Growing Cactus and Succulents from Seed

The society maintains a seed list (PDF file - 62K) with seeds donated from members, plus others imported from overseas seed retailers.

Seeds are $1 to $2 per packet for members of the society, and $1 more per packet for non-members.

To order follow the instructions at the top of the list after downloading the PDF file above.

Raising plants from seed

Seed-raising is the best way to get a large number of plants cheaply, but it does require patience and some species are definitely easier than others!
You can get seeds from your own pollinated plants (in which case they may be hybrids unless you are careful) , cactus seed merchants or even Yates or Watkins mixed cactus seed mix from garden centres. The NZ society also has a seed list available to their members at reduced rates, and to the general public.

In most species the following will give the best results:

• Use a normal mix, with perhaps a little more grit in the top layer. Stand in water and left the water soak the soil thoroughly and then drain. It can be sterilised in the microwave at this stage, allowing to cool.
• Sprinkle the seeds evenly on the top, if the seed is fine just leave as is, bigger seeds can be covered with an equal depth of mix or better still a layer of grit (not sand as it can cake or cement). A fine mist spray can be used to wash the seeds into contact with the soil mix.
• Put the whole pot into a zip-lock bag or a bag with a twist-top tie and leave for 6 months, keeping an eye on the moisturise level.
• the temperature range should swing between 5 and 15 degrees Celsius - either naturally or by artificial means. This means that somewhere in the range the optimum temperature for germination will be met, mimicking nature.
• Keep an eye out for damping off, a fungal disease, if this occurs let in more air and let out some of moisture and spray with a fungicide. As the seedlings grow some extra grit can be sprinkled on the surface to support the young seedlings and keep moss/algae away.
• After 6 months or so remove from the bag, and allow more ventilation but don't let the seedlings dry out. When big enough or depending how thickly sowed, they can be pricked out into seedling trays and then eventually (depending on growth rate) individual pots.
• as a rule young seedlings/plants like company, so they grow best in trays with others, rather than quickly being potted up into individual pots. Often seedlings will grow continuously for 12 to 18 months (no winter rest) and suffer no setback and will be bigger than those where the mix has allowed to dry.
• some species of seeds need special treatment e.g. freezing, striation (nicking or filing) to achieve best germination results.