Hi from Italy

Subject: Hi from Italy Wed Jan 13, 2010 3:29 am

Hi, my name is Davide and I am new here. I'd like to introduce myself showing you some seedling of one of my prefered genus: astrophytum (the other ones are copiapoa, turbinicarpus and melocactus. I gave up buying plants 5 years ago. Now I buy only seeds.
These asrterias and myriostigma have been sowed in oct 2006 and oct 2007:

Rgds

Davide

Subject: Re: Hi from Italy Wed Jan 13, 2010 5:43 am

G'day Davide, and welcome.

Those are some really terrific little seedlings there. I love Astrophytums, and I would love to have a go at growing them from seed. Can you desribe how you go about growing them to this stage?

Subject: Re: Hi from Italy Wed Jan 13, 2010 11:03 am

I am about to give up buying seeds and just buy plants

Hi Davide, wonderful collection you have there!

Subject: Re: Hi from Italy Wed Jan 13, 2010 6:17 pm

Olga wrote:

I am about to give up buying seeds and just buy plants

Hi Davide, wonderful collection you have there!

Thanks Olga

Subject: Re: Hi from Italy Wed Jan 13, 2010 6:38 pm

Lachy wrote:

G'day Davide, and welcome.

Those are some really terrific little seedlings there. I love Astrophytums, and I would love to have a go at growing them from seed. Can you desribe how you go about growing them to this stage?

Hi Lachy and thank you for the compliments!
Well I usually sow in october (this means in autumn in our side of the earth!). I use three selfmade germinators coming from two old refrigerators and an old aquarious. like this

I fill 7x7 pots with normal dry soil and a thin layer of sand, then I let fall the small seeds down on the surface while the bigger ones must be covered with sand of the same diameter. The pots are placed in a container with 10 cm of distilled water and I wait untill the soil is wet. Then I remove almost all the remaining water and let only 5 cm of water on the container. I switch on the lights fo 12 hs an of during the night. This ensures about 30-32 °C without additional heating.

The astro seeds germinate in 3-4 days. I live them in 100 % umidity condition for 5 months then I remove the top of the big container and in april I move all the pots in the GH in a shade place.
I hope these informations can be useful for you and that you can understand my poor english!
Rgds

Subject: Re: Hi from Italy Wed Jan 13, 2010 6:59 pm

That's a fantastic setup that you have there. I was contemplating something similar a little while ago, but my non-cacti life got in the way... Laughing

Quote:

and that you can understand my poor english!

Mate, your english is excellent. Smile

Subject: Re: Hi from Italy Wed Jan 13, 2010 10:37 pm

Hey Davide, Great little plants Smile

Thanks for showing us them.

Olga, Don't give up on seeds they are so rewarding !

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Subject: Re: Hi from Italy Wed Jan 13, 2010 11:00 pm

Oh HN I'll be more cheerful when I move into my house and have room to set up a propagator, I still have a lot that haven't germinated with this erratic weather.
My astros, however, are going really well

I can see why you like them Davide. I did purchase one at the C&S Society show last year and it's just flowered, they're awesome little plants!

Subject: Re: Hi from Italy Thu Jan 21, 2010 1:57 am

Hi Olga, Hellonasty and Lachy. Sometimes I permit to these little stars to see the friends outside!

Subject: Re: Hi from Italy Fri Jan 22, 2010 2:15 am

Hello mate, I am new here and 2 years newbie into cacti.

These are some great photos, great setup too, thanks for the inspiration!

I sure could use your experience as I got Turbini and Astro seedlings going.. - I intend to graft some, but I will sure leave some own rooted as I did with the first, hard grown batch

Great variation on the astros too! Almost everyone is a top specimen!

Welcome!

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