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[Lukas123]

I have used a sand method when i germinate my cactus seeds and it really have worked very well.
So i thought i can describe how i do this if other want to try this method.

I germinate them on ordinary sand in a petridish or glass jar with a plastic bag around.
Here is the procedure:

I take ordinary sand, the bag says "sand for childrens play area" or something similar.
I wash the sand thoroughly with tap water.
I then make a bleach/water mix, 1/10 bleach/water (10%) and let the sand soak in this over night.
Then i wash the sand again with tap water and put it into my petridishes or glass jars.
One can nuke the sand in the microwave as an additional step but i usually don't.
The sand should be moist but no standing water.

Seeds.
I make a 1/20 bleach/water mix (5%) in a glass and put in the seeds.
I then swirl around the seeds every minute for 5 minutes and then pour out in a coffee filter.
I then wash the seeds with 3% hydrogen peroxide H2O2 (from pharmacy) and then directly wash them again with tap water.
I now put the seeds on top of the sand in the petridish/glass jar.
The seeds should not be buried, just on top of the moist sand.
The sand should be moist and look wet but no standing water or pools.

I take a clear plasic bag and put the petridish/glass jar inside and mist once with water sprayer.
Fold the bag closed and put the petridish/jar in the window or under a not too strong CFL.
Wait.
Every 2 to 3 days i open the bags to get new fresh air inside and spray some water on sand if it look dry.
If sand look too wet one can suck up a little water with some kitchen/toilet paper.

Seeds will germinate pretty fast and can continue to grow like this for at least 2-3 months probably much longer.
After about 2 months i transplant the small seedlings into soil without fertilizers.
The seedlings are small but the transfer is easy.
I have had very good results with this method and i now only use this method for all cacti seeds.
I include some pics

Good luck
Lukas123

2 Likes Seed Collector and Ian Morris like this.

[Lukas123]

More pics

[TBM]

What is the germination rate of the seeds used in this method? What purpose does soaking the seeds in diluted bleach, and then rinsing in H2O2 have? Is this to keep mold at bay or does this help kick start germination?

Great post!

[Lukas123]

Germination rates are high but it all depends on the quality and age of the seeds.
The bleach and H2O2 washes of seeds and sand is to get rid of mold spores and such things.
I never get molds in these seed petridishes.
It has nothing to do with germination rates.
Some do soak the seeds in hormone stuff to increase germination but i don't bother.
I have enough seeds and most will germinate anyway.

[New Wisdom]

Thanks! I will be trying this method next time since my germination rates have been horrible recently.  Is there any reason why those pachanoi are pupping at such a young stage?  That is extremely unusual.

[Lukas123]

Yes the Pachanoi´s and my other Trichocereus have had a big problem with bugs.
I think they are called mealy bugs in english.
After i carefully removed all visible cottony things and sprayed with a pesticide who is not poisonous the Pachanoi´s started to grow like this.
I have many Pachanoi´s looking like this and it is a result of the bug/pest and not the pesticide as i sprayed other Pachanois also who had not been infected by the bug and they don't get this weird growth.
I wonder how they will look when they get bigger.
I can post more pics of the weird growth on these small Pachanoi´s if you like.

Lukas123

[nahuatochtl]

Nice writeup. Perfect tek, i use this but w/o plastic covers.

[New Wisdom]

Have you ever had issues with this method?  I used a ton of loph seeds with this method and i usually see my sprouts by now.  I only see 1/500 now though.  Kind of having me worried.   Also, the one sprout that popped up looks like it died.

How do you wash your sand after the sterilization?

[Lukas123]

Have you ever had issues with this method?  I used a ton of loph seeds with this method and i usually see my sprouts by now.  I only see 1/500 now though.  Kind of having me worried.   Also, the one sprout that popped up looks like it died.

How do you wash your sand after the sterilization?

I have never had any issues with this method at all.
Is the sand moist but not so wet that there is standing water?
You say that one seed that did sprout now has died, that seems very strange.
Have you forgot to wash out the bleach solution from the sand with tap water before putting the seeds on top of the sand?
If you nuked the sand in the microwave you must let it cool before putting seeds on top of sand.
I would wash the sand after nuking in microwave with tap water but it should not be necessary.
I wash the sand by having it in a container and add an excess of tap water and stir a little, pour off water and repeat.

I usually have very high germination rates and when the seeds sprout i have never seen any sprout die, ever.
Are you sure the seeds are OK and that you have washed the seeds in water after bleach and H2O2 treatments?
Wait a little longer and then keep us updated what happens.

Lukas123

[New Wisdom]

I didn't do a microwave step.  I probably washed the sand out 10+ times after the bleach wash. The only thing I did that's not in the tek is a GA3 soak.  Which usually helps.  I think maybe the GA3 soak softened the seeds up so when I did the bleach wash it soaked through into the seed and killed them mostly. 

Either that or I didn't wash the sand enough.  I'm not sure.  There's still no sprouts though and the one that came out did die for sure.

[TBM]

Maybe you should do the bleach-H2O2-water washes like in his Tek first, and then the GA3 soak second? That way if the GA3 softens the seeds it's already after the bleach was washed off?

[New Wisdom]

Yeah, that's what I'm thinking.  Anyways, this is a HUGE lesson for me.  Waisting 400 williamsii and 100 williamsii caespitosa is like getting kicked in the groin. Lol.

Just a note to everyone.  If you are using GA3 with this method, do not soak the seeds in bleach/h2o2 after the GA3 soak. Do it before.  The GA3 soak softens the seed and then when you do the bleach soak it goes through and kills the enzymes and everything.

[Lukas123]

Soaking the Lophophora/cactus seeds in 10% bleach for 5 minutes will not damage the seeds, that im certain of as i have done it several times.
But i think it is strange that the hormone soak would damage them, really really strange.
The soaking of the seeds and washing of the sand is only for killing off mold spores and such so just putting 10 on moist sand or soil should make them germinate about the same, maybe you should try this if you have any seeds left.
If you dont wash the sand/soil you usually get mold or green growing but that is after a while and after the seeds germinated.
Are you sure the seeds were OK?
I never ever have had problems like no seeds germinating.
I have had a little lower germination rate from older seeds but never like 5-10% whatever i do.

[New Wisdom]

Yes, i've germinated these seeds several times.  Same batch.  It wasn't the GA3 that damaged them, it was either the bleach or h2o2. The reason being I soaked them for 24 hours in the hormone so the shell softened.  Then when i did the sterilization it soaked through the shells and killed off all the seeds. 

I had them for a couple weeks on the substrate in the normal conditions that i germinate with (i usually get around 50% germination with the hormone and they all germinated within 5 days everytime) and only one popped out but soon after it died.  So the only conclusion I can make is that the h2o2 or bleach soaked through because of the shells softening. (Which is what they do after being in water for an adequate amount of time)

I believe that the bleach and h2o2 wont damage the seeds if they haven't already been soaking in something for a day, but it makes sense that if the shells of the seeds were somehow softened that the bleach/h2o2 would kill the seeds.

[Psihkal]

great writeup one question could one use a 50-50 coir/sand mixture (New Wisdom seems to like coir, Lukas seems to like sand.. ) and pressure cook it in a glass jar for an hour for sterilisation in order to skip the overnight bleach soak?