23 replies to this topic

[yerbaadam]

Just curius, don't you think vermiculite is the "opposite" kind of material for the top layer of your substrate. The bodies of the lophs are very sensative to prolonged direct contact with moisture. Verm will hold water for quite a while, where as a mixture of sand or pebbles will be dry almost immediatly. Isn't that the point of creating a different top layer?

So after placing the seeds, do you moisten the soil and THEN add the verm dry, before the seeds ever start sprouting? Then the just grow through the verm?

Thanks for the info and great pics.

>Yer friend,
nAscAr denDRiTE duDDLey

[spacecake]

Just curius, don't you think vermiculite is the "opposite" kind of material for the top layer of your substrate. The bodies of the lophs are very sensative to prolonged direct contact with moisture. Verm will hold water for quite a while, where as a mixture of sand or pebbles will be dry almost immediatly. Isn't that the point of creating a different top layer?

So after placing the seeds, do you moisten the soil and THEN add the verm dry, before the seeds ever start sprouting? Then the just grow through the verm?

Thanks for the info and great pics.

>Yer friend,
nAscAr denDRiTE duDDLey

At the first stage of growth ,the peyote seedlings like to be wet all the time,that's why rh needs to be high too (+-100%)
That's why I use verm. for the extra moister.
(and that little bit of verm. will also dryout very fast because of the heat !..it's not the same as with shrooms)

The soil is already wet when I place in the seeds,but you can moister it afterwords too..
An easy way.. is to have a couple of holes in the bottom,so this way you can place the tray(with the seeds) in another tray with (warm) water ,so it can gently soak up water without disturbing the seeds.

And yes ,it's best to add the verm right after placing the seeds.

[Myc]

That's how I do my cactus seedlings. The "tray in tray" watering method so as not to disturb the seeds.

I might try the vermiculite though. My mix has always been:

1 part loam
1 part sand
1 part coarse grit

I also use a fungicide called "Chinosol" (used for grape vine grafting) in my first bottom watering solution. This insures there will be no damping off or other fungal contaminants.

Thanks for sharing Spacecake. They look very happy. You've inspired me to post what I hope will be a couple of helpful ideas.

[spacecake]

Any idea is welcome.. :thumbup: