If you can't find sulphur powder, would you consider trying Cinnamon? Also also an anti-fungal (am betting cheaper too).

Ahhhh! It's funny you should mention cinnamon powder! :)

I actually tried using this a month back when trying to germinate some seeds. I did all the necessary preparations for the media, and mixed some cinnamon in and sprinkled a little over the surface. In two days, half of the surface was covered in thick, white mold. I haven't had any luck with sowing seeds. It was my first attempt, so I had to have botched something up! :)

Oh well, I think it's probably best to just get couple-years-old seedlings. But thank you for your suggestion! I had no idea until recently cinnamon had those properties!

Hi Fero,

Well, sorry about the mold, but the cinnamon BOTH mixed in & sprinkled may have been too much. I don't have lots of experience w/ seeds but have sown both Hoya seeds & lately Thanksgiving Cactus seeds.

I kept things very simple using just perlite & chopped up long sphag, moistened w/ mister of water. I did not use any antifungal & closed them up, using a hinged deli container (like used for a slice of cake). So far my seedlings are going strong (since Dec. '11).

I learned about Cinnamon as antifungal from Orchid growers at GW's Orchid Forum. But used not in the mix, I sprinkle it on the dry, cut end of a succulent before potting up if I think it needs it. Things like that, or maybe a Haworthia that lost its roots. Actually, I keep it in a salt shaker, shake some on the end of the cutting, shake off the excess & proceed from there.

Yup, I use cinnamon on wounds on my orchids,cactus and any other plants. I've used it for over 50 years.

Thank you! I'll try the cinnamon out on my cuttings once they callous over. I wouldn't doubt that I used too much of the cinnamon on the seeds. The immediate area around the container smelled like a bakery!

Thanks!

I always put the cinnamon on the fresh cuts, not after they are calloused over.

I've never had much luck with either cinnammon or sulphur. It seems that the only cuts they ever work on for me are ones that didn't need any intervention anyway.

Polyfilla works very well for me though. It pulls moisture out of exposed plant flesh and forms a solid seal. This seal is especially good for cuttings, as the cap pops off naturally once there are enough root stubs shoving at it.

Good luck!!

Nancy

Thanks!

I thought I'd try my hand at an Opuntia ficus-indica.
I'm sure I can't screw this up! :)

At the risk of being branded a contrarian (or worse), thinking of having O. ficus-indica as a houseplant is a screw up. Your Jade will make it if you remember to allow it to get completely dry before you water it. Jades lose leaves and stems and still grow nice. Opuntias are wicked houseplants. If you do succeed in growing an O. ficus-indica, you'll wish you hadn't. :)

No, that's fine, and you are right, I should have said I wasn't going to keep it as a houseplant for long (those glochids + the plant's size would make it a real hazard!). I plan on keeping it outdoors and inside my garage. I'm going to have to keep it trimmed as healthily as possible, of course! :)