Sowing time for Aloes?

Use this forum to discuss matters relating to Aloe, Gasteria, Haworthia and related species. This is where one posts unknown plant photos for ID help.

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Shmuel
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Sowing time for Aloes?

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Post by Shmuel »

I have seed from A. sinkatana and Lizard Lips (from my plant - I wonder what the offspring will look like.), etc. Living in zone 9b, would now be an OK time to sow? Would you wait for warmer spring (with risk of heat waves) or even fall? Now we have 15C days and 10C nights = 60F days and 50F nights. Probably a little warmer on the covered window ledge where I keep my seeding trays.

By the way, how important is direct sun fo germination, meaning is a low winter sun exposure OK cause buildings block the direct rays now...

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Spination
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Re: Sowing time for Aloes?

#2

Post by Spination »

Mickthecactus gives his sowing time here: Significant for his method is my guess that he's probably relying on natural light, the quality and duration of which affected by the seasons.
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I sow year around due to the use of LED lighting where I augment early and late to increase the photoperiod to 16 hour days - so the seasons become nearly irrelevant. Natural light is indirect - no direct sun. I also use seedling heat mats which are advertised to provide bottom heat @ 70 F. The actual heat affecting the seeds depends on the ambient temperature - a cold winter night (we had 36 F for a low last night), I'm sure the temp near the top of the soil is well under 70 F. If temps rise above 70 during the day, I shut them off.

Your temps don't seem too low @ 60 F day and 50 F night.
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mickthecactus
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Re: Sowing time for Aloes?

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Post by mickthecactus »

Indeed. I set the propagator at about 75f with a little boost from any sun we get which is just getting some strength by then.
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