Showing posts with label Mammillaria. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mammillaria. Show all posts

Monday, July 20, 2009

Growing cactus from seed

Cactus has many ways to propagate and one of the exciting ways is to grow from seed. It's possible that the baby cactus will have the different colors or shapes from their parent plants. However, growing cactus from seed may be not easy for the rookies and here is the easy instructions and tips to follow :

1. You should have the cactus seed. It can be find easily on the online shop or Ebay. You may choose the basic cactus types like Gymnocalycium or Mammillaria. Their seeds are not expensive and easy to grow.

2. Mix your potting soil. Use a mixture of about half perlite or pumice, half potting soil. Or add 2 inches of sand on the bottom with 2 inches of equally mixed sand and peat on top. Or you can use the cactus soil sold in the garden shops.

3. Add soil to a shallow container with good drainage, and water the soil before the seeds are planted. Use a container with a depth of at least 4 inches and pure water.

4. Plant your seeds by shaking them on the soil's surface. Distribute evenly, then gently press into the soil to a depth that equals its width. Planting too deeply kills the plant before it reaches the surface.

5. Cover the seeds with no more than 1/8 inch of potting soil.

6. Place a transparent covering across the container. Plastic bag is my best choice because it's cheap, light and easy to find. Meanwhile, you can see the baby cactus through the clear bag.

7. Set your miniature greenhouse in a warm location. Ideally, the temperature should be no lower than 70 degrees F. Your seeds will begin to germinate in about 3 weeks. Certain cactus plants need up to 10 week.

8. Once the seedlings appear, use a spray bottle to mist them keeping them from drying out. Just once a week depending on the moisture in the soil.

Tips:

  • Soak the seeds before planting for several hours or overnight (if you can see) The seeds will grow very quickly.
  • The seeds may germinate in one week, otherwise they may take significantly longer.
  • Put the pot under the light shade. The baby cactus don't need the full sunlight.
  • Repot when the cactus is at least 1/2 inch in diameter. This usually takes at least 3 months.
Let's have fun and enjoy to grow cactus from seed!

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Mammillaria pectinifera

Mammillaria pectinifera (Syn: Solisia pectinata)

The species is classified as endangered because of habitat destruction, grazing of livestock, mining rock for construction, and dumping of rubbish. Actually the illegal extraction and trade of the plant doesn't seem to be a real threat, because artificial propagation is not a problem today, and many nurseries produce the species.

Origin : Mexico

Frost Tolerance: 20°F (-7°C)

Minimum Avg. Temperature: 50°F (10°C)

Sun Exposure: Light shade

Watering Needs: Rot prone, use shallow pot

Propagation: Seeds, or graft

Habitat: Grows in the Tehuacan Valley Matorral, Mexico, a desert/xeric tropical shrub basin, under bushes and other vegetation, on deep alkaline soils with relatively high surface stoniness and high water retention capacity.

The climate is semi-dry, hot, with summer rains and slight temperature oscillations.

Cultivation: Slow growing, this plant is very rot prone and temperamental when cultivated on its own roots, but it is easy to grow if grafted. Mammillaria pectinifera has a fairly large tap root, and should be kept in a deep pot with a very draining mineral substrate.

Watering during the active growing season (spring and summer), this will encourage steady growth. But be careful with watering, which all thick rooted species require (rot sensitive). Keep dry during the winter rest.

Fertilize every 2 weeks with diluted high potassium fertilizer when the plant is in bud. Light shade or full sun exposures.

Propagation: Direct sow after last frost. (seldom produces offsets)

Source: catus-art.biz, www.lithops.net

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Mammillaria haageana ssp conspicua

Body: Plants usually solitary.


Radial spine: 18 - 30, smooth, white, radiating, bristly, 3 - 6 mm (to 0.2 in) long.


Flower: Deep magenta pink to pale pink


Frost Tolerance: Hardy to at least 25°F (-4°C) for short periods

Minimum Avg. Temperature: 50°F (10°C)

Sun Exposure: Light shade

Origin: Mexico (Puebla, Oaxaca, Morelos) Altitude 600 - 2.600 m

Growth Habits: Solitary, up to 16 inches tall (40 cm), 4 inches wide (10 cm)

Watering Needs: Water sparingly, needs good drainage

Monday, July 23, 2007

mammillaria nivosa

Woolly Nipple Cactus

Recommended Temperature Zone:USDA: 9b-11

Frost Tolerance: Avoid frost

Minimum Avg. Temperature: 50°F (10°C)

Sun Exposure: Light shade

Origin: West Indies, Cuba

Growth Habits: Clumping or solitary, heads up to 3 inches in diameter (7 cm)

Watering Needs: Water sparingly, needs good drainage

Propagation: Generally seeds

Be careful when you repot Mammillaria nivosa. Its spine is very sharp and hard. You should use gloves or wrap the cactus with thick newspaper. They may make you more convenient.

I have a mammillaria nivosa at my home. It's in left side of picture.

Its flower is usually red, white or yellow according to each species. My mammillaria nivosa has white flower. After flowering, it will give long, red fruit. Don't eat it (lol) That fruit contains seeds. You can plant these seeds to have small mammillaria nivosa in the next few months.