They are columnar cactus which grow monster big.
Their spines can be wicked fierce and are probably coated in germs.
Plant 1,000 cactus seeds, get a 1,000 cactus plants. That's a lot plants to manage.
Growing them under bright lights is a mood booster in the winter.
Trichocereus have a pretty star shapes when cut sideways.
Grown easily from inexpensive seed, and not under major threat, Trichocereus make for a guilt-free cactus.
By planting lots of inexpensive seeds, there are more options to find unique variations.
It's what all the cool kids on the Internet are doing these days.
Organize tools and materials
Cactus Quest on YouTube has a great video on using Hydrogen Peroxide to sterilize the potting mix. Some people feel this is overkill, but we like the technique. Hydrogen Peroxide is good stuff to have fresh and on hand.
San Pedro Mastery has are nice technique "How to Germinate Old, Non-Viable Cactus Seeds".
Hydrogen Peroxide / Spray Bottle
Physan 20 Sanitizer / Spray Bottle
Coffee filter
Gloves
kitchen ware for managing small seeds
labels and tags
soil mix of choice
take-out containers
zip-lock bags for small pots
Physan 20 Mix Ration
0.79 teaspoons of mix for per 1-liter bottle of water.
Don't worry, we have our ham radio license - w3box
Cook mix low and slow in microwave. Or wash with Hydrogen Peroxide. Or just wing it and throw some seeds in a nice moist cactus mix.
Coffee Filters
Rinse seeds in Peroxide solution.
We used about 20% ratio here.,
Clean soak for about 20 minutes then rinse and transfer to a light sugar or coconut water soak. Soak overnight, then rinse with fresh water using a coffee filter.
Make good labels and document the status with photos for the record.
Warm and bright, give them a few months
philacactus.org
Special thanks to the Philadelphia Cactus & Succulent Society for allowing DC Laboratory to present on the dangers of growing cactus from seeds. Remember kids, don't put seeds in your ears, they will sprout.
Steve Groundwater presenting at the Philadelphia Cactus & Succulent Society; February 11, 2024.
Caution: Sharp Spines. Handle with care to avoid injury.
Attention: Some cacti may cause skin irritation or allergic reactions. Use caution when handling.
Danger: Some cacti may contain toxins. Do not ingest. Keep out of reach of children and pets.
USDA Small Seed Import Program
Laboratory Project Notes
