Growing San Pedro From Seeds: Advice and Discussion

[Medicineman94]

SWIM recently procured 100+ San Pedro (Trichocereus Pachanoi) and has planted 5 seeds in a medium sized shallow clay pot. The soil used is conventional cactus mix, and SWIM has also covered the pot with plastic wrap to ensure humidity, although SWIM's current location is already quite humid year round. The cacti have sprouted and currently stand at about .5 cm in height. SWIM waters the plants daily and gives them natural sunlight. How long would SWIM have to wait for the cacti to become 'ripe' enough for one person to 'hold'? Any other advice and/or comments on growing cacti from seeds would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[Xzbtya]

Mine are currently about twice the size of yours. I bought about 50 seeds, 20 of which are growing now. When mine were about your size I removed them from direct sunlight because they were beginning to lose their green color. I have read from a number of sources that this was the cause. They are now further away from the 100 watt light source and now a lucious green once more. I dont believe that you should repot them or touch them for a few more months. At least untill they are around 2-3cm in size.

 

[Medicineman94]

Mine are currently about twice the size of yours. I bought about 50 seeds, 20 of which are growing now. When mine were about your size I removed them from direct sunlight because they were beginning to lose their green color. I have read from a number of sources that this was the cause. They are now further away from the 100 watt light source and now a lucious green once more. I dont believe that you should repot them or touch them for a few more months. At least untill they are around 2-3cm in size.

Thanks for the tip one of mine is also starting lose it's color i'll move them in soon. The one that is losing it's color has 3 tiny spines as opposed to 2 though so it may just be lucky or something 8). I was thinking I just would never re-pot them and let them all grow together in the same pot. How long have yours been growing? Mine have been for about 2.5 weeks. When are you planning on harvesting yours?

 

[DylanG204]

I heard San Pedro Flowers every once in a while and you can trip off those without harvesting your cactus,

is this true??

 

[Xzbtya]

Mine have been growing for about 4 months. Harvest I think is a few years out. In the mean time I've purchased a few cutting to grow to harvest at a sooner point.

 

[Medicineman94]

A few years out damn. What about just eating like 3 small cacti after about a year's time?

 

[DawgTheHallMonitor]

Sorry this may be a little off topic, but im really trying to figure this problem out

I have one that is about 3-4in tall. it has these tan/white crusty spots on top and most of the lower half is white. im thinking sunburn or something like that. any other ideas? it seems to be rooted, when i give it a very gentle tug it doesnt pull right out and most of it is a dark green (afterbringing indoors for a few weeks) just a few spots seem to have some kind of damage.

 

[Medicineman94]

It does sound like something characteristic of dehydration/ sunburn. It seems strange that the bottom half would be dehydrated and the top wouldn't though...

 

[DawgTheHallMonitor]

It does sound like something characteristic of dehydration/ sunburn. It seems strange that the bottom half would be dehydrated and the top wouldn't though...

Oh trust me, the top is thats the worst part. Its all crusted surrounded by white, ive started watering it every other week now and now its back outside

 

[alteredstate8]

Oh trust me, the top is thats the worst part. Its all crusted surrounded by white, ive started watering it every other week now and now its back outside

Do the white scale things come off the cactus if you scratch at them? If they do they may be bugs. My cactus suffered from this and I had no idea what it was. I left the scales on and eventually my cactus suffocated and died you should scrub them off the skin of your cactus if they're removable.

http://cactiguide.com/cactipests/#scale <looks like this?

 

[DawgTheHallMonitor]

Do the white scale things come off the cactus if you scratch at them? If they do they may be bugs. My cactus suffered from this and I had no idea what it was. I left the scales on and eventually my cactus suffocated and died you should scrub them off the skin of your cactus if they're removable.

http://cactiguide.com/cactipests/#scale <looks like this?

No, it does not look look like that. Its more of a scab tbh, I will definitely try picking it off if it will. fortunately it doesnt seem to be doing any damage like a bug would.
I really appreciate your input alteredstate, and you to medicineman. Hopefully ill know more this afternoon, i work with someone who loves cacti so im gonna show it to him. Ill post back with the answer for those who care.

 

[Medicineman94]

Yes please do I'm interested to see what's wrong. you may want to water it a little more frequently if it is dehydration though... San Pedro come from a mountain climate and it's my understanding that they can handle more water than the avg. cactus. especially if the soil drains quickly.

 

[DawgTheHallMonitor]

So my friend said its nothing to be worried. It was most likely caused by to little water and way to much direct sunlight while it was still establishing its roots. He said some water on a weekly or bi-weekly basis and possibly some cacti fertilizer from Miracle grow.
I can post some pictures if youd like to see for yourself Medicine man.

