Growth rate, care and cultivation of Astrophytum cactus.

[@AviSLeigh]

I could listen to you all day! I’m impressed! Great collection!

[@andyroo3022]

Your big old Tulense is a beauty. My oldest Astrophytum is a 15 to 20 old Capricorne.

[@sylvainmathieu3887]

Very well done video. I learned very interesting things here, in the video and your comments below. I appreciate that you don't move the camera too much when moving. KZbinrs tend to move very fast and they don't give enough time to appreciate the plants. Greetings from Canada!

[@Cactimania]

Informative video. I recently acquired some Astrophytum asterias and also growing some from seed, so far they have done well.

[@CoffeeNinjaJinxy]

At what point in their growth do you switch from keeping them moist as seedlings to allowing them to dry out like adults? In other words, at approximately what age?

[@JamesEndo1]

Nice video. How long will you have seeds in baggie. I want to gow seeds. Thanks

[@greengardener342]

Wow you have beautiful heathy plants, thanks for sharing :D

[@cactiproject]

Thank you for the info. I just saw your video now... I'm looking for soil mix for astrophytum that I bought today. Its good I found your video because I put alot of pumice and peat moss on them and a little of pumice stones. Tomorrow I will changed the soil mix 😊 greetings from the Philippines 🇵🇭 thanks for the info.

[@ricr.4669]

Sir how do you care for shark fin plant?

[@violinow1673]

Hi, thanks for the information on the medium. I might have to repot my new Astrophytum. How much, how often do you water them please?

[@shanewalsh1439]

Violino W Hi Violino, Greetings from Ireland, I usually water every 2 weeks through out the growing season,the compost/growing medium should dry out between waterings,I start watering mid March and cease in the start of October,as Astrophytums become older plants they have a tendency to rot so be extra careful watering probably once a month.

[@violinow1673]

shane walsh Hi Shane, thanks a lot for the great response and will keep your instructions. Getting into spring here in New Zealand!

[@jims.2572]

Great video. Astrophytum are my favorite. Thanks for the soil info.

[@carpediem.9]

Very interesting thanks. If I saw any cacti seeds I will use the zip bag method. Do you use a special soil mix for the seedlings a richer soil, or the same mineral soil?

[@shanewalsh1439]

Hi Sophie, I use John innes n°1 which is a soil based compost and add perlite to it for drainage but you could any type of seed compost thats available to your area.

[@shanewalsh1439]

Also I sterlise the soil mix in a microwave oven to kill any spores etc.

[@ccaatthheerriinnee]

What are the watering requirements?

[@Olgasgreenland]

Thanks for sharing info about this awesome plants. Very informative.

[@kensclark]

I just started some myriostigma and capricorne seeds from a grower in Greece. I've found that it best to keep the pot in a bag for 5 days at the most. Any longer, and I always get a gray fuzzy mold.

[@additudeobx]

Ken - Mold is a bacteria and that means that whatever components that you are using, bag-planter-medium is not sterile. Do not reuse any components. Try your seeds in fresh vermiculite, a new container and new bag.

[@kensclark]

@@additudeobx Thanks. I agree with you, but mold is not bacteria. It is a fungus.

[@additudeobx]

@@kensclark Yes, you are correct.... I'm not sure what I was thinking at the time. Stay Safe.

[@harrisonp18]

Hello Shane hope you are well not heard anything from you for a while. Just wanted to ask you do you mix the lime stone chips to your mix or just as a top dressing on your Astrophytum plants. Thanks Karl 🌵.

[@shanewalsh1439]

Hi Karl, I add limestone chips to both to the compost mix and also as a top dressing to to the Astrophytum cacti. Kind regards, Shane.

[@user-gh8wt2zi2n]

Where can I get fresh viable seeds?

[@PlantingMemories]

Very informative! Thank you!

[@yokechenloo]

Thanks for sharing. One question is if younger plants can take full sun? I have 2 which is the same size as your 1yr olds.

