Sowing of Pediocactus and Sclerocactus:

Pediocactus, Sclerocactus and other species with a hard seed coat, (Opuntia, Maihuenia, etc.) can be a little difficult to germinate, but there are several ways that can be tried so you can get the seeds to germinate. I would recommend that you only sow half of your seeds in one way, and then sow the rest of the seeds in another way, or even try all three ways. The ways to get better germination of those "stubborn" species are like this:

1. Rinse the seeds with water and sow them in sterile cactus soil in a glass, (the glass and the soil can get "nuked" in the Micro oven!), the seeds get covered by a thin layer of sand blasting sand. and sprayed with a fungicide, then the glass is closed with some "Vita Wrap". The glass is placed in a sunny place at around 35C during the day and around 15 to 20C during the night. Those seeds that do not germinate after 2 or 3 weeks, are removed from the glass and cleaned with water and fungicide, then the hilum can be pricked of with a needle or a sharp knife. and sown in a new glass the same way as first time.

2. The cleaned seeds are sown on a piece of kitchen roll paper that are folded three times, the last fold is unfolded, and the paper getting moistened with fungicide, the seeds are sown and the last fold closed again. then the "envelope" with seeds are put in a plastic bag, that are not closed but just folded. The plastic bag is stored at 15 to 20C during the night and at 35C during the day, Check the "envelopes" every day and if you see a seeds that are germinating it must be transplanted to a pot with moist sterile cactus soil (Micro oven again!!), spray with fungicide and cover the seed with sand blasting sand. the pot must be covered by glass or "Vita Wrap" for some days, and its important that the soil don't get dry for a while. Those seeds that do not germinate in 2 or 3 weeks is treated like in number 1. or you could try to put the plastic bag in the freezer once or twice!!!

3. The seeds are sown during the winter, and like all other alpine plants placed in an open frame that is in a sunny and not too wet place, and in place that will get hot in the spring. with a little luck the seeds will germinate a few each year in a few years!

Summary of sowing method used in New Mexico: 1. sow in mid winter, keep mostly dry, occasionally wet, freeze at night and thaw in day 2. damp in early spring when cool, occasional light frost, warmer in day. Keep evenly moist and germination will start. 3. very hot in mid summer, mostly dry with occasional soaks. More germination will occur after thunderstorms soak the pots. Avoid prolonged soaking now. 4. mostly dry in fall, occasional soak only. Allow to dry out for winter dormancy. Sometimes plants will bud in the fall, do not keep the plant any warmer for the winter, just let the buds sit until spring when it would naturally flower anyway.

We use only the naturally occuring temps, there is no protection from cold at all. The pots are sown outdoors in plastic pots. The pots are housed in wooden boxes which are covered with nylon window screen. Suspended above the boxes is a layer of shade cloth. These two layers will break up heavy rain drops and give protection from hail.

If long heavy rains are possible where you live, it would be best to put the pots under cover after some germination has taken place. The outdoor treatments are designed to accomplish germination. For example the plants do not like long soaking rains in late summer and into the fall, so you might have to move the pots to an unheated greenhouse or coldframe once they have sprouted. However a long soaking rain is very beneficial in promoting germination.

The easiest to sprout are: Pediocactus simpsonii, Sclerocactus spinosior, pubispinus, and brevispinus. They will often sprout in early spring when it still freezes a bit at night. They find early spring a very active growth time when it is cool and moist.