Advice needed on germinating cacti seed?

[aerogrower]

I was recently gifted some Gypsicola x Kohres seeds as part of the NASC auction! I am really excited to try these and just want to hear everyones take on germinating these? I know nothing about germinating cacti and would like your help. Thanks in advance and wish me luck.

 

[SubRosa]

Ray, take every precaution you can against damping off. Sterilize the media, and consider a product like Innocucor or Great White. Also if you can set them up under strong natural sunlight the UV can only help in preventing the growth of the fungi that cause damping off.

 

[aerogrower]

Great that gives me a start. I can get a soil near me with the same or close to the same beneficials as the Great White and the innocuor. I have a few ideas already and in a few weeks or so I should be able to get them into the green house. That should help as far as UV. Thanks.

 

[SubRosa]

Another trick is to water with hydrogen peroxide. I had no issues with using standard 3% on my Dactylopsis seedlings.

 

[Knuckles]

Peroxide huh? That's a great tip. I recently lost a few out of a batch extremely rare cacti seeds that were 6+ years old due to fungal growth.

 

[chch]

Just my observation based on experience: alkaline tap water isn't as good for cacti seedlings/seeds compared to rain water-- assuming the rain water isn't full of pollutants. However, rain water isn't sterile.

 

[DragonsEye]

With regard to damping off .... While I haven't tried it, I have heard that watering with chamomile tea can be useful as it has antifungal properties.