Succulents help required.

I am not being able to find how to propagate cactus seed any where. If there is a thread kindly provide link if not then I need a bit of help.
Temperature these days is 45c daytime and 30c night time. Humidity 50% currently but Monsoons expected by 15th July then it will be in mid 30's daytime and the same plus minus few degrees at night time while humidity will range from 50% to 100%.
I have Perlite available. Coir washed sweet. Plant mulch well rotted. Clay potters. 1/8th inch granite. Fine granite sand.
I just want to know what are the conditions required for cactus seeds plus soft succulent seeds. Propagation mixture and environmental conditions.
If time of year not conducive then winter conditions are mid 20's daytime and about -4c night time, humidity will range between 12% to 60% according to rain pattern but normally on the low side.
My zone ranges from arid read South California or Arizona while in winter it matches Oregon due to being in the foothills of the Himalayas temperate.
Thanks,
Arif.

Noticed you had no replies.... Try the cactus/succulent forum

You didnt say which cacti you have seeds for. If the seed is tiny like from barrel cactus, get a small tray with wet sand with good drainage on the bottom, sprinkle the seeds on top of the sand, do not cover with soil,. Place your container in a sunny location and mist the seeds lightly at least twice a day. Dont pour water on them as they will either float out or go in deeper into the sand. I have not used a heatmat on these, so i dont know know if it would hurt anything, or a dome. The container doesnt have to be large, if you have a great deal of seeds. Then you would need a container approptiate to the amount. After they germinate and get big enough you can transplant each to thier own pots.

Opunta prickly pears seeds are larger and i didnt bother with those as they are all over here in New Mexico.

I hope this helps to get you started.

That sounds like excellent advice to me. Seed size determines how you handle them. Really small seeds (like Echeveria for example) do better with the top of the container covered... plastic wrap secured with a rubber band, or just a flat piece of clear plastic on top of the pot. You can leave them like that for several weeks (or more) which means you don't have to water so often. When I cover a pot with plastic wrap I might mist the top once a week to make sure it is still moist, and bottom water with dilute nutrients once the seedlings are making their first true leaves. (Park the pot in a platter with water for about 20 minutes to allow it to slowly wick up.)

Cook your soil before you sow these small seeds, since the soil will stay continuously moist for a long time and lots of other undesirable things can grow in there.

With larger cactus and succulent seeds the care is easier. Cover them with a thin layer of sand or sieved soil, remove the lid after they germinate, mist every day or two for a while, and water every 3 days or so from there on out. Bottom water until the seedlings are strong enough to take ovearhead watering without falling over.

Cacti and succulents are not picky about the soil but they tend to do better with a good amount of rock in the mix (fine pumice or perlite for example). Consider sieving the soil to remove large particles, especially with small seeds.

I find an east facing windowsill just about right for starting seeds. About 80% shade otherwise, or any spot in bright shade, out of direct sun for the first few months.

This message was edited Feb 22, 2014 1:22 PM

Really great information! Just reading it now. Priceless. Really! We all know the credibility of successful outcomes! :)

Kiley