Succulents can't be grown from seed? Master these few tricks and they'll easily take root and sprout
Growing succulents from seed is the dream of many succulent growers, but growing succulents from seed is a bit difficult, and succulents include cacti, sedums and others, and the sowing methods for different succulent seeds vary slightly. Here I'll just talk about the general sowing process and points to note. For example, Crassulaceae seeds are extremely tiny, so sowing is an extremely meticulous job that requires patience.
Sedum seeds are extremely tiny, and sowing them individually is almost impossible, so blind scattering is usually used. Fold a piece of fairly stiff white paper in half to form a paper channel. Carefully place the seeds on the white paper, then gently tap the back of the paper, so the seeds can flow evenly and smoothly into the area you want to sow. Note that the tilt angle of the white paper and the force of the tapping are the key to how the seeds are scattered, and this requires constant experimentation and practice to master. It is best to choose the same variety when sowing in one pot, so that the seeds basically germinate at the same time, which makes future care easier.
When exactly can the seedlings from sowing be put in the sun? About 60% germination is enough. If germination is uneven, it is best to move the seedlings and sun only the ones that have already sprouted, but beginners may feel they are not good at moving seedlings, so sunning them all together is also fine, but when they have not fully germinated, be sure to keep the soil moist when giving them sun, as many varieties very easily become leggy, such as Crassula, Aeonium and so on. My experience is to give light from the start of sowing, and once the seedlings are mostly up, begin removing the cover and ventilating, but this trick still cannot save Greenovia and Aeonium. Their legginess usually shows as stems leaning toward the light source, which indicates lack of light and too much water, so sowing in pure vermiculite is not recommended.
The sowing substrate has no meaning for seed germination, it only helps the seedlings that sprout continue to grow. Cacti are light-germination plants, and their germination needs sufficient scattered light, not direct sunlight. For the first 4~8 weeks, the sowing container should be shaded with thick paper, which both creates scattered-light conditions and effectively prevents moss growth. The most suitable temperature for sowing preparation is 15~30 degrees.
When they are seedlings, you can't use all grit, because seedlings need water. The specific mix depends on local characteristics and personal preference. In any case, more grit means it does not hold water, but more grit also means loose soil and good roots. I personally use fine-fiber imported peat, which has almost no insect eggs (this can only be judged based on my current personal situation, not scientifically confirmed, haha), and the grit should be sieved, otherwise there is too much dust. I usually sieve with steel mesh, the kind used for window screens.
For seedlings, it depends on the season and geographical location. In summer, they can't take direct sun and need some shading. In other seasons, check the temperature. For example, in winter in Beijing, seedlings on a south-facing balcony can be sunned freely (provided humidity is maintained, at least the soil should be moist), and the balcony temperature tops out at 25 degrees, no problem. In spring and autumn, when the temperature is around 28, on the balcony generally avoid placing them near the glass. In summer, the balcony is definitely at 35, so they can't be placed against the glass, and other spots also need to be shaded with shade cloth. I have also used colored transparent plastic bags stuck to the balcony glass for shade.
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