[karlooben]

who here grows cacti from seed, i did about 200 seeds an 12 made it although since last summer 9 have died but maybe that was my fault .

is there any tips on how to get them to grow ?

[Faz]

Few basic tips for you :

Potting them into a sandy medium rather than a peat based one is best, as it is easier to rewet and also the cacti do not like too much nutrients, as it makes them grow too quickly and they become susceptible to disease

Most types don't mind being watered roughly weekly in the summer, but keep them very dry during the colder months.

Some types are very frost hardy as long as they are dry - hardy ones are all I have left nowadays lol

Try not to get the flesh of the cactus wet to avoid rotting - normally they prefer to be watered from below.

Er I think that all I can remember 

[karlooben]

i firstly used cacti compost soil  and they grew well. at the mo i have tried starting of another 10 seeds on the windowsill in my room but i am wandering if its better to put them in the airing cupboard its not blocked in or anything so theres plenty of air going round but it does get warm above it at times would this do them harm or not .

[Yorkie]

Might be worth having a look at http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=27991.0 which is a thread also about cactus plants

[Couldn't work out how to do a clever linky thing, hence the url of the thread appears in the post]

[matthew2riches]

My last lot I put in a heated propagator and had loads come through 

They all died shortly after 

I am trying again now you have reminded me using Faz's tips!!!

[Faz]

Oh I never thought of the germination bit - they will definitely germinate better in a propagator, and should be left in there for while after they germinate.

[FCG]

Check if they are acid/alkali lovers. I can never remember. I kept one alive for years until it died under mysterious circumstances. If you want to give it a feed i suggest popping a few 1-5 of those little balls you can buy to put in hanging baskets that dissolve over time. My aunt does this and has smashing ones.

[DD.]

Oh I never thought of the germination bit - they will definitely germinate better in a propagator, and should be left in there for while after they germinate.

No no no no no.

NEVER leave anything in a propagator unless you want to weaken them.

AS SOON as they germinate, take them out. By all means keep things like this warm, but cacti do not want a boiling hot, humid atmosphere to survive. Think what their natural conditons are. The same goes for any plant you cultivate.

Sorry will add to this soon - IE problems.

[DD.]

Briefly.

Grew cactus from seed 1963 onwards. (Not a typo).

Don't molly coddle them. (Amazing how many seeds this applies to).

DO NOT - WHATEVER YOU READ ELSEWHERE KEEP THEM IN A PROPAGATOR.

This applies to all seeds.

Our compost was made from smashed brick mixed with soil.

It worked.

[Celtic Eagle]

So

From what I've seen

gritty compost, high temp but not very humid once germinated

Is that about right?

I'm gonna have ago with cactus this year as well

[karlooben]

for my first time i just got cacti soil put quite a few seeds in it left them in the seed tray an placed a plastic lid over it an left them in my mums greenhouse { heated at the time it was spring she plants enough to feed a small country } then when she needed space they went into the second plastic greenhouse that isnt heated an they seemed to love it , the moisture of the plastic kept them moist enough . but this time round i am trrying them in my bedroom as its to cold outside an they are on the windowsill was just wandering if this would work although i am watering them as soon as the soil looks dry , is that wrong to do.