Seeing up close how a tiny seed develops into a magnificent cactus fascinates hobby gardeners big and small alike. Pure seeds are available from specialist retailers, from cactus clubs or in exchange rings. These instructions explain how you can successfully sow cactus seeds yourself.
How can you sow cactus seeds yourself?
To successfully sow cactus seeds yourself, soak the seeds in hot water and use mineral substrate. Sow the seeds in small pots, cover them with quartz sand and spray with soft water. Place the pots in a germination box at 16-28 degrees Celsius and prick the seedlings when they are 0.5-1 cm tall.
Proper preparation is half the way to success
The germination of cactus seeds is significantly improved if you soak the seeds beforehand. To do this, put the seeds in an empty tea bag and hang it in a thermos flask filled with 50 to 55 degrees hot water for 45 minutes.
For sowing, please use purely mineral substrate (€4.00 on Amazon), such as fine-grained lava granules or perlite. This ensures that the delicate roots are supplied with air and water in the right proportions. A growing soil with humic components is not structurally stable enough for a long period of up to 12 months and carries the risk of mold formation.
Sowing and caring for seeds – This is how it works
While the soaked seeds are drying on absorbent kitchen paper, fill the substrate into square pots. A 4 x 4 cm pot is large enough to sow 10 to 30 seeds. Please spray the substrate with soft, lukewarm water or horsetail tea until saturated. Proceed as follows:
- Spread the seeds and press them on
- Sift thinly with lime-free quartz sand and moisten again
- Provide the pots with pieces of paper on which the species and the sowing date are noted
- Place the pots in a germination box and close the lid except for a matchstick-thin gap
- Spray regularly with soft water in a bright location at 16 to 28 degrees Celsius
Once the seedlings have reached a diameter of 0.5 to 1 cm, they can be pricked out. This measure is usually carried out after 12 to 14 months. As a rule of thumb, the older a seedling, the better it will cope with the procedure.
Tip
If 2 cacti of the same species bloom, producing pure seeds is child's play. The ripe pollen from one cactus is easily transferred to the stigmas of the other cactus with a hair brush. Ripe pollen can be recognized by the fact that it takes on a light, powdery consistency. Once the resulting fruits are ripe, the pure seeds are removed and sown according to these instructions.
