Anybody have experience w/ growing Stapelia from seed?

I'm new to growing from seed & at my local meeting of C&S this week, someone brought in seeds from his Stapelia Scitula (sp?) to share. He originally though the pods were flower buds, but then they burst open & revealed the seeds & fuzzy stuff we all know from Milkweed plants.

I put up 6 seeds last night, enclosed & on top of fridge for bottom heat. Am thinking of trying diferent ways in different locations in my apt.

Any pointers anybody?? TIA

I have seeds, I never planted them... Hum, maybe I need to go looking. That's so funny, I never even thought of them again even after I divided the plant into three and lost two of them.

Thanks for the reminder!

Watch for damping off, and stepliads like to be bottom watered. Heat should be great, lots of light to get them going, but I have been trying all of mine in partial shade this year. Looking good so far! The heat of summer will tell with how many blooms they set.

Good Luck and PLEASE let us know in progress reports.

Cena

Hi Cena,

Thx for the encouragement, as I said am Newbie to seed-growing, have heard of damping off, but pls. what does that look like (or just a general failure of the seeds to thrive)? (will check home reference books in meantime)

I think bottom heat from my fridge may be wishful thinking, it's not even warm to the touch. Would it be bad for the seeds if I put them near west window to catch that light & some of that warmth (supposed to be quite hot & humid here in NYC this week)? Thx, why don't you pot up some of your seeds & we can compare notes (that's what my local society is planning, abt 4 or 5 of us took seeds, thinking to do just that).

Um, I'm a huge pack rat, and I have this bedroom sized room, um, that I put stuff into for later... it's called my craft room, um, and if I find them while they are still viable seeds I think I am ahead of the game!

Damping off really looks like nothing! The seedlings are growing great gangbusters, then you come in a day later and they are all laying on their sides with shriveling at their soil-line obviously dying! It is the most frustrating, depressing thing. Mainly, because no one can point and say "that's what did it!" Some folks suggest watering with chamomile tea will inhibit the bacteria that is thought to cause this annoying thing. Some folks use sterile medium to do all their seeding in.

I am focused on other 'higher priority' issues right now, so if I started some seeds and the little buggers lived it would actually be a miracle! I have to get square with the HOA and find out when they will do an inspection of my balcony. Hopefully I will have all the plants, or a goodly majority at MIL's so they cannot site my 'garden' as the culprit with the deterioration of my balcony. Considering we have lived here 16 years, and life goes on, even with dead wood...

Anyhow, I am eager to hear about your progress, and what you do. Depends on how hot is hot? If I started mine they would be outside with reflective light in 80* to 90* weather, but with fresh breezes blowing. So really, I am no help at all!!!

Cena

Hey Cena,

My Stapeliad seeds are sprouting! I only planted 6 seeds abt 2 weeks ago (am hoping to try several sets in different conditions to see what works best as I'm new to seeds). Got 2 tiny (1/4 inch) sproutlets, after I misted & enclosed the container & placed it on kitchen table which gets goods light most of the day.

If you ever find your Huernia seeds, wanna swap? (Tho' right now I'm innundated w/ 41 plants I brought back from San Diego (wasn't the show, just meeting Jeff Harris for the first time, seeing his collection & meeting some of his fabulous friends/fellow growers w/ equally excellent collections & equal generosity.)

Pirate Karen