Growing cacti from seed: tips for novice florists

When to transplant. Care in the first year of plant life

After 3 months, the seedlings can be planted for the first time. To do this, you need small pots or, for the first time, plastic cups with a volume of 0.5 liters. On the bottom of the cups, be sure to make several holes, like on pots. If the pots are without holes, follow the watering regime. (water a little bit and not often). So, let's start transplanting.

At the bottom of each pot, pour a layer of drainage (expanded clay, gravel, crushed brick). After that, start pouring the soil. Use the same land as when landing, the other is not needed yet. Fill the pots almost to the top with soil, leaving 1 to 2 cm of soil. In the middle, you need to make a depression, you can use your finger. This is necessary in order to place our cactus there.
Now, from our greenhouse, together with a lump of earth, we take a seedling and transfer it to a "new home". He carefully tramples everything with his fingers, after which, the soil can be fertilized and watered a little. All the same should be done with all the remaining seedlings.

As for leaving in the first year, there are no difficulties here. The most important thing is to continue to care properly. The only thing you should remember is that gradually, the plant needs to be accustomed to proper watering, that is, to the same as in older plants. You can start doing this after about six months. Do not forget about the feeding, which must be carried out before September, and, of course, during the dormant period, provide the plant with peace, and do not disturb it again.

After the first year, the cacti will need to be transplanted into larger pots, and later on, the transplant should be done as they grow.

Option for decorating pots with decorative sand

Transplanting and caring for a young cactus

At 3 months of age, a picking of cactus seedlings is carried out. A separate container is required for each plant. While the seedlings are small, a small container, such as a plastic cup, is sufficient. The pot should have a bottom with holes to drain excess liquid. If the bottom without holes should be watered very carefully.

The transplant is carried out according to the following scheme:

Pour drainage on the bottom of the container (expanded clay, small broken bricks, fine-grained crushed stone), and on top of a layer of soil (similar to that during sowing) to the edges of the pot;
Make a small hole in the center;
Transfer the cactus from the greenhouse to the pot along with the earthen clod;
Gently tamp the soil around, then fertilize and water.

In the first year, the plant does not require special care, except for watering, which should be the same as for adult flowers (after 6 months). The fertilization schedule remains the same until the first autumn month, after which it is worth reducing watering and giving the cactus a dormant period.

As the cactus grows for a long time, it needs a larger pot that matches its size. The flowering of a plant grown from seeds will have to wait at least 5 years. For further transplantation, it is better to purchase ready-made soil for this species. Despite the fact that a cactus in sand of different colors looks beautiful and unusual, this is not the most favorable option for further development. Over time, the sand is compacted and becomes dense, thereby inhibiting the development of the root system.

For the experience to be successful in how to germinate a cactus from seeds, you should carefully understand. By completing all the steps, taking into account the advice of experienced gardeners, you can get rare varieties of plants at home.

Diseases and pests

One of the types of decay is the defeat of a cactus with white spot

Cacti are hardy enough, but in our climate two dangers can lie in wait for them - a lack of essential minerals and a fungus. The first often leads to wilting of shoots, the appearance of yellowness on them. Usually, it is very simple to correct yellowness - to correct the irrigation regime and apply top dressing.

The fungus can manifest itself in different ways. Often, the decay of a cactus is also associated precisely with the activity of the fungus. The main reason for these phenomena is excess moisture in the substrate and air. Many people forget that a cactus is a desert plant and should not be watered like ordinary indoor flowers. You also need to follow a simple rule: the air in a room with cacti should not be too humid.

In case of rot on cacti, it is recommended to follow these instructions:

Extract the cactus from the substrate
Remove all damaged areas
Process the cut with crushed charcoal
Transplant the plants into a new substrate that has been previously disinfected (for example, by heating in the oven or processing with potassium permanganate)

The worm can be found by traces of vital activity - small white lumps

It should be said right away that the probability of success with such events is relatively low. As a rule, in order to preserve the variety and ensure the elimination of the fungus, the entire plant is destroyed, leaving only the tops of the shoots or ripe children.

There are relatively few pests in cacti. Despite the high attractiveness of delicate plant tissues for caterpillars, native species, as a rule, are not interested in cacti. Even plants planted in the garden are rarely attacked by caterpillars or slugs.

The main threat to cacti comes from two species: the root worm and the hairy aphid. The scale insect is a small insect that lives in the substrate and damages the roots of the plant.

The shaggy aphid is a close relative of the worm (in fact, another name for the aphid is the stem worm), but it lives on the shoots of the plant.

A cactus affected by a hairy aphid

This pest inflicts numerous wounds on the plant, making punctures in the stems and feeding on the sap of the cactus. With a large number of this arthropod in cacti, thorns may even begin to crumble. In addition, through the holes that the tick makes in the shell of the plant, fungal spores can enter it, which leads to the formation of foci of decay.

To combat both types of worms, special anti-tick agents are used - acaricides. The best for this purpose are drugs Aktara or Actellik.

There is also a way to get rid of these pests without the use of chemicals. To do this, the cactus is removed from the soil, the remains of the soil are washed off and immersed in water at a temperature of 50-60 ° C for 10 minutes. Then it is dried for several days and transplanted into a new substrate. Just as in the case of the fungus, it is advisable to disinfect the substrate.

It is recommended to carry out preventive treatment of the plant against ticks twice a year.

Seed preparation

It is imperative that the seeds should be treated and disinfected before planting. This can be done with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The seeds should be soaked in the solution for 9-10 hours, but not more than 12! So, mark the time, or better, so as not to forget - set the alarm.

Disembarkation

After everything is ready, you can start sowing seeds. We take our greenhouse and fill it with earth. The layer should be no more than 5 cm. Some people prefer to lay drainage on the bottom, which, in principle, will not be superfluous, but it is possible without it. The poured earth now needs to be watered - it must necessarily be boiled water with a temperature of 40-45 degrees. Water evenly, avoiding overflow, otherwise you will have to reap when excess moisture evaporates.

Further, when the ground is wet, it must be leveled and shallow holes made for seeds. The distance between them should be 1.5-2 cm.The holes can be made with a toothpick or a match. Now, you can start seeding. We place each seed in the finished hole, but do not fall asleep with earth. When finished, the greenhouse should be covered with a lid or cling film, and placed on the windowsill.

During the first week, you will see your future cacti begin to sprout. As soon as the first thorns appear, the greenhouse can be opened slightly so that the plants breathe fresh air.

Propagation by cuttings and leaves

Not all succulent lovers know that these beautiful plants reproduce not only by seeds, but also by leaves, stem cuttings, babies, which, subject to the necessary requirements and care rules, germinate well and quickly form into an independent plant. Do you want to expand your collection, or donate a succulent plant, saving money? You have a great opportunity to gain experience in this business.

Where to start breeding succulents

So, a leaf or a stalk of a succulent, how to get it and germinate it. Where do we start:

It must be remembered that succulents with thick fleshy leaves (for example, Sedum, sedum, Echeveria, Crassula) reproduce in a leafy way, and only species with thin leaves (Adenium, Pachypodium, Euphorbia) are propagated by cuttings.

Sheet preparation

You will need an adult healthy plant, the leaf or stalk should not have damage, or external signs of the disease (dryness, spots, rot).
You need to take a very sharp knife or blade and be sure to disinfect.
Carefully cut off the leaf or stalk at the base of the stem.
Do not immediately plant leaves and cuttings in the ground or put in water. The leaf cut must be dried within two days under normal room conditions.

Leaf with dried cut ready for rooting

Preparing and planting the cuttings

It is recommended to treat the stalk at the cut site with crushed charcoal, and if milky juice is released, rinse it with clean water and then process it, and then dry it in the same way under normal room conditions.

And then, germinate in boiled or filtered water at room temperature (it is important that the cut does not touch the bottom of the germination vessel), or in fine-grained disinfected sand, setting the stalk 1.5-2 cm and fixing it on top with fine expanded clay. After planting in the sand, it is necessary to water the cutting well with filtered (settled) water at room temperature.
Indoor temperature for successful germination and rooting should be maintained around 23-25 degrees

Tolstnyanka and Euphorbia are well suited for water rooting, but Sansevieria root better in sand. For cuttings, you can use rooting stimulants (Kornevit, Epinom) following the instructions.

The soil

We prepare the soil for rooting the leaf: you need to take a ready-made substrate from the store, for cacti and succulents, and mix a small amount of sand, fine expanded clay or crushed coal into it. Can be rooted in clean sand. All planting materials must be decontaminated. You can also add coconut substrate.
After drying, the leaf should be placed on the prepared dry soil, at a slight angle to facilitate rooting.

Correct rooting leaf position

Planting and caring for leaves and cuttings

Care. Watering is not needed to root a dried leaf, but occasionally it needs to be sprayed.
We leave our new plant in a bright place, without direct sunlight, avoiding drafts.
When the leaf takes root (after 2-3 weeks), you need to water it periodically as the top layer dries, 3-5 ml per watering, with filtered water at room temperature.
After germination, the cutting should be transplanted into succulent nutrient soil (described above).

Rooted leaf of Echeveria PulidonisSedum red-colored with a young shoot

Caring for Coleus seedlings at home

Growing Coleus seedlings at home is in general a simple process, but it is important to know some features in order to avoid annoying mistakes. Proper care after sowing includes a set of measures, each of which plays an important role in the normal development of seedlings and their health.

So, you need to take care after planting seeds and before germination as follows:

Seeds germinate well only in greenhouse conditions (high humidity and heat). Therefore, the container must be covered with a transparent lid, cling film or clean glass. To avoid mold, it is necessary to open the greenhouse daily for 10-15 minutes, and also wipe off the condensation drops from the surface of the covering material.
Also, the seeds of this culture need sunlight for germination, so their capacity should be placed in a sunny place immediately after planting.
It is optimal to maintain a temperature of + 20-22 ° C before germination.
Before germination of seedlings, it is necessary to water only from a spray bottle so that the pressure of water does not wash out the seeds. However, watering at this stage may not be needed, the greenhouse retains moisture well.

Caring for Coleus seedlings consists of the following activities:

At this stage, it is optimal to maintain the temperature in the region of 16-18 degrees Celsius.
Seedlings of this culture require good lighting, but the sun's rays should not be too bright and scorching. Optimally arrange plants on the east or west windowsill. If the weather is gloomy and the sun is not enough, it is recommended to supplement the plants with phytolamps.

Watering Coleus seedlings should be very careful. Excess moisture will provoke rotting of the roots, the development of fungal diseases (especially the dangerous black leg), molds

Watering is carried out as the top layer of the earth dries up with a small amount of water
In this case, it is important to use a liquid at room temperature, and be sure to pre-settle.
In an unfavorable combination of circumstances, the seedlings can get sick with a black leg, the disease is very dangerous, because the affected plants cannot be cured, you can only save the rest of the healthy specimens. To prevent seedlings from getting sick with a black leg, it is necessary to pay attention to preventive measures: water moderately, after the emergence of seedlings, you can powder the soil with plants with wood ash, after a while you can water the soil with Fitosporin solution.

The choice of soil and container for planting

In order for a cactus to fully develop, it needs to choose the right soil. It must contain the necessary nutrients, as well as not allow excess moisture and air to pass through.

There are many types of cacti

The pot should be slightly larger than the plant itself. The container can be made of any material. It is better to choose a light color of the pot so that the roots of the plant do not overheat.

Required soil components

Ready-made substrate can be purchased at the store. It should include river sand, brick chips, peat, humus from leaves and turf, as well as other nutrients.

You can prepare the soil for planting yourself. To do this, mix in equal parts:

washed river sand, fraction 1 or 2 mm;
earth with small lumps;
humus.

To obtain a slightly acidic environment, peat is added.

Important! It is taken 2 times less than land

How to choose the right pot for the future cactus?

Cacti are desert plants, so they love dryness. When choosing a planter for succulents, adhere to the following rules:

The pot should not be too high, the root system of the cactus is small and does not require a large supply of land.
To prevent moisture from lingering, choose a planter with holes in the bottom.
The most successful version of the pot would be a product made of clay and ceramics. Such materials tend to retain and retain the heat received during the day, even at night.
To plant the shoot, choose a planter with a diameter of about two centimeters larger than the diameter of the future cactus. When replanting a grown plant, use the same pot selection method.

The size

The volume of the container should not be much larger than the expanded root system of the plant. The Ariocarpus cactus needs a deeper pot, and the mammillaria species needs a larger pot, since it has many children. The size and volume of the pot depends on the size and shape of the plant's root system. For roots that are short, but branched, a wide and low pot is needed, for long roots, a narrow and deep one.

Pot shape

The shape of the pot does not matter for the plant. But for your own convenience, it is better to purchase a square or rectangular container - this will significantly save space with a large number of plants.

Drainage

High-quality drainage must be laid at the bottom of the tank - this is important in cactus care at home. You can use coarse sand or small river pebbles

Divide the drainage material into two parts: one is placed on the bottom, the other after a layer of soil on the surface.

Cactus transplant

To transplant a cactus, proceed as follows:

the plant is carefully removed from the pot and the soil is shaken off it;
carefully examine the root system, remove damaged roots and check for parasites;
in the presence of damaged areas, they are covered with crushed activated carbon;
the roots are dried before planting;
drainage is placed on the bottom of the new pot and a small amount of soil is poured, then the roots are carefully laid and covered with soil. After the plant is watered, but not waterlogged.

Note! To avoid injury from thorns and transplant the cactus as painlessly as possible, work only with tight gloves or wrap the plant with several layers of paper. You can also use forceps with silicone tips

When to plant flower seedlings

Sowing flower seeds for seedlings in January

Before all other flowers, we sow seedlings of Shabo carnations, which bloom 5-6 months after sowing, and tuberous begonia, which takes 5.5-6.5 months to bloom. Begonia sown in December-January has better tubers formation and storage longer than a begonia sown in March. The seed bag usually indicates how long it takes from sowing the seeds to the beginning of flowering, and the longer the time period, the earlier the seeds need to be sown. During this period, seedlings of flowers are sown, the seeds of which must undergo mandatory stratification - stimulation with low temperature.

These include aquilegia, spring gentians and stemless gentians, arizema, clematis, princes, swimsuit, rutovnik, Jeffersonia, perennial violet, strawberry, alpine bell, irises, many bulbous, lumbago, lavender, primrose. In January, you need to sow tough-like perennial seeds with a thick or dense shell, if for some reason you do not want to scarify them - mechanically damage or remove the seed shell.

Sowing flower seeds for seedlings in February

In the second month of winter, we continue to sow flowers with a long germination period. It is not too late to sow the seeds of Shabo carnation and flowering begonia. In addition, it is time to plant those plants that feel good both in the garden and at home - fuchsias, balsams, pelargoniums, as well as early flowering annuals for hanging baskets, decorating loggias, balconies and glazed terraces - petunias and lobelia, for example.

Seeds of narrow-leaved lavender, glittering salvia, Vittrock's viola and heliotrope are sown in February. However, it should be borne in mind that seedlings of some flowers will need a long daylight hours, and you will have to arrange additional lighting for them.

Sowing flower seeds for seedlings in March

For March, you can plan the cultivation of seedlings of echinacea, fragrant tobacco, verbena, iberis, lobularia, climbing cobea, cleoma, bells, herbal cloves, annual phlox, snapdragon, matthiola (levkoya), brachycoma, iberis-leaved, and azarina flowers which you for whatever reason did not sow in February.

In the first half of March, you can sow flower seeds that grow well both in the garden and at home - pelargonium, coleus, kufei.

In the second half of March, we sow seeds of seedlings of such annuals: Drummond's phlox, celosia, helihrizum, alissum, venidium, ageratum, arctotis, annual aster, penstemona, castor oil plant.

Sowing flower seeds for seedlings in April

In April, they sow on seedlings graceful zinnia, trito berry (or knifofia), scabiosa, daisy, perennial delphinium, annual dahlia, basil, cottonweed, gatsania, helipterum, godetia, morning glory, calendula, xerantenum, scabiaranium, lemon , aquilegia, cochia (summer cypress), marigolds, as well as those flowers that you did not have time to sow in March - annual aster, venidium, ageratum, lobularia.

Sowing technology

We fill the greenhouse with soil, 2–4 cm thick. Before planting cactus seeds, pour hot boiled water over the soil (about 50 ° C). We level the soil and make grooves every 2 cm.

Seeds must be sown at 1 cm intervals. This can be done with a toothpick dipped in water. It is not necessary to cover the seed with soil. If you decide to germinate seeds of different varieties at the same time, it is better to place them in different greenhouses or separate them with a paper partition from each other.

After the end of the sowing process, the greenhouse is covered with a lid and placed on the windowsill.

It is important that the sun illuminates the entire crop area during daylight hours. Water is also required, but you cannot water from above

The most convenient way is to put the greenhouse in a container of water so that moisture can flow through the hole from the bottom.

The germination period is usually 3–10 days.

Zinnia seedling care: basic rules and tricks

In order for the cultivation of a crop from seeds at home to be successful, it is necessary to regularly care for zinnia seedlings after planting and before planting in the ground. As already noted at the very beginning of this article, the plant is very unpretentious and this feature also applies to the seedling stage.

Consider the main points of caring for zinnia seedlings at home:

Temperature conditions. For germination of seedlings, the temperature should be maintained at 23-25 degrees Celsius. After seed germination, t decreases: 18-20 degrees during the day, 18-16 at night.

Lighting. Like any other seedling, zinnias require sunlight after germination. At the same time, daylight hours should ideally be about 12-14 hours, therefore, if necessary, you need to use additional lighting in the morning, evening and on cloudy days.

Watering seedlings. At all stages of growing zinnia from seeds, it is necessary to maintain moderate moisture in the soil. Lack of moisture, drying out, and excess of water are very dangerous, they can cause death of plants. Do not overfill the plants under any circumstances: since the flower is drought-resistant, excess moisture is especially critical for it.

After sowing and before the first loops appear (that is, shoots), it is better to moisten from a spray bottle. After germination of seedlings, it is necessary to water at the root, it is very convenient to do this from a small syringe.

Topping. The procedure is necessary for a more lush flowering, it stimulates the growth of lateral shoots, the formation of shoots. Pinching the top shoot of zinnia seedlings should be done over the fourth or fifth true leaf.

Filling up the soil. The plant is tall, and it grows and develops rapidly. Therefore, when it grows up, several real leaves are formed on it, it is recommended to pour the earth into cups or pots.

Hardening before planting in open ground.To protect plants from stress and achieve faster adaptation, it is necessary to harden the seedlings before planting in a permanent place. Its meaning lies in the gradual adaptation of seedlings to outdoor conditions.

It should be hardened 2-2.5 weeks before transplantation. First you need to open the window for several days for a couple of hours. Then, when it is more than + 15 ° C outside, you need to put it outside or on the balcony - first for half an hour, and then gradually increasing the time every day.

Thus, by resorting to simple care, you can grow good, strong and healthy zinnia seedlings, which in the future will delight you with beautiful, lush flowering.

What to do if zinnia seedlings are elongated

An unpleasant phenomenon can occur with any seedlings - it can stretch out. Zinnia is especially prone to this. Pulling can occur for the following reasons:

The seedlings endure a lack of light extremely critically, they begin to constantly reach for the light, hence the problem.

An increased temperature can also cause a problem, which is why it is so important to lower the temperature regime after the emergence of shoots.

Planting too early. Violation of the optimal timing of the procedure is not welcome, including therefore, you should not rush and sow seeds ahead of time .. It turns out that this unpleasant phenomenon is primarily associated with a violation of conditions and the lack of competent and proper care

But still, what if the zinnia seedlings are already stretched out? You need to solve the problem comprehensively:

It turns out that this unpleasant phenomenon is associated primarily with the violation of conditions and the lack of competent and proper care. But still, what if the zinnia seedlings are already stretched out? You need to solve the problem comprehensively:

Reconsider the approach to lighting - move it to the sunniest window sill, use phytolamps.
It is necessary to pour the soil into the pots, thus adventitious roots are formed on the stem that is in the ground. If the stem is very long, then you can do otherwise - make a very shallow hole next to the seedling, gently bend a part of the stem to it and sprinkle it with soil.
Create the optimal temperature regime - during the day + 18-20 ° C, at night - 18-16 ° C.
Tie the seedlings to a support to prevent the seedlings from dropping or breaking due to heavy leaves.
If you initially sown incorrectly and your plantings are too dense, then you should transplant the seedlings into individual containers. Below in the paragraph about picking, the transfer is described in more detail.
You can pinch the top shoot.
Also, if the zinnia is strongly stretched, you can go to extreme measures - pinch off the upper shoot and cut it in the ground. Rooting occurs very quickly, so there is no need to worry about the plants.

Conclusion

It is advisable for the owner of cactus to know how to properly plant and propagate these unusual plants.

After all, it doesn't matter if he grows 1-2 copies or contains a whole collection, sooner or later the need for this event will arise and it is better to be savvy in this matter