Talk:Xerophyta retinervis

Growing Xerophytal retinervis

Jefferson’s simple steps for starting from seed:

Get yourself a clear plastic container like the type that cookies come in from the super market. I like the round ones about 8” across. Remove all labels clean and wash with antibacterial soap, set aside to air dry.

Soil = loamy/sandy, bake the soil your going to use in the oven at 350F for 45 minutes. I usually add a cup of water or more and cover with foil.

Rocks, I like to use them, if you do, boil them in a pot for about 15min.

Water, microwave as much water as you think you’ll need to water the seeds in. I use a sterilized sprayer to water the seeds in with, hit the dollar store.

You don’t want to use too much soil. These guys like growing in craggily out croppings, cracks in rock faces, in shallow soil. I usually put my rocks down to create a couple of little crack arrangements for the seeds to grown into.

About 3/8” of soil is what I have been using combined with rocks and some vermiculite. Vermiculite is a great accordion expanded mineral that will hold water.

Set up your soil, get out your seeds and sew them as desired on the surface. Cover with a thin layer of loamy/sandy soil. Note, the seeds are small, like really small! They may stick to whatever bag you receive them in via static so I suggest using about a 1/4” teaspoon of your soil, toss in bag shake gently and sew the whole concoction

Water well with the sprayer so that the soil is wet, not saturated or piddling on top, but wet.

Close up container, label and set up on a north facing window sill. Good seeds generally sprout around 45-60 days. I have had some take as long as 4 months.

The goal to all the above instructions is to create a completely enclosed, sterile environment, kinda set it and forget it style. If you skip any of the above steps you run the risk of mold forming etc and ruining your seeds. For more info on this style of starting seeds google “starting cacti seeds” as this is more or less the method I am using.

After several months you may think your seeds are doing nothing. I’d advise you to get out the magnifying glass and take a real good look. The plants are very hard to spot and generally a little bigger than a piece of coarse sand. Usually you’ll see 4 leafs forming a small, center open plant and likely 3-4 long roots searching the soil.

From what I have read online, growth rate is about 5mm a year but I have seen about half an inch so far in the first year.

Jefferson in Cali (talk) 04:50, 25 November 2018 (UTC)