Update on my first Ping cross: P. hirtiflora x megaspilaea

I'm pleased to say that my first Pinguicula cross appears to be quite successful! I sowed the seeds not long after harvest, and they germinated in the usual Pinguicula seed time frame (about 11 to 20 days).

I sowed the seeds on a mix of aggregates, peat, vermiculite, and some clay pellets. In retrospect, this may have not been the best choice, because for whatever reason the clay seemed to cause the vermiculite to not wet very well (may also have been due to the vermiculite absorbing humic acid). This meant that the mix would always float at the surface and not pack very well. The seedlings in one of the pots did not root well because of this, and I lost some plants.

You might notice a depression in one of the pots. This was caused by my cat stepping onto the pot to get to the water tray in the back of my grow area (this also lead to the decision to not let my cats in my plant room). It actually may have been a blessing in disguise, however, as the media was not much more compact than the media in the other pot, where seedlings had died because of the loose, floating media. The plants that were stepped on also appear to be much healthier now than those in the other pot. I guess accidents that might appear harmful may actually help you out in the long run.

Here's some pics:




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