlings grow? So it's natural to add organic matter like culture soil. The result is that the seedlings are either attacked by fungi or disturbed by small black flies, and only a part of the seedlings that are transplanted immediately survive. Later, I tried the pure particle method, and the survival rate of the seedlings was very high. When I was about to give up sowing, this method gave me hope, so I recommend it to beginners. Of course, this method is not perfect, and there are many better methods. Everyone can choose and try according to their own judgment.
Later management involves placing the bottle where it can get sunlight in the morning, using scattered light during the day, not covering the top, watering with distilled water when the soil surface is dry, and optionally spraying with distilled water daily. When the seedlings grow larger, you can add potassium dihydrogen phosphate or commercial liquid flower fertilizer to the water, with a low concentration. The most important thing is to prevent children or pets from knocking over the bottle and to resist the urge to pick it up and look at it every day. The seedlings will slowly grow, and the weak ones will naturally be eliminated.
Using pure particle culture media compared to adding peat results in slower plant growth.
My method summarized is "pure particle material + giving up闷养 + appropriate sunlight + dry soil surface + frequent watering with distilled water + later fertilization." It has been relatively successful so far, at least for beginners like me who don't easily kill cacti from seeds. Of course, as sowing experience increases, the method will definitely need to be refined, even completely abandoned.
Sowing and cultivating are the same and need to be adapted to local conditions. Successful sowing requires the coordination of many factors, just like "pure particle material," which must be combined with no holes in the bottom, frequent watering with distilled water, and later fertilization.
The above [] introduces the complete content of the beginner's improved version of the granular soil cactus sowing method, which green plant enthusiasts netizens might refer to.