How To Grow Argyroderma From Seeds

1. This kind of succulent belongs to the Mesemb family. They grow surrounded by pebbles and enjoy being exposed to direct sunlight, which is the precondition for good development and blossoming. This is a kind which goes through the most intense vegetation period in autumn.
2. The substrate mixture for planting this plant needs to be poor and consist of one-part peat, the clay kind, one-part sand and other minerals with granulation up to 0.8 inches (2 mm). It’s important to keep the substrate as puffy as possible.
3. In order to avoid fungi, it’s necessary to sterilize the prepared substrate. The easiest and the cheapest way to do this is to put the substrate in the oven on 360°F (180°C) for 45 minutes or in a microwave oven, for at least 3 minutes. Leave the substrate to cool down afterwards.
4. Wash the containers with hot water or wipe them with alcohol. Make sure that they have holes at the bottom.
5. When everything’s prepared, fill the containers and leave at least 0.4 inches (1cm) at the top. By doing this, you’ll leave enough space for seedlings to grow.
6. It’s necessary to moisturize the substrate and it’s best done by submerging the container into the fungicide solution. You can use any fungicide, just follow the instructions on the back of the bag. This step will prevent mold emergence.
7. Sprinkle the seeds on the surface and evenly spread them so that there’s enough space in-between them in the container.
8. Keeping the soil moist is extremely important for germination. You can achieve it by covering the container with a transparent piece of glass, foil, bag or something of the kind.
9. Put the container on a warm place, at the temperature of around 77°F (25°C). The temperature can be lower during the night. Under no circumstances should you expose it to direct sunlight.
10. The seed will enter the germination process in 5 days, but the whole process will last for about 2 more months.
11. You should ventilate the container a month after you planted the seeds, and do it every day. After a month of ventilation, you can completely uncover the plant.
12. Be careful when it comes to the fact of how moist the substrate is and what’s the air like around the seedlings. It’s for the best to spray the plant at least once a day.
13. You don’t have to repot it for another year, and even longer, unless you see that there’s not enough space between the seedlings.
14. When a whole year passes by, the most of the seedlings will start undressing and they can easily get accustomed to the direct sunlight exposure.

Argyroderma Care

Place: Shallow, wide containers with pebbles are the absolute best option for this plant. It can withstand being exposed to direct sunlight, but you should protect it from the strongest light during the day. It’s possible to grow them in gardens in some specific areas.

Substrate: This plant likes a puffy, poor substrate which consists of clay peat, sand and gravel (with a smaller granulation), perlite and other mineral parts in equal amounts.

Watering: Water this plan regularly while the day is shorter, because their vegetation period is the most intense during that time, so do it during autumn and spring. Be careful and don’t leave the soil moist for a long period of time. During the hottest part of the year, you should stop watering the plant. During this period, you can water it just a tiny bit or spray it for a couple of times.

Topdressing: You should top-dress the plant once or twice a week tops, and choose a period of intense growth to do that, so do it during either spring or late autumn. Use a balanced fertilizer.

Wintering: The inactive period for the plant starts in November and it ends in March. During this period, the plant needs plenty of light and a temperature of about 50°F degrees (10°C). Don’t water the plant during that period of time, because the undressing process ensues.

Repotting: You don’t need to repot the plant often. The more of them in one container, the better they’ll grow. They like to blend in with the environment, so the crowd suits them. The best period for repotting is spring.

Blossoming: Most kinds blossom in the period from September to November. You should stop watering the plant after it blossoms until spring. The color of the flower can be white, yellow, pink and sometimes purple.

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