If you want to move on from single use plastic bags, you can get clear lidded rubbermaid-like storage containers that will hold 9 to 12 of the small pots you’re using. I think they’re called shoebox or under bed storage. They’re easily cleaned between sowings and store nicely when not in use. They’re sturdier and also don’t flop over like baggies sometimes do. I did baggies for nearly 20 years and now couldn’t imagine going back to them. Hello from a Bach’s employee in Tucson btw!
Hi Jordan, is your process any different? Would love to hear what’s different about how you do things since you’ve been doing it for such a long time. Thx!
@@carscactus3241 My process is somewhat different: I prefer to set my pots up indoors in a clean kitchen sink that I've sprayed down with a typical bleach-water solution. I also spray the insides of the empty pots before adding the soil. Since the sink has a sprayer attachment, I just spray the soil down and let it drain out the bottom instead of trying to force-soak the soil from the bottom in a plastic container, as shown in the video. If the soil drains properly, and doesn't have any peat content to it, then the water will both run through and soak up properly. I prefer to use a finely-shredded coir based seedling mix because peat repels water should it ever dry out. If you have access to a hydroponics store in your town, that's a good place to find soil-less mixes that are coir based, just make sure you amend it with a little more pumice/perlite. Anyway, with the soil in the pots wet, I lay down a thin layer of horticultural sand (unlike decorative sand, hort sand has various sized grains) and then put the seeds on top of this. Over the seeds goes a layer of pumice and then I use the sink sprayer again to wet it all down. I spray the inside of the rubbermaid box with the bleach solution (lid too) and put the pots inside and then just spray the whole lot, pots and all, once more with the solution and secure the lid on. The container then can go under LED lights indoors with a seed-starting heat mat underneath that's on a timer (14 on - 10 off) or outside on a shelf in a bright but shaded spot on the patio or, if you have one, a lower shelf in the shade house/greenhouse. Outside temps should be above 72 by day consistently for germination. Also, if you live in a monsoon influenced climate like I do where some part of the summer is hot and humid, open air sowing is an option and honestly less tedious than what I detailed above. In that case, I just skip the sterilizing processes and put the pots in a flat out in my shade house which has 40% shade cloth. I have a watering wand attachment on a hose with a nice, soft shower-like setting and just broadcast over the pots every few days like a passing rain storm. If it rains heavily one day that I would water, I just skip my own hand watering. With the heat and humidity so high, I can sometimes see germination in 5 to 7 days, which still surprises me after all these years. The outdoor method works well for cacti, euphorbia, stapeliads and aloes, but I find Haworthia germinate better in the plastic box. I think, ultimately, you have to find what works best for you in your own climate and don't be afraid to experiment. Good luck and have fun!
Hey hunter, great channel man, I’ve been aching for a channel like this for 20 years. Thank you so much! One bit of advice, exploit RU-vid and their stupid algorithm! Use the community posts as often as you can, upload shorts daily, the algorithm weights activity there more than videos. If you’ll regularly post in both those sections you will definitely attract more views! I think you could easily have many MANY more subs if you could get your vids in more people’s recommendations.
Thank you for the advice. I will definitely start doing that. Thank you for the compliments I’m glad you like the channel. I’m about to have a baby so it’s been difficult to edit lately but working on a few videos right now and have been planning doing more little shirts videos too. Much appreciated
Man, I stumbled on your channel and i am so glad I found it. Definitely what I have been looking for...not sure how I haven't found your channel in all my cactus searching on youtube. Awesome
This is so admirable! I’m in the east, we have much less selection and availability, but we can order seeds with a clear conscience... but getting those seeds to mature plants is a real challenge for many folks.
love your channel, hunter! inspired by your videos, i sowed ~150 seeds (some copiapoa varieties, ariocarpus, turbinocarpus, and rebutia) on the first of the year. half a week later, some of the copiapoa are starting to pop their ugly little heads out. you mentioned following this up with a video about transitioning the seedlings from their bag and allowing them to acclimatize/harden off - i would love to see that as well as an update on these bastards. keep up the great work!
@@nathanielvargas3863 i went on a three week road trip last summer and left the seedlings in the care of a neighbor. all but a few of the turbinocarpus and copiapoa died lol. i sowed a new batch of agave, astrophytum, copiapoa, lophophora, and mammillaria last month. they're going strong!
I am picking up a bunch if ariocarpus and lophophora seeds this video has definitely been the best one I've seen on sowing seeds. Great information thanks!
