I used to follow the standard one-fits-all instructions when germinating cacti from seeds. Back then, I was unaware of the difficulties involved with peat-based soil, and later find it hard to follow-up on climate control while at work. The "Chain of events" had too many "weak links", such as forgetting to ventilate the seed tray, or forgetting to cover it afterwards, how fast should I reduce humidity, cats digging in the trays, and any other thing you guess is possible.

As I re-potted cacti, I have found many small cacti just beneath the gravel mulch, and being amazed how easy and effortless that was, this has made me research on the subject. The cacti originate from seeds which fell-off from the mother plant and were left to grow on their own. This year is the first year I have re-potted a large number of cacti which I grew from seed using this technique. Next spring, I'm intending to try it on seeds which I've ordered, consisting of cacti for the time being.

A small description of my climate: I live in a Mediterranean country, close to the sea, so temperatures are relatively stable: Winter temperatures have not gone below 37F (3C) as far as I remember, but hail happens. It is not a concern if you use the gravel mulch for the seedlings. Summer temperatures rarely surpass the 104F (40C), and mostly around 33F (91.4C). Rain falls in the winter, between end of September and early June. Cacti growers sow the seeds around May.

About the technique: I find a 1:1 or 1:2 peat-to-sand as a good mix, and I include high-grade peat, just in case. I lay the seeds on the mix, then put the fine gravel on. The gravel is good for several reasons: Prevents the peat and sand mix from separating while irrigating, holds the seeds in place, protects seeds from birds, preserves moisture, prevents soil overheating and if you chose the right gravel, it may let in some light without full exposure. My gravel looks very much like alabaster, so it is translucent, but not completely transparent. From experience, seeds which fell-off to the ground in the summer have survived the rains in winter. This is fine as long as the seedlings do not germinate before frost begins in your area. In the summer, an occasional watering is just fine.The soil did dry-out between watering but they managed to grow. They grew even faster when I transplanted them, keeping the gravel mulch almost to the top.

So the big question: Before I order more seeds, have you tried something like that on other succulents, like Euphorbias, Pachipodiums, Adeniums, crassulas and all other succulents? Did it work?