Growing San Pedro from seed

[Forkbender]

Hello all. I'm about to start growing San Pedro from seed. I have found a lot of information on the web with a lot of conflicting ideas about what's best. Even on this forum there are different interpretations.

So I got myself some cactus soil that contains organic matter, N,P,K and trace elements. Is this enough for germination or should I add something else? I've read people using pumice to make it more drainable, but I couldn't really find it at the local gardening centre. Is it necessary? When do they first require fertiliser? Do I need to get a fungicide? If so: which one?

What kind of containers should I use? The plastic ones? Or can I start in a clay pot?

I read that I should make it wet first and then cover it with glass/plastic so that it stays wet after germination you can give them fresh air now and then. They should be warm, too. Is this OK?

 

[HeartCore]

Hey Fork,

It should be enough for germination.

I'm no expert though, I only planted my seeds Sunday a week ago (10 San Pedro, 10 Peyote, 10 Peruvian).

Instead of going for the cactus soil, I decided to use a recipe from the vaults of mycotopia.net. (1/3 composted potting soil, 1/3 white sand, 1/3 vermiculite) and mix my own soil.

To counter fungi in the beginning, I sterilized the soil for an hour in the pressurecooker.

Containers don't really matter I guess, mine are all growing/sprouting in 'nasi bakjes' but I have different sizes of plastic pots ready so I can transfer them when needed.

To germinate, I use an old terrarium of which I covered the outside with black/white plastic (black outside) and put a fluorescent light in it. You want to keep humidity high and vent a few times per day after germination. Also if you use lights, you may have to provide some shade for your seedlings if they start to turn red/brown

 

[Mr.Smith]

.

 

[GOD]

Dont use soil you want to grow cacti not contamination . So use perlite and sand . If you use soil you will probably have to use a fungiside and maybe something against flys and if you use sand you probably wont . The soil method is a bit quicker . Sterilising the soil might help a bit but the spores in the air will infect it .

If you have a small greenhouse for cuttings put some small pots filled with a mixture of perlite and sand in it , wet ithem a bit with a water sprayer and sprinkle the seeds on top . Then put a few pinches of sand over them . The sand shouldnt be so big that the seeds fall between it . Put the lid on and put the whole thing somewhere warm = above 26 - 32°C . Open it ocasionaly so it doesnt start to get contaminated with anything . Dont give them direct sunlight , a flourescent lamp is OK .When they get as big as a pea start to open the greenhouse more to harden them off . You should use an water soluble organic cacti fertiliser with trace elements in it ocasionaly . Not plant fertiliser . After 6 months re-pot them in bigger pots filled with perlite , small stones from a terarium shop and a little sand to fill the spaces but not to much .

 

[Mr.Smith]

.

 

[zombeastie]

Have any popped up yet heartcore?

 

[Forkbender]

I have a mini greenhouse (30 by 20 cm by 20 cm). I guess this would be perfect, as it is small and can be placed on a warm spot in my house.

My stupid mega garden centre closest to my house doesn't have perlite (or vermiculite for that matter), I'll have to shop around a bit. I don't want to waste my money in a grow shop.

I'll definitely dilute the soil with about 2 parts of sand/perlite. The soil contains 40 percent dead matter, 25 % organic matter and was created especially for cacti. Please tell me if this dilution is about correct.

I already have special cactus fertilizer for my other pet cactus (which I bought as a cutting).

 

[GOD]

On the subject of comercial expensive amateur soil mixture .

Why dont you try some pots with the comercial expensive amateur soil mixture and some with just sand ? Do you remember the pictures that were posted here a few weeks ago of big peyotes ? They werent in comercial expensive amateur soil mixture were they ? Have you read the posts in the cacti section ? All the people there who had had rot and fungus problems used a comercial expensive amateur soil mixture .

It beats me why people keep making themselves problems by using comercial expensive amateur soil mixture .

When i used to grow cacti i soon stoped using comercial expensive amateur soil mixtures and then the problems stoped .

 

[Forkbender]

Okay. Sand and perlite vs. Soil + sand + perlite. I'll do an experiment.

 

[GOD]

Allahu akbar .

 

[HeartCore]

Have any popped up yet heartcore?

Four Peyote's popped but none of the San Pedro's and Peruvian torches. I wonder if these seeds where not to old.

 

[significationof?!?]

How is the pressure-ccoker sterilisation done? I'll be shopping for soil this weekend, and planting my San Pedro seeds as soon as I get them!

 

[Paracoculi]

I planted 60 peyote seeds on the 24th of January, just before new moon. I don't do witchcraft or anything, but I do believe the moon can have influence on plant-growth. I use this calendar (it's dutch though): http://www.koninklijkevolkstuinenkluisb ... ontact.php

40 seedlings popped up by now

I used the soil-mixture from CactusPlaza; 1/3 riversand, 1/3 regular potting soil and 1/3 grit (1-3mm), baked it in the oven on 180?C for 15 minutes and let it cool prior to sowing.
I have them in small plastic pots with huge drainage-holes, I keep them in plastic bags on a heating-pad in the windowsill. When the sun gets too strong I cover them with white plasic bags.

From now on it's all a bit of guessing and hoping for the best, this is as far as I ever got with cacti-seeds
As for me, I think I will start adding trace amounts of nutrients to the water after one or two weeks from now, by then I will also let the seedlings adjust to less humidity.

There's just so many ways of going about it, I sure don't know which way is the best. The more I search, the more different procedures I find.
Just trying to listen to plants and not worrying too much is often enough I guess
I gleefully await to see how it all goes!

Good luck everyone, and here's a pic I made last week:

 

[skoeip]

ahw what a cute bunch of baby's!

 

[HeartCore]

GOD: a flourescent lamp is OK

If you want your tips turn brown, it is.

 

[ShaktiLove]

Hi there!
I really enjoyed reading your post... even though I found it 8 years later.
Did you have success with your seeds? Any updated tips you can offer a beginner?

xoxo

:weed:

I planted 60 peyote seeds on the 24th of January, just before new moon. I don't do witchcraft or anything, but I do believe the moon can have influence on plant-growth. I use this calendar (it's dutch though): http://www.koninklijkevolkstuinenkluisb ... ontact.php

40 seedlings popped up by now

I used the soil-mixture from CactusPlaza; 1/3 riversand, 1/3 regular potting soil and 1/3 grit (1-3mm), baked it in the oven on 180?C for 15 minutes and let it cool prior to sowing.
I have them in small plastic pots with huge drainage-holes, I keep them in plastic bags on a heating-pad in the windowsill. When the sun gets too strong I cover them with white plasic bags.

From now on it's all a bit of guessing and hoping for the best, this is as far as I ever got with cacti-seeds
As for me, I think I will start adding trace amounts of nutrients to the water after one or two weeks from now, by then I will also let the seedlings adjust to less humidity.

There's just so many ways of going about it, I sure don't know which way is the best. The more I search, the more different procedures I find.
Just trying to listen to plants and not worrying too much is often enough I guess
I gleefully await to see how it all goes!

Good luck everyone, and here's a pic I made last week: