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Author Topic: sterilizing soil before planting tricho and lopho seeds?  (Read 6852 times)

steveoi812

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sterilizing soil before planting tricho and lopho seeds?
« on: January 21, 2016, 01:35:06 AM »
I am about to plant a BUNCH of seeds here soon, both of lopho and of tricho varieties. I keep hearing of bugs doing a lot of damage to babies, and mold, etc. So my question is...should I bake the soil or sterilize it in a pressure cooker before germinating to kill of bugs and mold spores?? Thanks guys....oh and while Im at it, how do you clean sand before using it? Thanks so much guys!
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Ian Morris

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Re: sterilizing soil before planting tricho and lopho seeds?
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2016, 02:43:15 AM »
Cacti seedlings are more resilient than other plantlings IME but you never know.

I use a different potting mix for mature cacti but STSer, all round baddass, and generally good guy Misplant has a tek for seedlings.  I couldn't find it on STS but he copied it over to his personal website.  http://misplant.net/SeedGrow.html

Im in my seventh month of his tek and its super easy and I can't recommend it enough.  My plan is to post a grow log as soon as the seedlings are something to look at.

Good luck man and keep us posted.

-Ian
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doublebenno

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Re: sterilizing soil before planting tricho and lopho seeds?
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2016, 02:58:35 AM »
i sometimes pour boiling water over the soil prior to sowing, and sometimes not... I've never had any problems either way.
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steveoi812

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Re: sterilizing soil before planting tricho and lopho seeds?
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2016, 03:14:27 AM »
GOOD DEAL...thanks so much for the info you guys. I will try one with one without being sterilized, sterile sand in both, and go from there. Does anyone know if cacti form symbiotic relationships with myco fungi? Im guessing probably not to the extent of other species of plants but I often wondered if there were any such types of mutual symbiosis with endo or ecto fungi...
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LIBERTYNY

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Re: sterilizing soil before planting tricho and lopho seeds?
« Reply #4 on: January 21, 2016, 03:22:27 AM »
 I usually mix my soil up and then make it moist with 3 to 1.5% hydrogen peroxide, Let it sit a hour or so then microwave it still steaming hot + a minute or so, let it cool add a 3/8" layer coarse sand and plant the seeds,  Small containers that fit inside something like a 1 gallon ziplock bag help keep the bad stuff out and moisture in.

  Also Mosquito dunks with BT var I, can be shaved down for just a little powder to be added to the mix to surpress fungi knats effectively
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steveoi812

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Re: sterilizing soil before planting tricho and lopho seeds?
« Reply #5 on: January 21, 2016, 04:18:49 AM »
AWESOME TIPS....thanks so so much you guys...all very valid posts...def taking everything into consideration...thanks once again!
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