I'm very happy that these seedlings are growing. I've tried to grow Pelecyphora strobiliformis several times before and this is the first year they are actually germinating. These seeds were from Mesa Garden under the number 1173.4. I'm growing them in a plastic pot inside of a zip lock bag on top of a seed growing heating pad.

Here are some seedlings of Aztekium ritteri growing from seeds
purchased from Mesa Garden under the number 72.4. I've tried growing
these many times before and this is the first time I've actually had
them germinate. I have them in a plastic pot kept inside of a zip lock
bag on a heating pad under lights. The bag is slightly open now that
they have germinated, but the starter medium is still being kept very
wet.

While the seeds and seedlings are in the plastic bags to germinate
insects can't get to them because I keep the bags closed. As soon as
the seedlings are out of their bags I'll sprinkle cedar wood chips
around the seedlings. Cedar wood chips will helprepel soil flies so
they won't lay eggs on the new seedlings and they will need to be
protected from soil flies for the next few years. I usually sprinkle
fresh cedar wood chips on the seedlings about once a month.

Here are some Pediocactus seedlings and I'm happy that they are growing
well. I'll water them about twice a week for several months before
letting them dry out for longer periods of time. Often more seeds will
continue to germinate for as long as 6 months after these have started.
These were started from Mesa Garden seeds under number 1159.58 and
namedsimpsonii v indraianus.

I put the seeds into small plastic pots and put the pots into plastic
bags with the soil very saturated with water. Then I place these bagged
pots on seed heating pads, and under a fluorescent plant grow light. Usually
they take a few weeks to begin to germinate, and these seeds were
purchased from Mesa Garden. The seeds will often grow roots on top of
the soil like they are doing in this photo and will have to be stuck
down into the growing medium.

Pediocactus seeds which are too small to chip the shells on I place
into the flesh of a grapefruit. These seeds are pushed into the fruit
and left there for about 48 hours, and then planted. This will increase
the germination rate by about 5 to 20 percent over just planting the
small seeds untreated. The increased germination rate will not work in
lemons or limes, but those are the only other fruits I've tested this
way. Grapefruits seem to be the best (this won't help Sclerocactus germination rates) for increasing Pediocactus germination rates without chipping the shells.

Pediocactus seeds are difficult to start for several reasons because of
their thick shells and that they mold easily. I'm using my own all rock
starter mix which is very mold resistant, but usually very few seeds
will germinate unless the shells are compromised.

I'm flicking or chipping the seeds on the germ end of the seeds - inside of the curved half moon like shape. The upper
right seed is a whole undamaged seed. The second one down with the
blade pointing at it is already broken. This seed is unlikely to grow
because it is already damaged and has likely dried out or been eaten by
insects. The blade is pointing to the part of the seed that I try to
chip out on the inside curve. The 3rd seed down, going right to left is
chipped and ready to plant. The blade is a print making knife and I
hold the seeds with my fingers and chip at them as though I were
flicking a flint stone. The bottom seed is broken open even more than
the 3rd one down and if a person wants to put the time into this it's
possible to completely remove the seed shells.

The chipped seeds will be much more likely to germinate than planting them as they come from the plants.