I find when I soak my mix in H2O2 its tends to leave it brown and I get less of a germination rate. On the other hand just spraying it on the surface after sowing seems to do the trick. Thanx to you I've become a big copiapoa fan and have several seedlings going now.
Thanks for this! Been growing for the better part of half a year now and I'd have loved to have had this when I first started. Even seeing it now, it's interesting to see how growers have different ways of doing things.
Hi Hunter, Fantastic work as usual, and frankly I'm glad to hear you that you'll talk later about what to do next with your seedlings, that part of the story is commonly omitted. On the other hand, I have some questions: 1. Do you sterilized the seeds? With 100% mineral soil mixes probably the problem are the seeds. I cook my mineral mixes some minutes in the microwave but also soaked the seeds around 5 minutes in bleach (and then whashed in abundant water) before sowing them. 2. How have it worked to keep the seedlings in the bag up to a year? I'm a bit scared of fungi and I believed that you need a lot of chemical to make the baggie method for so long 3. Do you consider to add a top layer of sand to the 100% lava mix? the sand has good moisture retaining Thanks for all. PS: beautiful Copiapoas you have there! Maybe someday you may talk us about your greenhouse conditions?
Informative video! Question for you, you are only soaking the soil in hp before covering? So essentially you are not adding any additional water to start?
Thanks for the great video and for sharing your knowledge and passion. Have been a collector for years and am always looking to improve my propagation techniques so it is interesting to see how others go about it.
Hey Hunter, Ana of Cactus Caffeine sent me your way. I have one single Echinocereus Rigidissimus v. Rubiuspinis that produced seeds. Yes, you read this correctly, a single, by himself, Rainbow Arizona Hedgehog produced seeds. The only way I can figure this happened is one of my neighbors had one that was in flower at the same time and some kind little insect came to visit. So, I'm watching your video to learn how to sew and grow them the Hunter way. Love you guy! TTFN!
Enjoying the videos! I had a bunch of the green fungus you showed during my very first seedlings but I didn't do anything to that soil. Since then I've been microwaving the soil prior to putting it in and haven't had any issues with it showing up. I haven't tried the hydrogen peroxide though.
Nice video. My question is when you were soaking the pots of soil you said it was n hydrogen peroxide. So there was no water involved in soaking or anything in this video? The seeds are germinating and growing in peroxide?
A month late but here you go. The Hydrogen Peroxide is only 3% therefore it’s 97% water. The actual Hydrogen peroxide rapidly breaks down into water and oxygen H2O2 to H2O + 02
Hey there! I got the Physan 20 but was wondering what ratio to water you dilute it? I also was wondering where I can get the type of turface you used and if you just sanitize it by spraying with the hydrogen peroxide? Thanks!
What type of soil are you using? Just normal potting soil like miracle grow. Also, no water; just hydrogen peroxide and a spray of that fungicide? Thanks so much for doing this video! Love your channel! 🌵👍👍
@Cactus Quest how much pumice do you add in to your soil? Do they need the UV light around the clock the full year? Could I place on a window sill instead of UV lights? thanks!
I just had success with Oreocereus celsianus seeds that I had in the fridge for at least five years. They germinated within a week at temperatus of just below 20°C and over 15°C on regular gritty cactus substrate without any cover. I misted them once a day. But that's a mountain species, others will need different conditions. I didn't expect anything given the age honestly. You will find probably information about the ideal germination condictions for your specific species online.
Tips for purchasing seeds off of mesa garden website?? The shipping agreement kinda confused me. “if the shipping country for my order requires documentation not provided to or purchased from Mesa Garden for import. “ any explanation lol?
@cactusquest where are you located, what’s your hardiness zone? Which month was this filmed in? I wonder why this info isn’t in a lot of cactus videos generally.
hey cactus quest, thanks for the guide. I made the mistake of sowing some seeds in soil I half assed with sterilizing. I notice there is some rust fungus or atleast orange circles on some of the germinating babies, would spraying physan into my plastic bag be enough to save the plant and sterilize the soil? Or should i consider a seedling that got attacked by fungus to be a goner?
so you don't use strait water at all you only use hydrogen peroxide 3 % ... I have had mixed results when I use strait water , could that be my problem ?
My trays have started growing mould what is the best product / thing to do to get rid of it, I live in the UK so US specific products aren't really an option.
It all depends. I have left them in the bags for up to 12 months. I have in that case had to reopen the bag and water (with sprayer) to keep moist. They need the humidity in the beginning.
Quit early. How do I get burned by hydrogen peroxide? Jeez. Come on. Gloves are for sanitation except once you touch everything with gloves there is no sanitation. Stay safe.
