Gethyllis seedlings

Leo A. Martin leo1010@attglobal.net
Fri, 27 Feb 2004 10:14:52 PST
Hellos,

Any suggestions on Gethyllis seedlings? I received some seed last July, 
all sprouting, and managed to keep most alive over the rest of our 
hellish summer. They went dormant in late summer/early fall, about the 
end of September here, when it was still over 95F / 36C most days. They 
had had enough heat for a while, I think.

With the onset of cooler weather in November they began growing again. 
But rather than all sprouting at once, a few will sprout, grow for a few 
weeks, and then die back. A few more then sprout. I don't know if the 
ones that die back are dead or not.

They are in a communal 3.25" / 7.25cm square plastic "rose pot", which 
is a little deeper than a standard pot. The soil is very sandy. I have 
not let them dry out since cool weather began, since they are so small, 
but neither are they standing in water. They have been protected from 
our light frosts, but have reached temperatures into the mid 30s F / low 
single digits C. Daytime temperatures are much like S California. They 
are shaded until about eleven in the morning and receive several hours 
of sun in the afternoon. The Ferraria, Lachenalia, Romulea, and mesemb 
seedlings next to them grow fine, though the mesembs are somewhat 
reddish. I have fertilized about every two weeks with quarter-strength 
balanced water-soluble fertilizer. I water the seedlings with reverse 
osmosis water because our water has so many dissolved salts.

Adult Gethyllis have done well in these conditions for me (with larger 
pots.) Any suggestions? Or, is it normal for these seedlings to leaf out 
only for a few weeks?

Thank you,

Leo
-- 
Leo A. Martin
Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Like cactus and succulents?
Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society
http://www.centralarizonacactus.org/


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