 

[doorknob]

SWIM recently procured 100+ San Pedro (Trichocereus Pachanoi) and has planted 5 seeds in a medium sized shallow clay pot. The soil used is conventional cactus mix, and SWIM has also covered the pot with plastic wrap to ensure humidity, although SWIM's current location is already quite humid year round. The cacti have sprouted and currently stand at about .5 cm in height. SWIM waters the plants daily and gives them natural sunlight. How long would SWIM have to wait for the cacti to become 'ripe' enough for one person to 'hold'? Any other advice and/or comments on growing cacti from seeds would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Interesting, I've just bought 100 San Pedro seeds myself! I'll keep this thread updated with my progress!

Would a large long window pot be okay for them? Spread about 2" apart? Gonna plant the 100 all in 1 go :D

how big are the seeds? I grew some tobacco and sowing the seeds was a nightmare. they were about 0.5mm across!


Good luck OP! I won't be eating mine, I don't think I could bare to.

 

[Medicineman94]

So my friend said its nothing to be worried. It was most likely caused by to little water and way to much direct sunlight while it was still establishing its roots. He said some water on a weekly or bi-weekly basis and possibly some cacti fertilizer from Miracle grow.
I can post some pictures if youd like to see for yourself Medicine man.

Yes please do! I'd be very interested to see and it may help someone else down the line with the same problem.

 

[DawgTheHallMonitor]

Ok so I have a few pictures im going to provide the links for w/ a brief description.

This is the "bad half", you can see both the white part and crusted top (the dark spots on the cactus itself are just bits of soil):
http://s1058.photobucket.com/albums/t410/DawgTheHallMonitor/?action=view&current=002.jpg

Here is the "Healthy part" oddly enough this half hasnt had problems:
http://s1058.photobucket.com/albums/t410/DawgTheHallMonitor/?action=view&current=003.jpg

A better shot:
http://s1058.photobucket.com/albums/t410/DawgTheHallMonitor/?action=view&current=004.jpg

The top w/ crusty brown spots:
http://s1058.photobucket.com/albums/t410/DawgTheHallMonitor/?action=view&current=006.jpg

The top again:
http://s1058.photobucket.com/albums/t410/DawgTheHallMonitor/?action=view&current=005.jpg

And again, the top:
http://s1058.photobucket.com/albums/t410/DawgTheHallMonitor/?action=view&current=pedro1.jpg

I hope this helps those who need it. if anyone has some more input please let me know, cause i want this thing as healthy as possible .

Happy growing,
Dawg

 

[Medicineman94]

Interesting, I've just bought 100 San Pedro seeds myself! I'll keep this thread updated with my progress!

Would a large long window pot be okay for them? Spread about 2" apart? Gonna plant the 100 all in 1 go :D

how big are the seeds? I grew some tobacco and sowing the seeds was a nightmare. they were about 0.5mm across!


Good luck OP! I won't be eating mine, I don't think I could bare to.

I think a large window pot would be fine, although you may have to use a lot of saran wrap to keep it humid, as the seeds need humid conditions to germinate. The seeds are a little larger than those of tobacco (which I also have some experience growing and I totally feel your pain w/ the small seeds haha) and sowing didn't prove to be a problem for me. The seeds also germinated fairly quickly.

 

[Medicineman94]

Ok so I have a few pictures im going to provide the links for w/ a brief description.

This is the "bad half", you can see both the white part and crusted top (the dark spots on the cactus itself are just bits of soil):
http://s1058.photobucket.com/albums/t410/DawgTheHallMonitor/?action=view¤t=002.jpg

Here is the "Healthy part" oddly enough this half hasnt had problems:
http://s1058.photobucket.com/albums/t410/DawgTheHallMonitor/?action=view¤t=003.jpg

A better shot:
http://s1058.photobucket.com/albums/t410/DawgTheHallMonitor/?action=view¤t=004.jpg

The top w/ crusty brown spots:
http://s1058.photobucket.com/albums/t410/DawgTheHallMonitor/?action=view¤t=006.jpg

The top again:
http://s1058.photobucket.com/albums/t410/DawgTheHallMonitor/?action=view¤t=005.jpg

And again, the top:
http://s1058.photobucket.com/albums/t410/DawgTheHallMonitor/?action=view¤t=pedro1.jpg

I hope this helps those who need it. if anyone has some more input please let me know, cause i want this thing as healthy as possible .

Happy growing,
Dawg

The only other theory I can think of is maybe the white is some kind of fungus parasite, which is in turn drying out the top of the cactus making the brown spots. I don't know if this is a problem with San Pedro one might usually encounter, and I can't claim to have any extensive knowledge when it comes to cacti eating fungi/bacteria, but I do know plants falling prey to parasites isn't unheard of. Your cactus does look nice otherwise though!

 

[Medicineman94]

Could it be this Dawg? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochineal

 

[VerbalTruist]

Why are you guys growing San Pedro from seeds and not buying cuttings or full cacti from a cactus grower? You'll have at least 3 to 5 years from the time you plant them before you harvest... In my experience just a little bit of looking will find you what you're looking for.