Growing Lophophora diffusa and Trichocereus peruvianus Cactus from Seeds

Growing Lophophora diffusa and Trichocereus peruvianus cacti from seeds is a bit tricky. Don't become discouraged if you make some mistakes and lose some plants in the learning process. They key to success is to pay attention to what works and avoid what doesn't. Everyone is going to have a different growing environment; therefore it is difficult to make exact trouble shooting recommendations. If you try to stick to the procedures outlined in this report, you will have a better chance of understanding what to do if problems develop.

If you are growing cacti in kits purchased from Wildflowers of Heaven, you need not concern yourself with the supplies needed or soil preparation, as everything is included in the kit.

If you have not purchased the kit, you will need the following: a glass or steel try approximately 9"x14" and 2" deep, a glass or plastic cover or lid, and a proper soil mix. If you are growing Trichocereus peruvianus varieties, a steel tray is best, as tiny puncture holes can be easily made and are needed for good drainage. It's best to make 20-25 holes of no more than 1/32 inch in diameter. That way a finely sifted sand and soil mix will not fall through the holes. Cover with a sheet of glass, or, if steel cake pans are used, cover with the tight fitting transparent lid that comes with these. Make tiny holes in the bottoms of the cake pans, as mentioned above.

The correct soil mix is important in order to avoid bacterial problems which can kill seedlings. Rarely will one ever need to resort to chemicals to prevent soil pests from occurring, if healthy soil is used from the start. Healthy plants are produced from healthy soil and are naturally immune to pests and bacteriological problems. Loamy soil types are the very best. If using a soil with a ph of 7.0, mix in 33% to 50% sand and the balance in soil. However, cacti are hardy and can thrive in a variety of soil types. It is important that the soil contain sufficient sand for good drainage. Poorly drained soil can cause root rot. Lime is an important soil nutrient for growing Lophophora diffusa varieties. Most soils with a ph of 6.5 or above have sufficient lime. If lime is needed, it should be in the form of bone meal or rock phosphate. Never use animal waste to increase ph levels. Even composted, these have fast acting nitrogen fixers which will burn cacti seedlings. You can gather good, black, loamy soil from underneath oak or pine trees, (the soil under the mulch layers), or from rich creek bed banks where an abundance of plant life indicates good soil. Often these soil types will be naturally high in sand. If you are in an area where cacti grow wild, you can gather soil directly from these areas. This soil will be perfectly balanced for cacti; all you need to do is add the water. If soil gathering is inconvenient, you can purchase soil suitable for growing cacti at most garden centers. However, renowned cacti expert Brian Lamb writes that most available cactus solids are often lacking superior loam. Merely adding 5% to 10% composted table scraps, or that much in peat moss, will give soil more loam. If you add anything to commercial soil, or if you gather your own, be sure to sift all materials through a fine screen. This will prevent clods from forming, which can hinder seedlings. Do not be alarmed if you see a green moss developing on the soil. It does not kill or harm the seedlings and can remain there until the plants are placed in permanent pots. While some commercial growers say that sterilizing soil is essential to destroy harmful microorganisms, others indicate that the sterilizing of soil destroys healthy microorganisms and should be avoided. It really does not seem to make a difference because soil microorganisms return to sterilized soil within 5 to 8 weeks after being reconstituted with water.

Sterilizing soil does kill dormant weeds, however, and is therefore recommended. A non-chemical sterilized soil is the very best for cacti cultivation from seed. It is prepared as follows: Allow you sifted soil to dry 100%. This can be done on an extra large cookie sheet in the oven or on top of a wood stove. Once the soil is completely dry, heat to 140°F, keeping soil from cooling for five minutes. Remove from oven or heat source. Allow to cool. Sterilized soil is now ready. Soil purchased in Wildflowers of Heaven's cacti growing kits is all heat sterilized.

