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Raising cacti from seed is simple and rewarding, and to add to the fun, most companies and cacti nurseries now offer seed mixtures, so you're never quite sure what you're going to grow.
1
Fill a broad terracotta pot with a moist, gritty, loam-based compost, such as John Innes. Firm down and make the surface level.
2
Scatter your mixed cactus seeds over the surface of the compost, taking care not to sow them too thickly.
3
Gently sprinkle a thin layer of silver sand over the seeds, covering the whole surface of the compost.
4
Leave the pot in a greenhouse or on a warm windowsill, covered with a sheet of glass and a layer of paper.
5
Remove the glass once seedlings develop - these will be large enough to prick out by next spring.
6
Next spring, gently tease out individual cacti, and plant out in a tray of gritty compost. Water well.
7
As they grow taller, carefully transplant some of the larger cacti into bigger pots to give them room.
8
Finally, plant individually into small terracotta pots. Water and feed, and repot annually as they grow.
Be patient! These cacti took a year to reach this size from a summer sowing.
Carlaj 24/11/2011 at 15:27
My teenage son has developed a passion for cacti. I hadn't thought about growing cacti from seed but having read how easy it is I shall give it a try and involve Danny too.
