Agaves from seed

[Gee.S]

That's a LOT! You should keep seedlings together as long as possible. They won't do as well after being separated at such a young age.

[Neli]

Do you think they are too young to transplant? I have some more, then I shall leave them to grow longer. I put all of them today in full sun. Is that too early? I transplanted them 3 weeks ago. So far nothing looks dead but it is too early to say.

[Gee.S]

Neli, all I know is that roots from multiple seedlings kept together retain moisture better, thus promote better growth. I would leave them together until they are literally bursting out of their containers.

[Spination]

I'll confirm that, and Ron's theory is as good as any I can come up with - in other words, it's logical. I'm not sure what it is exactly, but when they are from seed to decent sized seedlings, there seems to be some symbiosis that occurs when packed in a small area that translates into faster and more robust growth, although my experience with this is with aloes.
Here's a shot of Aloe humilis seedlings sown in May of last year. They're at least as large as the seedlings from the year before, which were potted up separately much earlier. With some things, it pays not to be too efficient.
My first seeds a few years ago, I used to space evenly in a calculated geometric pattern in a given sized container. What a waste of time! Now, I sprinkle whatever quantity of seeds I have helter-skelter across the container, trying to have them land more towards the middle than the sides. All I can say, is they grow faster, and better!

2018 01 30 Aloe humilis seedlings.jpg (77.29 KiB) Viewed 4096 times

[Gee.S]

A symbiosis of sorts does occur, provided seedlings are siblings. Otherwise, root growth is competitive. Either way, this translates toward better water retention in small containers too large for individual charges, which is pretty much always the case for small seedlings.

[Stone Jaguar]

I am fully onboard with crowding compots for seedling agaves and also believe that they create their own microenvironment when the leaf bases are below pot edge level. Huge plus with initial crowding is that - assuming more or less simultaneous (+/- a few weeks) germination, one gets to select for vigor and tease out the big ‘uns first and assign pampered care for rarer spp. Just did my first aloes (own hybrid) and using same technique.

[Gee.S]

I am fully onboard with crowding compots for seedling agaves and also believe that they create their own microenvironment when the leaf bases are below pot edge level. Huge plus with initial crowding is that - assuming more or less simultaneous (+/- a few weeks) germination, one gets to select for vigor and tease out the big ‘uns first and assign pampered care for rarer spp. Just did my first aloes (own hybrid) and using same technique.

Absolutely. That is the whole point.

[Neli]

Thank you very much. This big lot of agaves came from two containers only. I thought they will grow better if separated he he he. I shall leave the rest to grow real big before transplanting them.

[Gee.S]

I now have some 29 m/o seedlings in 1-gal containers, and really should have done it a while ago, as some will outgrow the 1-gals soon. Pics forthcoming.

[Gee.S]

Here is the 1-gal gang so far. All are hybrids, all but one A. desmettiana × A. pelona. When younger, I was never too sure they weren't just regular A. desmettiana, but it is now clear. I don't really know but would guess A. desmettiana is tetraploid and A. pelona diploid, because of the pretty hard A. desmettiana lean.

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A. desmettiana × A. pelona

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A. chrysantha × A. murpheyi

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[Neli]

I just got a big packet of seeds for Agave Victoria Regina from a friend in USA. Going to plant them tomorrow. Are they slower than other varieties?

[Gee.S]

My very first seedling to see ground at 30 months.

C'mon rabbits, I dare ya'. Take your best shot.

A. desmettiana × A. pelona

Seedling 003.JPG (178.8 KiB) Viewed 3972 times

[Agave Down Under]

Haha awesome Gee.S
I just hope it's high enough so theres no chance of them reaching over!!
It looks pretty tasty!!

[Gee.S]

It really does look juicy, doesn't it? I just hope I don't step on any of that...

[Spination]

Have to watch out for these guys though...

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[Neli]

Is that barrel cactus? 30 month and so tiny?

[Agave Down Under]

Be careful they dont eat your cacti first and have Agave for dessert!!!
Might be a good idea to put agave back in pot!!

[Gee.S]

Those are cholla balls from Cylindropuntia bigelovii (Teddy bear cholla) -- they won't go near them. Had I not trapped local packrats to near extinction last year, my protection scheme would likely fall apart, though. Packrats LOVE cholla balls, and use them as nesting material.

Here is a golfer that ran into a few...

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[Spination]

I know people go to great lengths to start new fashion trends, but that one looks a little extreme...

[mcvansoest]

Having just had one section stuck in my arm once, I can say that that was no fun at all. The chollas have little barbs at the end of their spines which make you feel like they are actively digging into you. I had to try to knock the section off with a piece of wood and only succeeding in getting stuck in my arm again lower down before eventually getting it off. I was still digging pieces of spine out of my arm 6 months later.

Nasty. Now when I go out in the desert I carry a pair of salad tongs so I have something I can grip the any inadvertent cactus sections stuck to me with. You need a whole other section in your survival kit for cactus related encounters...

[Gee.S]

I get them stuck in my legs occasionally while hiking. If they aren't too bad I can flick them off with a stick, but I also carry a comb in my pack for when they're firmly attached. Fresh bigelovii balls are strong and incredibly adherent, but older ones, though less sticky, can fall apart and leave individual spines behind. It hurts like hell pulling them off, there is no way around that, save general anesthesia. Surprisingly, these are usually bloodless encounters.

[KLC]

Them suckers stick to your skin like Velcro.

[Steph115]

Gee, if that doesn't work I don't know what will. At least you'll know you did everything you could. Spiny how long did it take you to find that picture?

[Gee.S]

Seedlings all potted up for now. Glad that job is done...

Lots of A. zebra, A. 'Celsii Nova', A. utahensis, A. chrysantha, A. deserti, and many more.

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[DesertDweller]

Looks nice! If I ever get a proper shade house setup here (one can dream!) I may borrow this idea. Got too many wee ones and small offsets that take up too much space, this would be way better.