To begin planting, fill your growing trays about 1" deep with your prepared soil and spread it out smoothly and evenly. All watering for Lophophora diffusa varieties is best done with a good quality spray bottle to avoid possible over watering. Distilled water is best because it prevents mineral build up, which can lead to unbalanced ph levels. Watering of Trichocereus peruvianus varieties can be done with any low stream waterer because these require up to ten times more water than Lophophora diffusa varieties. Be careful that the steam is dispensed gently to prevent soil movement. Once the soil is laid out and ready, begin spraying with water. For Lophophora diffusas, spray the surface until it is good and damp, not soggy. For Trichocereus peruvianus, saturate the entire soil, but again it should not be soggy. Once the soil is just right, the seeds should be placed on the surface, about 1" apart. After the seeds are in the tray, cover with 1/4" to 1/2" prepared cactus soil. Do not press this cover soil down. Water it with a spray bottle. After a few waterings it will settle and compress uniformly by itself. The lid can now be placed over the tray. The glass or plastic cover lets light in and holds moisture in at a constant level.

Light and warmth are the nest important factors to get right. Seedlings germinate best at temperatures between 75° and 90°F. Temperatures above this can kill and those below will result in poor germination. Cacti grow best and fastest in warm temperatures such as those mentioned above. In winter, when indoor temperatures may drop to the low 40's, seedling growth stops. But there is little danger of Lophophora diffusa dying. They are both cold hardy and drought tolerant. A six month old seedling is cold hardy to 20°F, if cultivated outdoors year round. However, Trichocereus peruvianus seedlings are less cold hardy. They can survive over the winter provided they stay at 45° to 60°F, and are 6 to 9 months old. Year round heated greenhouses are best, but don't let this lack of a growing environment discourage you. If you have a sunny, south facing window with five or more hours of direct light daily, you have a good chance of success.

A good method for regulating light and warmth is to make a shade cloth constructed of a wooden frame about twice the size of the tray, with legs that stand around all four corners, with a hemp or muslin cloth stapled to it. This will allow enough light and heat to reach the plants without overheating or burning. Almost all cacti species will do best growing in total shade for the first 12 to 18 months, as provided in this manner. Non seedlings will thrive best in what is termed "partial sun", (4 to 6 hours of direct light daily). When you feel your seedlings are mature enough to be exposed to direct light, begin by locating them so that they can receive only 1 or 2 hours of direct light daily (DLD) for 5 to 7 days. Then begin allowing them 3 to 4 hours DLD for the same number of days. At this point if no sun shock has occurred, it is safe to allow them up to 6 hours DLD. In the winter when light intensity is low, it is probably safe to leave them in "full sun" all day. During spring through early fall, when it can get very hot, it might be best to place them in full shade or at least partial shade to prevent burning. Everyone will have different growing conditions; therefore it is difficult to make hard and fast rules. Overexposure to direct light causes shriveling and/or burning. (Solution? Decrease light.) Overexposure to shade causes plants to become spindly and weak looking. (Solution? Increase light.)

Regular watering is very important for the first year. Lophophora diffusas can be watered freely late spring through early fall, so long as their soil is well drained and temperatures are warm enough to allow them to dry back quickly. If allowed to get too dry, they will begin to look shriveled. Good watering of the surface soil will bring them around in a day or two. Trichocereus peruvianus will start getting brownish red if they are not receiving adequate water. As long as you are using a well drained, sandy soil, there is little chance of over watering during warm months. Be careful to water moderately in winter, as the cool conditions may cause moisture retention and result in root rot. This is true for Lophophora diffusas as well. With Trichocereus peruvianus, you may want to take a small tipped tool and dig a time hole in the soil to see how deep the moisture has gone. In the first few month of growing, if the soil is dry more than 1/16" in depth, add water. After the plants are 1/2" tall, you could wait till they have dried back 1/4" to 1/2".

Transplanting works best using a small spoon. Take care not to disturb the roots and the soil immediately adjacent. The soil tends to cling to the roots, so there is little chance of failure in this. Once they are transplanted and begin living in partial sun, the soil can be allowed to dry out completely at times. However, they will grow best receiving regular watering whenever their soil is dry. At this stage they are much tougher than seedlings.

For other slow growing cacti, such as Echinocereus, Coryphanthas, etc., follow instructions for Lophophora diffusa. For cultivating faster growing, columnar varieties, follow instructions for Trichocereus peruvianus.