A lazy way to grow cactus from seed | Episode 3: Five week update - dealing with mold, fungus & rot
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- Опубліковано 1 січ 2023
- I can't believe that 5 weeks have passed since I published my first video on how I sow cactus seeds! I mean, it's already 2023! Time is flying, so if any of you have contemplated growing cactus from seed, don't wait, sow now.
DISCLAIMER: I am a beginner grower. Take anything I say with a grain of salt. The only way to find out what works for you is to try. I have yet to find a growing process that works consistently for me, so it's a constant learning experience. This video series is more of a vlog on this leg of my cactus growing journey. With that said, enjoy!
Some of the common issues I encounter in the growing process are shown with this batch of seedlings at 5 weeks old - green algae, mold, rot, rust (?). Green algae and mold have been appearing since my last update video at 2 weeks - I have been periodically spraying with fungicide (Physan 20) since then. At 5 weeks, I now see seedlings rotting, which is my cue to start letting fresh air into the trays. That's why the question of "when do you start acclimating seedlings to air?" is so difficult to answer. It completely depends. One tray I waited 3.5 months to start opening the vents on the dome, the other, 5 weeks. Keep in mind that I do not sanitize anything which could be causing some of the issues. You can also see that I have a more difficult time with Ariocarpus than Copiapoa. I find Copiapoa to be more forgiving when growing from seed, which is why I am growing so many of them. They're so fun!
Video Series: A lazy way to grow cactus from seed
• A lazy way to grow cac...
Connect with me on Instagram: / cookiescacti
DISCLAIMER: I am a beginner grower. I have yet to find a growing process that works consistently for me, so it's a constant learning experience. This video series is more of a vlog on this leg of my cactus growing journey. With that said, enjoy!
Below are links to the supplies I mention in the video.
1020 Trays without holes:
www.greenhousemegastore.com/c...
Tall clear dome for 1020 tray:
www.greenhousemegastore.com/c...
Disclosure: The links to Amazon are affiliate links, which means that I earn from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate. There is no additional cost to you. I encourage shopping around as always.
Physan 20 fungicide
amzn.to/3jBAEuK (paid link)
Grow light without dimmer: SPIDER FARMER SF1000D (this is the one I use)
amzn.to/3OSPR6c (paid link)
Grow light with dimmer: SPIDER FARMER SF1000
amzn.to/3STyRyJ (paid link)
Connect with me on Instagram: / cookiescacti
In the past I did my seedlings like you, containers and all. I split them into single containers with ziplock bags. I lost a whole dome to fungus gnats. Hydrogen peroxide solves a lot of problems. Mold, gnats. I battle rust occasionally. 😊
I've been having so much trouble with rust lately, some varieties of plants seem to be more susceptible to it than others. Haven't been able to figure it out! I'll give hydrogen peroxide a try again. I'm having trouble with mold again even after lifting the domes! I'm planning to make another seedling update this weekend, the good the bad and the ugly!
How long have you been growing from seed? I had horrible fungus gnats with my Ario seedlings last winter. Super frustrating
You could try using aluminium powder. Sprinkle it on top of the planting medium (soil), before sowing the seeds. It will prevent algae, fungus. And you don't have to use other chemicals. It worked for me, I hope it will work for you too!
Thank you so much for the information! This looks like a very simple solution which gels perfectly with me! What kind of aluminum powder do you use?
In my experience, green algae forms prominently in areas that are prone to dripping from the humidity dome.
I’ve had success treating various fungal and rot issues with hydrogen peroxide and various bio fungicides (I treat weekly).
I typically use a product called Cease, both as a soil drench and application directly to the seedlings. It’s a preventative measure and won’t cure outbreaks. It’s worked well for me.
Thank you so much for sharing this information! I will look into the products you mentioned. Luckily the algae doesn't affect the seedlings too much, but the mold is not good.
I love to learn thank you for sharing
Thank you, Anders! I'm still learning, trying to figure out a process that works for me consistently, sigh, a long way to go...
@@cookiescacti i am new to cacti so i will be learing for your videos so all info is a bonus for me
When you get the white fuzzy fungus, add tropical springtails. They only eat fungus. They are my helpers with seedlings and I haven't gotten anymore mildew fuzz.
Thank you for this tip! Where do you get the springtails from? Any issues if they are inside the house with me?
@@cookiescacti Springtails are tiny, you have to look for them to see them. They are everywhere in temperate and tropical climates where they are responsible for breaking down dead plant matter. Fungi are also on their diet. I have some colonies in my Schlumbergera pots which are in coarse organic substrate. They must have migrated inside with the substrate and are found below the surface.
This is so interesting, I have the exact opposite of your situation. I find Ariocarpus super easy to sow, but Copiapoa is a huge challenge!
The ariocarpus I sowed last year I did a comparative experiment, one batch was planted with pure Akadama clay and Scoria (put some slow release fertilizer on the surface), the other batch was planted with Akadama clay and Scoria 60%+ humus 40%.
The former have been sitting fine in a narrow, moist plastic bag for almost a year now, absolutely no mold and algae. The latter started to grow algae after two months in a damp plastic bag, so I put them in a huge plastic box without any water at all.
The final experimental result is that the growth rate of the two is almost the same.
That is very interesting, Hsuan! I like how you're being very experimental since it really is the only way to find out if something really works. I find it very interesting that the two methods you found to result in the similar growth rate. In this video, it is the first time I'm using fungicide like this, so I should be able to see how it affects the seedlings and if the seedlings turn out different than my past patches. Only time will tell!
The seed casing has been the origins of white mold in my seedlings.
@@Lessthantito Same here, Adrean. I've seen mold growing on the seed cases too. That means there must be spores on the seed cases themselves.
Hello and Happy New Year , I had that same problem when I first started . I'm newer then you to growing seeds but I found out that the larger seedlings that I had needed to be repotted . They are fine now . I poured boiling water on the soil I was repotting them to and gave it time for it to cool . I washed the seedling roots in water to clear out any exxess soil .My seedling were younger than yours . I would have been to scared to try this but I saw a lady on youtube resolve the same problem . Don't ask me I don't remember her name . Good Luck
Happy new year, Carlos! Thank you so much for sharing your growing experience. Do you remember how old your seedlings were when you repotted? I have repotted Astrophytum as young as 4 months. I'm not sure if I stunted their growth with the many mistakes I made with them (they were my first seedlings), but the good news is that they're all still alive!
I also had a issue with white mold on my cactus seedlings. It means the soil is to wet. I took off the lids and ran a fan over the tray Until the soil dried out. After doing that the mold went away, but I lost half my seedlings before I was able to reduce the humidity. Sometimes the humidity is out of balance and you have to reduce the moisture in the soil. I live in oregon so the lack of humidity isn't an issue here, especially in the winter. Good luck
Thank you for sharing your experience, Michael! It is much more humid in the winter here, so things are drying out much slower now too. I think my pot of Ariocarpus may be a lost cause, sigh... that darn genus is continuing to elude me when it comes to growing them from seed. What genus of cactus were you growing when you experienced the mold?
It was a tray of astrophytum mixed hybrids. Over a few days half the batch molded over and melted away. Maybe the strongest ones survived and they will have long healthy lives. It's a long slow process with cactus seeds. I planted hundreds of seeds in the early spring and the survivors are still only the size of a finger tip or smaller. Alot of gymnocalycium, farocactus, opuntia and copiapoa mixes. Nice video, thanks for showing you setup.
White mold starts to thrive in higher temperatures, you might want to experiment with lowering the temperature a bit. Thanks for the video :)
This is a really good point. Unfortunately, these are growing inside my house in my living area so I can't lower the temperature (because it's winter). However, I'm really glad you made this comment because I need to add some air circulation to the lower shelves. Thank you, Chalice!
I wouldn't worry about algae too much as long as they're not covering the seedlings. Otherwise, diluted hydrogen peroxide works to remove algae. Systemic fungicide doesn't work on removing fungus that's already growing. You need contact fungicide for that like dithane. I have a pot that's specifically for sterilizing soil over the stove 😂
Interesting! So a systemic fungicide does not kill fungus? Is it more effective on killing spores than the fungus itself - so better as a fungus preemergent?
Hi,
I believe that you have too much humidity in the chamber for that species, specially if you don't sterilize the soil. I have this problem too many times and white mold can be really persistent. I use 100% mineral soil mix for my seedlings and it is much safer to keep them in closed environments for long periods of time. I recommend to give fresh air, leave one week to dry the soil, and then with the dry soil, then you can apply any fungicide that you want. After that you may put the plastic dome and see check if the mold appears again.
In my experience (that it is not so much) there are species that love to be in closed environments without any problem (Fraileas, Astrophytum, Turbinicarpus, I let them for months or even years without oppening the chambers just to add fertilicer) and other that hate closed environments just after germinate (Saguaro, Coryphantha)
I hope that this may help you. Thanks for your content, I think that I'm going to purchase the trails and domes that you showed in the video.
