Sowing Lithops: Nuan Er's Cultivation Notes Serialized Sharing

Foreword

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Thanks to Xianzhenyuan author [Nuan Er] for theoriginal exclusive authorizationsharing

Compiled and edited by: Encyclopedia Jun

Location: Tianshui City, Gansu Province

It's autumn again, time to sow, sow, sow. Many friends must be unable to hold back by now! Just thinking about sowing gives me a headache, a headache! Too much work, can't keep up! Don't want to do it!

First, let's talk aboutenvironment. Personally, I feel you can sow as long as the temperature is suitable. We avoid spring sowing and choose autumn sowing because the hot summer will either kill the seedlings with heat or cause stunted growth, resulting in relatively greater losses compared to other seasons, so autumn sowing is generally chosen. Here I want to say a bit more: with sowing, there is basically never a 100% germination rate or survival rate. The charm of sowing, I personally think, lies in the changes each year, the diverse selection, and the sense of achievement from growing them to maturity. So sowing requires a lasting, patient, and calm mindset. Don't get too hung up on individual deaths!

Temperature-wise, I feel 15-25°C is suitable. Note: the temperature should be sustained between 15-25°C, not that you sow today when it's 15-25°C and it doesn't matter if it's 30-35°C tomorrow! Personally, I feel you need an alternating temperature difference between cooler and warmer, and the germination rate seems to improve!

Next, let's talk aboutchoosing pots: Seedling roots aren't very long, so I choose pots that aren't too deep. Generally, it's the depth of a 7 cm black square pot. After subtracting 2 cm of ceramsite at the bottom, it's basically 5 cm of depth. If the pot is too deep, the seedlings tend to be smaller and it wastes soil! Although a lunch box is a good choice, lunch boxes tend to weather severely, are hard to move, and with a slight mishap, the pot and plant separate.

So I generally choose 7 cm thick-walled black square pots. First, scattering seeds in won't be too many, and of course counting them isn't laborious. Second, they're neat and easy to manage. Third, they're durable.

If sowing varieties of a hundred seeds, I generally use Alice imitation purple clay pots, size 16*12 cm, which just fits a density of slightly over a hundred seeds.

Sowing density: For larger-bodied varieties like Purple Top (Lithops optica 'Rubra'), Lithops dorotheae, and similar, I generally sow 20 seeds in a 7 cm black square pot; for smaller-bodied ones, generally 25 seeds. For other containers, fellow growers can convert according to this density. For home sowing, it's best to follow the principle of preferring sparser over denser, because home ventilation can't compare to a greenhouse, and it's better to leave larger gaps between them.

Soil mix:I'm poor, so my soil mix is simple: peat + sand. I don't have a specific ratio for anything else, just experience (no ratio because I'm lazy and don't record it! Haha). The principle isloose and breathable. If you find your seedlings are relatively weak, or prone to moss, or prone to turning to mush, it means too much peat, and you need to increase the gritty material.

For peat, I choose Dashen's 413 or 876, both work. It needs to be fine; if too coarse, seedling roots won't grow well.The peat is best sifted, removing the small hard clumps inside. Otherwise, after the seedlings germinate, if the roots encounter hard clumps, they can't easily push down and tend to become stunted.

Disinfection:My sunlight here is better, so I generally put the sifted soil under the sun for a few days. I see many people mix carbendazim into the soil, but in my personal experience, it seems hard to get the carbendazim amount right. Too much will inhibit root growth after germination (maybe it's just my illusion; twice when I mixed carbendazim, they always didn't grow well). Then before sowing, I soak thoroughly overnight with potassium permanganate solution. Note: don't dissolve potassium permanganate with hot water, otherwise it won't disinfect. Also note the solution ratio, don't make it too concentrated. As for those who use a microwave or steam it in a pot, I can only say your conscience is greatly bad! Soil heated in a microwave might explode; those who steam it in a pot definitely don't have a wife at home or she'd kill you!!

Sowing precautions:I won't repeat the process; just evenly scatter the seeds one by one on the soil. Mainly I'll talk about the precautions.

1. Don't put too little or too much soil; 1 cm from the pot rim is fine. Too little and there's not enough light, the seedlings become bean sprouts; too much, level with the pot rim, and they easily get sunburned.

2. Before sowing, the soil surface must, must be pressed flat, not compacted, gently pressed flat. What to press with? Cut a piece of cardboard, slightly smaller than the pot, that works. Must, must not compact it; if compacted, roots can't drill down. Why press flat? If not pressed flat, seeds fall into cracks and are hard to germinate, and later when the soil dries it easily cracks! What? You don't care? Your family must have a mine!!!