[@carolinemuller7787]

Hi Shane, really good and informative video particularly as other have mentioned the soil mix. It would be great to know the proportions that you use of clay/ limestone etc. and where you source these materials. I also live in Ireland and find sourcing certain materials like pumice a challenge. Kind regards, Caroline

[@shanewalsh1439]

Hi Caroline, I use my own garden soil as part of my compost mix which is a neutral clay type soil, you could also use a garden loam type soil, pumice can only be purchased in ikea in Dublin, Limestone chipping are sourced in various quarries and are used for roadworks and drives etc, you can source dolomite limestone chips in good garden centres, I will do a few videos on my different cacti soil mixs in the next couple of weeks.

[@carolinemuller7787]

Hi Shane that's great thanks so much for the info and would be great to see videos on soil mixes. Much appreciated - Caroline

[@jims.2572]

Shane, I just found limestone chips. They are about 1/2 inch. Do I need to break them down to the size of the pumice and clay pellets? Or leave the limestone the size larger. Thanks for you videos. Jim in Florida.

[@patricialisowski1080]

Really informative video Shane... I really don’t know how to manage astrophytum, but have only killed one so far. Glad I saw this.

[@rickallen1749]

If you added 30% organic compost you may find your plants grow much quicker and the roots will stay hydrated enough to work properly.

[@shanewalsh1439]

I live in thr Republic of Ireland which our climate is wet and humid for most if the year, Astrophytum won't tolerate high organic content in the compost and they will rot.

[@rickallen1749]

@@shanewalsh1439 I live in the uk and have been growing astros for over 30 years, as long as your watering regime is correct you could grow them in garden soil and they won’t rot

[@alhashimi786]

Hi Shane, Simple and informative video especially in regards to the soil mix. Thanks. In addition, please make a video about Aloe Vera care and propagation.

[@Malwur]

so when can I open the bag with the seeds?

[@shanewalsh1439]

Malwur if you open you must keep seedlings watered over winter, mould was attacking my seedlings so I took all mine out of the bags.

[@harrisonp18]

Thank you for letting me no Shane. Have a great Christmas. And all the best for the new year 🌵.

[@Doriamo]

How long do you recommend keeping the seedlings in the bag and bow often do you water them?

[@shanewalsh1439]

Doriamo Hi greetings from Ireland, if you can leave seedlings in bag over the winter, if not you will have to water, I took mine out as they were getting fungal mould on some of them.

[@Doriamo]

@@shanewalsh1439 Greetings from the USA! Thank you for your response! I haven't experienced mold yet but I did have fungus gnat larvae attack some of my cactus seedlings.

[@alhashimi786]

Hi Shane - how often do you feed the Astrophytums as you're using a virtually 100% inorganic gritty substrate/mix?

[@shanewalsh1439]

Hi Al hashimi, I usually feed my cacti twice a season, at the start of May and again in July with a 1/2 strenght liquid feed such as Phostrogen.

[@andersnrregren9087]

Wooden or bamboo sticks in soil by roots is a no go here as the stick mold or rot eazy

[@kathymacomber5115]

Please show how you repot

[@d.j.ejardinagens2867]

Muito lindos seus astrothytum....

[@Andos99]

How often do you water?

[@shanewalsh1439]

Andos99 depends on weather conditions really,every 2 weeks usually, soil should dry out between waterings.

[@pablooniascarrascomendoza6476]

Ermoso

[@anetaes3015]

Beautiful ❤️

[@porkchopginger7107]

let me share this to my page"Too Much Joy and Happiness" thanks sir

[@kerriefearby9542]

Is that big fella the one you ended up having to cut because of rot? Hi from Australia 🦘🦘🦘 I just subscribed

[@SolidGoldShows]

How often do you water?

[@shanewalsh1439]

For Astrophytoms every 2/3 weeks in the growing season depends on the weather conditions really, if its overcast I'll wait for sunnier conditions before I will water.

[@SolidGoldShows]

@@shanewalsh1439 Thanks for the reply. I am planning to collect some astrophytum as part of my collection