Astrophytum Update !!

All photographs taken today the 12th of October 2011, first are some grafted plants and later are plants which I de-grafted and rooted at the end of last summer.

Grafts:

De-grafts, now growing on their own roots:

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A few grafted plants from last season

Aztekium Ritteri

Ariocarpus Retusus

Myriostigma Seedlings

Picture of some Myriostigma Cultivars. Plenty of nice colour in there. 

Spring !! and winter damage

Spring time again here in Australia

The weather here in Sydney is just warning up nicely, day time temps are getting as high as 32Degrees Celsius. I had some bad luck over winter where a family or mice (Rodents) got into my greenhouse and seriously damaged my collection. Lost nearly all of my Asterias own roots plants and only have a couple of grafted plants left.

Here is a quick photo of the damage :(

Astrophytum Caput-medusae

An update on Astrophytum

Some Grafted Astrophytum

Here is a picture of some of my grafted Astrophytum. Mostly cultivars of Myriostigma but also some Asterias cultivars mixed in. I have grafted all of these plants over the last two seasons only :)

Enjoy.

Astrophytum Flowers and a new Hybrid

Today I created a cross pollination between the two plants below, Fingers crossed.

Kohyo x Fukuryu = ??

Another promising looking seedling, I hope this one keeps developing. This came from top growers/collectors Carlo and Daniele's seeds :) Thanks guys.

Kohyo Yellow x Fukuryu Rampo

Fukuryu seedlings

Spring is here and the growing season is just beginning here in Australia. The day time temperatures are getting up to 25 degrees and the plants are just starting to break dormancy and grow again.  

First shots of the Fukuryu seedlings grafted in February, all are grafted on Hylocereus and some look very promising for the future.

Enjoy.

     

Myriostigma Cultivars sown 5/7/2010

Much like the photographs of the Asterias seeds, I have done the same thing but with a larger and taller box for Myriostigma CV's. I used a larger box to give the typically bigger Myrio's a bit more room to grow. The asterias/ariocarpus box is coming along nicely with a heap germinating :)

They are both currently on my little heat mat since it is too cold for natural germination.

Pictures of seed sown on 21/6/2010

I still have not taken any pictures of the 500+ Astrophyum seedling sown a few weeks back. They are doing well and most have germinated and are growing well.

I have taken a photo of the new method I have used for the seedlings dated 21/6/2010. My explanation was not very good so I took a photograph. Sown were Astrophytum Asterias cultivars (and x cultivars) and a selection of Ariocarpus. I have labeled each box from top left to bottom right and have given each one a number, the second picture is the key or legend. Sorry about my bad handwriting :)

Click see bigger picture

 Click to see names

More seeds sown 21/06/2010

Today I completed sowing a heap more Astrophytum Asterias cultivars and Ariocarpus variants. I have experimented with  new way of organising the seeds by sowing them in a large plastic container that has 24 individual sections. This allows me to keep track of each variant easily by simply numbering each box, I have taken a photo and will post when I get a chance. I'm not sure how well this will work but fingers crossed.

Grafts as of 19-6-2010

I thought I would post some picture of the grafts I've been doing over the last season or so. The first few are the original Astrophytum seedlings/gratfs at the beginning of this blog.

Unfortunately most of the kohyo grafts have not changed colour, I'm not sure whether this is due to it not being deep enough into winter or the trait not carrying. All the seedlings on their own roots have turned some very nice colours it would appear the graft is hindering the kohyo effect.

Astrophytum Myriostigma Kohyo Orange

Astrophytum Myriostigma Kohyo "Rainbow" x Onzuka Kikko Ball

Astrophytum Myriostigma Kohyo

Astrophytum Myriostigma Onzuka Kikko Ball x (Onzuka Kkko x Caput Medusae)

                                                                  Astro Myrio Onzuka Kikko Ball x (Onzuka Kikko + Fukuryu Hakujo + Kohyo)

                                                                                   

Astrophytum Coahuilense hybrid

Astrophytum Asterias ??

Pediocactus Knowltonii Crest

Astrophytum Myriostigma Onzuka

Trichocereus Peruvianus Monstrosus x SS02 (Crest?)

Ariocarpus Retusus