3. Sowing density: For larger-bodied varieties like Purple Top (Lithops optica 'Rubra'), Lithops dorotheae, and similar, I generally sow 20 seeds in a 7 cm black square pot; for smaller-bodied ones, generally 25 seeds. For other containers, fellow growers can convert according to this density. For home sowing, it's best to follow the principle of preferring sparser over denser, because home ventilation can't compare to a greenhouse, and it's better to leave larger gaps between them.

4. Please write labels in pencil. After writing, stick them in the pot and sow while looking at the labels. Don't ask why!!!

5. Remember to put ceramsite or insect-proof netting at the bottom of the pot, otherwise in those 2 days they'll eat half, and the ones kept will be plump and their body color still bright yellow!

6. Top dressing can be scattered in advance or later, but don't make it thick. Once it's thick, large seeds germinate very slowly.

7. When watering by spraying, please don't spray directly at the seeds. Keep the spray bottle parallel to the pot so the water gently falls on them, especially before germination.

Precautions while waiting for germination:

1. Need to keep them covered (humid).

2. Indirect light. What's indirect light? The kind on an overcast day! An overcast day before a rainstorm? You want to ascend to heaven!!!

3. Open for ventilation every morning or evening, don't overdo it. If too dry, newly germinated ones will die. Ventilation is to prevent mold!

4. Don't keep the grow light on all the time!

5. Once more than half have germinated, open the lid to grow, and note to replenish water more.

6. Try to bottom-water, don't spray. Bottom-watering can induce rooting, and spraying too wet makes plants prone to turning to mush!

7. Different varieties germinate at different speeds. Lithops pseudotruncatella and Lithops gracilidelineata are easier; Lithops julii, Purple Top (Lithops optica 'Rubra'), and Lithops dorotheae are harder. So don't rush. Lithops julii seems to need a larger temperature difference; Lithops dorotheae and Purple Top (Lithops optica 'Rubra') need more water.

8. Please don't poke them with toothpicks, tweezers, etc., especially right after germination. If you really can't resist, please poke yourself!

Precautions after germination:

1. If you suddenly find the seedlings translucent with a very crystalline color, this isn't them showing their best state; we call this "last radiance before death"!! It's either too much water or too much sun!

2. If you find grayish-white stuff in a ring around the seeds, congratulations, this is fungus growing. You need to dry it out a bit and ventilate. Of course, the moldy ones can't be saved anymore, and you can buy more seeds! Remember to take them out of the soil, otherwise a whole patch will die. Those who need to spray carbendazim, note the amount, don't use too much; when in doubt, use less rather than more!

3. Note: the milky white, tender things are roots! Not mold!

4. Besides seedlings, there's another green thing called moss. The soil is too rich; give less fertilizer. A small amount is fine, it will always appear, it's symbiotic! If a layer grows on the surface and is fairly thick while the seedlings are still small, they easily become stunted. Top dressing will do; when watering, use more bottom-watering. If the seedlings are already large and roots well grown, moss doesn't matter.

5. If there are white or yellow small maggots in the soil, note: not the fast-running gray small woodlice, then you need to pay attention. If few, just put in a few granules of Xiaobaiyao. If many, use granular pesticide and put it into the soil. Don't spray with insecticide; it's easy for the pests to be fine while the seedlings are done for! If there are none, best not to use pesticide; generally there are few pests at home!

Finally: The feeling of looking forward to them growing up every day is where the joy of sowing lies. But peeling the skin when the first molting begins is not recommended, because seedlings grow fast and don't need your assistance; peeling easily causes death, and secondly you can't see any patterns after peeling. Lithops patterns only become visible after the third molting.

A high or low germination rate isn't necessarily the seed's problem. Temperature difference, humidity, ventilation, soil quality, and so on all affect germination rate. Sometimes treat it with a calm mind; sowing pursues a kind of surprise, the joy of selection!

Labels should best include the seed's origin, so that when you encounter good seeds, next year you'll know where they're from!

Wishing everyone happy sowing. Lithops basically go through one generation every 3 years. It feels distant, but actually it's fast. If you don't believe it, just look at childhood photos, look at your parents, look at your children. Time flies fast, cherish the present. Society is too restless; the years need to settle!

My notes are about one more installment from completion. I plan to write about various problems encountered in cultivation next, but after all, the situations I've personally encountered aren't complete. I hope fellow growers can help me and give me more of the problems you've encountered, and we'll complete the last installment together! Thank you everyone, just leave a comment at the bottom of this article! Sincere thanks!

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