I think I remember complaining that these Lithops bromfieldii v. glaudinae 'Rubroroseus' (C393A) seedlings weren't red enough back when they first hatched. Now they are 3,5 years old. And, yes, this is how small 3 year old lithops are if you don't push them. Just after leaf change that is. They will double in size after a season of growing. Anyway, about the color. I've made a selection of most magenta plants last year and they really are "rubroroseus" and quite impressively so.
The rest of the seedlings bunch from back then is more regular looking, with a couple of magenta kids among them. But they are all individually beautiful of course. Nothing to complain about.
It seems like there's a full spectrum of color for every lithops species sown. My 'Greenhorn' seedlings are all (dark) brown right now, maybe they get greener when they grow up... anyway, this allow us to select the best and most pure colours from lithops, I still stay amazed when I see beautiful CV plants like those ! Cheers !
ReplyDeleteYes, sometimes there are surprises and, in fact, each plant is beautiful. Recently I stopped caring for the cole number and just enjoy each plant individually, name or no name.
DeleteI got the Greenhorn from Mr. Shimada (the creator of the cultivar) directly and they were never actually green, more like khaki: http://lithops-stories.blogspot.de/2012/10/seed-capsule.html
I have only one plant left and now that I've grown it for 5 years it does not show much green at all, it's more khaki-brown. It makes me wonder if the greenish color I got it with back then was more due to the "plant food" and general cultivation in the greenhouse of Mr. Shimada than the plant's natural color...
This is the same plant: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UmDcbYRzqHA/VYG-yUVY4bI/AAAAAAAAEJw/BfRRFyPEHL0/s1600/C015A%2Blesliei%2Bv.%2Bhornii%2B%2527Green%2BHorn%2527_301.jpg
Still "greener" than my regular C15 but it's definitely not the green of the Albinicas.
I tend to forget C numbers too, but it's hard for me lol.
DeleteVery interesting, I also grow carnivorous plants and some CV are like that, stunning red or whatever in smb's greenhouse and usual regular plant when other people grow it. It seems more true with Lithops genera...
Anyway, as you said, each plant is beautiful, no matter what we expect it to be.
About the soil, I thought about repotting my plants and I wanted your opinion about something. Do you think pumice would be the same as volcanick stone for Lithops ? In french these are 2 different names and google said so too, but I guess their properties are kinda close to each other. What do you think ?
Haha yes I have quite some nameless seedlings just because I forgot to label the pots properly XD
DeleteAbsolutely. The conditions and care influence the appearance of the plants gravely! You wouldn't even believe it. No wonder some people think they are growing a cultivar while in fact it is a regular plant grown under certain conditions. Lots of sun can make any lithops appear red. If it's fertilized too much and bloated it will appear green even though the natural color is brown. The same plant will completely change its color when moved to a different location with different care. And even within a yearly life cycle the color will change. All this must be considered when observing a "cultivar" :)
Do you have a picture of the vulcanic soil? If it's what I think it is it might be different so I'll need to see a picture.
What I think of is washed from sand and whatever stuff there is in pumice,leaving only washed out dark stones with holes. It might not be enough for the plants. I used the kind of stones for upper layer because it looks pretty but it turned out bugs like to hide within the holes so i stopped.
http://www.leschroniquesdesonia.com/media/02/01/162275154.jpg
DeleteYou can type in google "pierre volcanique". I don't know exactly what I should repot my 'thops in. Id like to do it this year... If not pumice maybe akadama-like soil ? Or maybe just some different size stones, like a part of sand, a part of big stones and a part of gravel ?
Hmm I guess you'll have to try different soils and soil mixes. Is there no pumice to get in your country? Local Ebay sellers might have it. I tried Akadama and Kanuma but didn't like it. It has nothing for a plant to feed on and gets slimy and strangly soft after a while. Something that gets slimy and soft can not provide good oxigen flow to the roots. I also tried the vulcanic stones you have on the picture. Bugs hide in the holes and the stones have very sharp edges. A lithops expands a lot during a year, almost doubling its size. The sharp stones on the picture leave ugly pressure marks on the plants' bodies and might even pierce them. Or at least that was my worry. A mix of different kinds of stones plus sand seems a good start. Don't transplant all you plants in it though. Try it with a couple of them first.
DeleteThank you for your advices, I will check what I can find right here :)
DeleteWish you lots of sun !
Hi Andrei! Thank you for visiting :)
ReplyDeleteI use the same pumice for everything, adult plants and sowing. It's 0-4mm, I guess. Lately I bought 0-4mm from a different seller and the bigger stones were too big though. You might want to sieve it. The technic is 1) take 5x5cm pot, 2) place piece of paper towel at the bottom, 3) fill with pumice, 4) water a bit from above - this way the seeds will stick on top stones, 5) drop the seeds, 6) water a little from above - maybe out of a table spoon, 7) cover up with something see-through.
Good luck and have fun with your new seedlings! ;)
Good luck! :)
ReplyDeleteI don't use any fertilizer.
I normally keep the lid on until first true leaves or the plants are of a bigger variety and look like they can take dry soil from time to time and direct sun. If the lid is on you don't have to water or mist all the time. Once a week maybe. However the lid should be opened for some time once a day, in the evenings or at night for example. For fresh air.
ReplyDeleteYou can basically judge what to do by simply looking at your seedlings.