A New Seedling Generation of Lithops
I grew my first lithops from seed a number of years ago. Each year I would sow a few more seeds, and sell or give away a few of the older plants, trying to maintain a sensible sized collection of between 70 and 100 plants. There was no greenhouse involved, and winter brought below freezing outdoor temperatures. That meant that although all my lithops could be outside from May through October, once the first frost threatened, they all had to come back inside to their windowsill winter home. In any house, there is only so much available windowsill space. For me, that meant room for about 100 lithops. Any more than that had to go to the basement and under fluorescent lights.One year, I believe it was 2005, I just stopped growing lithops from seed. I was always over the 100 limit. The end of growing lithops from seed also coincided, or maybe caused, a general waning in interest in my older plants. I had a brief revival in 2010, when I collected a seed capsule from one of my nicer Lithops fulviceps plants and grew about a dozen seedlings. But the thrill of growing from seed wasn't there anymore. Actually, lithops don't require a lot of care, but when all you do is maintain what you have, you really aren't enjoying your plants.
This year is proving to be different. I met someone, who also grew lithops, and their enthusiasm and excitement in growing their plants once again aroused my love of these strange little plants. It also encouraged me to again grow lithops from seed. This time I didn't have to buy seeds, my older plants always produce seed and I collected and few fruits (capsules) and sowed a mixture (which is often not a very good idea) of species.
That new sowing of lithops seed was three months ago and the resulting seedlings are shown below. I had forgotten how much I missed watching the seeds sprout and the seedlings grow. I've had a lot of fun the last three months with lithops again, and although I will still have to deal with too many plants this coming fall, maybe I can find someone to give plants to and create a new lithops enthusiast. :)
They are really nice and fat. Just like we like them! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure a part of them will find a good new home in time. I know the room problem very well... but also the fun of growing them from seed!! You just can't resist. I still wait to see my first own seedlings bloom but this year first of them have grown two heads. It's something. :)
Hi Rika, I'm really enjoying my lithops babies. And yes, they are nice and fat, almost as good as yours. Maybe this will be the year for first flowers from your seedlings. If so, we will celebrate the event. First flowering is always great, a sign that the plants are happy and healthy. Hope your new job goes well and that you are settling in to your new routine. Remember, positive thinking. :) Tomorrow I'm off to the first day of our C&S Society Annual Show. I'll post some pics from the show next week.
DeleteThey're so cute at this stage! Yours are so much more plump than mine ever were... I am just terrible with seedlings!
ReplyDeleteThanks ellie T. I've always been good with seedlings, 80 percent of all my succulent plants have been grown from seed. My problem is usually my first seedling transplanting but with this batch of seedlings I'm going to try planting them dry to dry, Rika told me that's been her method and I am going to see if it will work for me. I really like your wild and colorful new blog banner. Just great.
DeleteThey're looking great Bob. All happy little faces. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Ngeun. I haven't grown lithops from seed for a long time, and I'd forgotten how exciting and fun it is to watch the seeds germinate and the seedlings slowly grow and mature. I currently have approximately 90 lithops, most more than 8 years old and most of which I have grown from seed. I have a mixed collection of cacti and other succulents but lithops have always been a favorite. I hope your winter has been a good one and all your lithops are busy getting ready for spring. Bob
ReplyDeleteI like it! Bob, i want to ask about your method of sowing the seeds.
ReplyDeleteDo you use a packet like method or you place containers with seeds into the small glass seedbed under the power lamps?
Thanks you Aleksey. After sowing the seeds, I cover the pot with a clear plastic bag, secured with a rubber band. This is then placed under the fluorescent lights. I leave the plastic bag over the pot until a large number of seeds have germinated, usually about 4 weeks. I then remove to plastic, but keep the pot of seedlings under the lights. They stay under the lights for about one year and then I will put them outside in the sun with some shade. Most of the lithops in my collection have been grown from seed. All of the seed sown in the pot shown in this post was collected from my own plants. Mostly types of L. lesliei.
DeleteBob, thank you very much for the explanation! I will try this method :)
Deleteahoj
DeleteThey look lovely! How wonderful that you were able to collect the seed from plants that you grew from seed years ago. I'm getting a lot of pleasure from watching my seedlings grow, but yes, I too will have to deal with space limitations soon. I look forward to following the progress of your seedlings! They are only a month younger than my own.
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