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 sturmer88
Shroomer
 
Registered: 09/26/07
Posts: 564
Last seen: 6 hours, 42 minutes
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 CocoCoir for cactus seedlings as Top dressing??
#8480619 - 06/03/08 06:41 PM (5 months, 26 days ago) |
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I'm starting some new cactus seedlings and I've had problems in the past with the store bought cactus soil being to rocky for new seedlings. I've got some Coco Coir Beda Beast type bricks and am trying to make my normal cactus mix with Cactus soil, and Pumice but I'm gonna try spreading coco Coir over the top. I put it in the oven for 45 minutes at 200 degrees and now I have it in a clean filtered Myco Bag. I wanna start my Loph seedlings on it when it cools down. Does this coc coir top dressing sound good for germinating cactus seeds?
I've had problem with Loph seedlings knocked out of place and they are to small for rocks and I don't have the gravel people say to use. I'm just wondering if the coco coir will work as a top dressing until they germ. Then I'll place the Calcium Carbonate over that which has worked for me in the past.
Any suggestion would be appreciated. I'm starting L W Williamsii Caesipitosa (clumping) and reg. L Williamsii.
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felixhigh
evil jester
Registered: 06/24/01
Posts: 4,603
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Re: CocoCoir for cactus seedlings as Top dressing?? [Re: sturmer88]
#8480693 - 06/03/08 06:56 PM (5 months, 26 days ago) |
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I would go with straight sand (sterilized) for germinating.
Never seen anyone use coir with cactus.
FH
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sturmer88
Shroomer
Registered: 09/26/07
Posts: 564
Last seen: 6 hours, 42 minutes
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Re: CocoCoir for cactus seedlings as Top dressing?? [Re: felixhigh]
#8480780 - 06/03/08 07:19 PM (5 months, 26 days ago) |
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I think I remember seeing it listed as a top dressing on another sight but I can't remember where it was.
The tray i made up is mostly normal cactus mix and pumice with Calcium carbonate sand. Only the top 1/4 inch or so is coc coir. It's already steralized and ready to go. I just wanna make sure it will germ the seeds alright before sowing them.
I was just gonna start sowing them but I'm worried cause it looks to spongey. I'm afraid it will promote dampening off. I held off untill I look into it more. I may just use Calcium Carbonate as the top dressing.
Edited by sturmer88 (06/03/08 07:40 PM)
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kadakuda
The Great"Green".......East
Registered: 05/21/04
Posts: 5,428
Loc: Asia
Last seen: 1 hour, 29 minutes
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Re: CocoCoir for cactus seedlings as Top dressing?? [Re: sturmer88]
#8481669 - 06/03/08 10:47 PM (5 months, 26 days ago) |
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you want substrates that *dont* grow fungi when humid....coco coir is great for mushrooms, so is not for cacti. top dress should be straight sand 
--------------------
"I clean my house in my wife's underwear with a bottle of vodka and Queen set on MAX, and i am man enough to admit it. I may even sing along." I love drunks.
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sturmer88
Shroomer
Registered: 09/26/07
Posts: 564
Last seen: 6 hours, 42 minutes
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Re: CocoCoir for cactus seedlings as Top dressing?? [Re: kadakuda]
#8481739 - 06/03/08 11:10 PM (5 months, 26 days ago) |
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Thanks. I took the top dressing off and mixed a bit in with the soil. It looked much to spongey. I was afraid at least it would of severley promoted dampening off.
I packed the soil down because one of my problems has been the soil being to rocky and the seeds falling in the cracks so I tamped it down as much as possible and it's in a Myco bag now under flouros with my new grafts.
I'll do as I usually do and use Petsmart brand Calcium Carbonate sand as top dressing after they germ. My other seedlings of Tricho's and Loph's I sowed a few weeks ago are doing quite well and sice I started using the calcium carb top dressing they seem to stay in place really well. I'm keeping the humidity top on them nuch longer this time also. I'll probably give them at least 4-5 months maybe more of humidity. That was one of my mistakes last grow also. The new ones seem to be growing much faster this grow. Hopefully the same with my newest project. Those L W Caesipitosa seeds are to hard to come by to waste them. Especially the clumping variety.
If worse comes to worse and I do lose them at least I know my Caesipitosa Peresk graft is flowering and brushed with pollen. Hopefully I'll get lots of fruits this fall.
By the way of my upside down grafts looks as if it's fully taken already.
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