Thank you so much for sharing this information! I have yet to find consistent results with my seeds. For example, I was able to leave my first batch of Astrophytum sealed in a plastic bag for 4 months with no issues. Then my subsequent Astrophytum batches started rotting very soon and I had to open the bags much sooner than 4 months. One thing that has been consistent is my struggle with Ariocarpus. I've had enough failure with Arios that I think I need to change my sowing methodology for them. Lots of learning to go! I have since lifted the sides of the domes for the two trays shown in this video and the pots are drying out, fingers crossed! I'm glad you're picking up some trays and domes, they're super useful and can last for a long time.
Some seeds are carrying fungi. You could try cleaning the seeds before sowing, especially if the mold originates on the seed husk when they germinate
Ahh - that might be why! I might experiment soaking the Ariocarpus seeds in fungicide next time before sowing. The Ariocarpus seeds tend to be the most susceptible to fungus for me so far. Thank you for the tip!
@@cookiescacti You might want to try 3% hydrogen peroxide or 50% solution of household bleach for seed treatment before sowing. I put the seeds in coffee filter bags and soak them in one of aforementioned solutions for 20 minutes (rinse them thoroughly with water after that) with good results. Also, white fluffy fungus are easily eradicated by using 3% H2O2. I avoid using fungicides on seedlings because they can be (at least in my experience) harmful to the seedlings in early stages of development. Also, you can prevent formations of green-blue algae, although they are not harmful to the seedlings per se, by using sterile inorganic substrate (small grade pumice, zeolite, or - my personal favorite - vermiculite). It is good idea, as you said it yourself, to begin introducing fresh air to the seedlings as soon as they show first areoles. I think that the three month old seedlings that you keep in the left tray can have the cover removed entirely without fear of becoming dessicated.
Best regards,
Nino
@@Nino_G Ah-ha, you confirmed why I see less fungus/algae in the pots with pumice as the top dressing. After this batch, I am switching to pumice top dressing on all future sowings. Thank you for the tips on managing the fungus. What type of harm did you see on the seedlings when sprayed with fungicide? I was googling this after I read your comment and saw some people report stunted growth. That definitely makes me nervous... we shall see...
I've heard springtails are a good way to get rid of these issues, especially since they like high humidity type environments
Very interesting, Tay! This has been eye opening to read all the experiences other growers have left in the comments and how they deal with these issues. Definitely putting all these ideas into my idea pot to consider for future experiments!
I use cinnamon and then spray fungus with hydrogen peroxide. I suggest wetting soil at first step rather than water
Ahh maybe it's the combination of cinnamon followed by hydrogen peroxide that I'm missing. I tried cinnamon last year but the mold just kept growing. Thank you for the tip, Steve!
I’ve never tried to grow from seed before but want to. I have seen on Cactus Quest that he uses hydrogen peroxide instead of water which is supposed to keep fungi and mold down a lot better. Good luck !!!
Definitely give it a try! It's very addictive. Luckily there's lots of information available on many different methods to grow from seed so you can pick one that gels the best with your style. I'm very lazy so I want to do as little prep as possible to get started, which probably causes many of the problems that I encounter, but it's fun nonetheless!
Le puedo recomendar fungicida sistemico para ese problema ridomil gold 👌
Gracias por la información, Gustavo!
Because I am facing the same problem as you, I have re-watched the video carefully several times. In the video mentioned that the Copiapoa you planted were exposed to fresh air when they were two months old. Did you let them directly from the closed state to become completely exposed to the air? or did you open the cover slightly?
I am really terrified of opening plastic bags, but I am also afraid that they will rot if opened too late, what a dilemma!
I'm also wary of opening the lids/bags too quickly, so I'll open it slowly in the beginning, but at some point I lose my patience and start opening the lids/bags faster. Since posting this video, I have lifted a side of the domes so there is a gap between the dome and tray - there is no more condensation on the inside of the dome now. I have a feeling that some genera of plants are more sensitive than others when it comes to air exposure - Copiapoa seem to be less sensitive. But I'm still too inexperienced to know the answer... gosh, such a long way to go to learn... Let me know how things go for you, Hsuan!
@@cookiescacti I had a problem with the lizard skin I planted on 3rd December, unlike anything I've experienced before, the tops of the seedlings started to turn white and shrivel, and then died. (The normal top will swell and grow fuzz)
I don't think it's caused by too much light, because there are seedlings growing normally in the same batch. So I guess it's too humid? Anyway, I opened the plastic bag, haha
@@hsuan-xv7iz It's so tough to figure out why the seedlings die sometimes. I have some Copiapoa seedlings that decide to die long after they've been in living in normal air for a long time. I don't get it! Sometimes I'm guessing it's a fungal infections, and sometimes I have absolutely no idea. I guess we just enjoy them while they are here whether they have long or short lives.
Captain fungicide!
Starkle G insecticide!
Ah-ha! How about Physan 20?
I feel like they are at a good size, since you're in Arizona im sure they'd be fine outside at a certain size.
Do you think they'd be able to take the heat okay here? I keep hearing that they hate the heat but I've seen examples of them growing outdoors at other people's garden and they look perfectly fine, perhaps if they're mature enough. I'm going to pick a few brave seedlings when spring rolls around and try to acclimate them to the summer. It's the only way to prove it to myself (plus, I can't keep them all indoors indefinitely...)
@@cookiescacti They will go dormant during the hotter months. They grow during the cooler months, since your in Arizona that is late winter spring and fall. They go dormant in summer and some parts of winter. I don't think it gets too cold in Arizona but I wouldn't recommend going below 38.
@@zcoanmcoan1534 thank you so much for the information!
Putting the physan in your damn soil just before you sew your seeds should help a lot with molds and fungus. I also water my cactus and succulents with apple cider vinegar and a touch of lemon dish soap and I never run into pests or fungus problems.
Thank you for that suggestion! I will try it next time for sure!
@@cookiescacti that was supposed to say damp not damn lol. So sorry that seemed so aggressive.
@@bodyrot2794 LOL no worries at all! I am going to start spraying physan in the damp soil when sowing seeds. A few other people were recommending the same, so I'll definitely give it a try. I appreciate your comments!
I just spray rubbing alcohol. Doesn’t effect them and kills the bad stuff
Thank you for that tip! Do you dilute the rubbing alcohol?
You need to microwave the soil before you put the seeds in. It makes a huge difference.
You're definitely right on that, Maria. I'm just too lazy to do the proper sanitizing procedures, so I face the consequences on skipping those steps. (Also, I just can't get around the idea of putting soil into my microwave that I use for food...) I try to lower the barrier to growing from seed as much as I can for myself, otherwise, I know I know I'll never do it. I try to live my mantra that it's better to grow with some failure than not grow at all.
Begins by pH adjusting tap water with vinegar... Confused by nature using acetate as a signal for drawing fungus-spreading organisms from everywhere.
You'd probably be better off by starting with an inorganic pH buffer, and/or rain/distilled water, or pond water, and possibly including a touch of copper sulfate (just a touch) to that water. The copper ions will help prevent fungus spores from germinating. Since these plants will very unlikely be put into the ground, the minor amount of pollution is trivial, but it's technically included in the list of "Organic Gardening" allowable fungicides... even though there's nothing organic about it. It's used on grapes and food, so it's not so bad for mammals anyway. It's very bad for earthworms, mollusks, and crustaceans though, so pillbugs and slugs will be harmed.
Your comments are too smart for me! Can you explain how the vinegar and acetate are related? This is information I haven't come across before
@@cookiescacti Vinegar is the common term for Acetic acid. When vinegar reacts with something, therefore, it is called [that thing]+acetate. Example: The salt of lead that has been reacted with acetic acid is called Lead Acetate (also called "Sugar of Lead"*, or "Salt of Saturn"*).
Natural vinegar is made from Acetobacter, among other things. It's commonly spread on the feet of flies that love the smell of fruit fermenting into ethanol, and the Acetobacter converts ethanol into acetic acid. These "Vinegar Flies" are attracted to all manner of rotting things, and the potent smell of vinegar is irresistible to them.
The point I'm trying to make is that using vinegar may kill the mold, but it will attract flies that will re-inoculate your soil with spoilage organisms. If you use the vinegar, you will probably need to take further action to prevent an outbreak of the same or other infection. I watched other videos you made in the series, and it looks like you went with "Good airflow: Mold doesn't like dry environments" and it was successful.
*Edit: Corrected Lead Acetate colloquial terms.
Very very interesting! How did you learn all this? This is the first time that I've read any information like this before.
@@cookiescacti I learned it with my brain. How, is a mystery.
the rust comes from contaminated soil,dirty should never touch the base of the cactus if it remains wet,this rust is terrible,lost many of mine
Oh yes, my signature growing method is 0 sanitization. Too lazy to do all that but I pay for the consequences!
@@cookiescacti you can avoid that by using a thick 1 inch or pure rock debri on the cactus pots,only the tips of the roots should go down into the substrate,mine stoped getting rust after using this method
@@investidoramador9850 thank you so much for sharing this tip! This aligns very well with allowing me to continue going my lazy way (I just don't want to microwave soil lol)