Propagating by Seed
The potting compost and coarse sand is sifted through a 1 inch mesh. In the bottom of each 3" plastic pot, put 1" of coarse washed gravel. Then fill the pot to within 1" of the top with the above compost, press down lightly and see that the surface is smooth and level. Place the pot in a container of warm water until the soil in the pot has become damp. Sow the seeds on the top of the damp soil. Do not plant the seeds too thickly. Sift enough powdered charcoal over the surface of the soil to cover the seeds to a depth not greater than the height of the seed. The charcoal helps keep the soil surface free from algae. Keep the seed pans in water only until the soil is moist on top and repeat as necessary to keep the soil from drying out. Cover the top with glass and on top of the glass place a piece of muslin. Each morning and evening remove the glass and wipe off the moisture. Seeds germinate in 24-hours to 3 weeks, according to the species.
After the seed species have germinated, ventilate by lifting the glass at one end for this purpose, use a small wedge 1" thick. This is done for about 2 hours in the afternoon.
When the spines appear the glass is left raised to allow the air to enter. At this stage the water can be lessened, but not sufficiently to allow the soil to dry out. The use of Formula 20 helps to develop a good root system. Use according to the directions on the bottle. The soil mixture will care for the seedlings in their original pots until the following spring.
Transplanting takes place when the seedlings are big enough to handle; if too crowded one has to move them earlier. The following spring the seedlings are transplanted out into seed trays in a mixture similar to the original mixture, but the seedlings must be taken out with the utmost care so that their roots are not damaged. They should be planted at the same depth as before. In "pricking out" the tiny plants, an old table fork with the prongs slightly bent up will be helpful in lifting out the seedlings from the seed pots. Sprinkle around the seedlings the powdered charcoal to prevent algae forming on the soil surface.
Spray overhead only for a week until the roots have recovered, then water as before. Healthy seedlings, well grown, are a joy to any grower and the variety of form and color are fascinating, as the juvenile plant often has no resemblance to the adult plant. Seedlings are more adaptable to changes of season than are mature plants. There is an undeniable thrill when one of your own seedlings flower for the first time. Many of the quick-growing dwarf cacti flower within 2-3 years of germinating, eg. Rebutia minuscula, Fraileas, and some Mammillarias.
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Feeding House Plants -
Food should be given only when light , Green Manure intensity and temperatures , How to Lay Lawn Sods are high enough for growth. , White Louse Scale Applying plant , Feeding Roses food that cannot be used can damage soil , Link Header and plant. , Great Pergola s This can be minimised by leaching the soil , Repairing and Old Rose Bed before feeding. Soak the pot , How To Transplant Seedlings for 10 to 20 minutes in...
Rose Pests and Diseases -
Major diseases , Medicinal Tea - Catnip are black spot, mildew and rust. Black spot may appear at first as yellowish areas on leaves, darkening later. Lower leaves are infected first. Mildew often starts to show on young new foliage as a whitish coating. The leaves curl or become...
White Louse Scale -
The white , Lawn Plugs - Plugging louse scale (Unaspis citri) is one of the commonest pests , Caring For Orchids infesting citrus trees , Repotting Bonsai in coastal areas. Infestations generally commence on the trunk and main limbs and may spread rapidly up to the tips , Hydroponic Systems - Continuous Flow of the twigs. The scales may also move on to the...
Organic Food -
To understand what organic , How to Grow Roses food is, one must first understand the definition of organic , Bulb & Spring Flower Combinations soil since food , Leaf Eating Ladybird is the product , The Illusion of Age in Bonsai of the soil. , Sowing Australian Native Plants Organic , How to Prune Bonsai Roots soil has been defined as one in which no chemicals or poisons have been used and in which there is an adequate supp...
Bulbs & Corms -
Under a general heading - BULBS - we usually include a number of plants , Cactus Grafting which do not strictly fit into this category. A true bulb , Flowering Plants for Autumn / Winter is made up of thickened leaf modifications, as in the Lily or Onion, but there are others w...
How Much Should I Water Indoor Plants? -
If you can collect rain water, , Sowing Seed this is better for plants , Water Garden s than tap water. , Growing Ginger You can also use water-softening tablets or a handful of peat left in a can of water , Garden Feng Shui overnight if the water , Bonsai Gardens is very hard. The water , Tulips you use should be at room , Bonsai Display temperature....
Fungi - Fungus Diseases -
Parasitic fungi are mostly microscopic. They invade higher plants , Containers for Bonsai and grow , Window Boxes in their tissues (cells), which they kill and then absorb the contents for food. , How to Lay Lawn Sods They penetrate and grow , How to Lay Lawn Sods in the plant , Grass Seed Mixtures cells by means of fine fungal threads (hyphae), and spread f...
New Lawn Care -
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Sowing Seeds in Pots -
Seed can be sown in boxes, pots, , Kitchen Design seed-pans or flats , Bonsai History (shallow boxes or trays). Sheets of glass and pieces of paper (newspaper will do, but thick brown paper is better) are needed to cover the receptacles until germination takes place. , Plants for Hanging Baskets The glass is placed o...
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