i have planted 20 peyote seeds over four weeks ago and there has still been no signs of germination. i planted my seeds in cacti soil mix, watered and placed in a container and placed on my roof with plenty of sun light. i heard that the difference in high to low temperature helps encourage germination but still nothing has worked and now the soil itself has started to turn green in places. any ideas to help save my seeds

You might look into a humidity dome or something like that. I'm not familiar with starting peyote seeds, but these are helpful for starting most seeds.

Also I might think you would want more warmth than light. Like a heat mat or on top of a hot water heater, probably not direct sun. Again, not familiar with this cactus seed, just sharing what I know about general seed starting.

warmth + humidity for the first 3 months., methinsk.

I have grown quite a few williamsii seeds from a mother plants that produces about 50 seeds per year, it's pretty hard to get them to germinate. Of those that do, even fewer make it past year 1. They are very difficult to get to maturity, (unless you live in a climatically perfect area for them, which England is not)

I have found the best way to get them into little pups is place them into a pot you are happy for them to stay in for a couple of years. I would not recommend transplanting them once they are pups, as almost every time I have done this they have died, no matter how careful I am. They are VERY sensitive to change.

Once you have spaced them out, cover them with about 5mm of well draining specialist cacti soil. Make sure it is not nutrient rich, they grow very very slowly, and don't need high nutrient soil or feeding for a couple of years at least.

Water the soil well, but don't soak it. Cover the pot in cling film (saran wrap) and leave it somewhere warm, with some sunlight, but not direct all day. They should come up in a week or so. Once you have a few little heads showing, cut into the cling film to allow some ventilation. Gradually increase the amount of ventilation until they are acclimatised, this could take some weeks, and is a black art to keep them happy!

Regards your situation, I'm afraid to say if they havent come up by now they probably will not at all, but you can try covering them and see if anything goes. Make sure you plant them at the right time of year for where you live as well.

Much easier than growing from seed is buying a few 5 year old cacti, and cutting the buttons off. Let them dry and place on soil to re root. The roots you cut will spring some more healthy pups, so you can double your stock every 3-5 years. They are also much more hardy when they are this old, so you don't lose as many!

nice post
no sunlight, i used floro shop lights 4-8" above the clear covered plastic pots

also 1664's advice is great too

thanks guy for the advice. i will be sure to wrap them up and hope for the best. its coming into summer here so maybe it will like the weather better. what is a good way to stop mold from growing with out hurting the seeds them self. i have two option of buying cactus as 3cm or 6cm grown would i be better buying 3x 3cm or 1x 6cm pup as a mother plant.

Is it really mold, or is it just like algae/moss green type stuff?

As per post by nicechrisman, it is probably moss, not mould, as mould will normally only grow on dead organic matter, such as food. It's more likely to be moss, (presuming you have used a good quality sterilised cacti compost), and shouldn't be too much to worry about. You need to keep the humidity high for germination. Moss is probably growing because it has been 4 weeks and you have been watering them a lot whilst exposed to the air.

I bought my first peyote about 12 years ago, I can't remember how big it was when I bought it. It's now about 10cm at the widest part, has a 4cm second head, and a root system that extends down about 20cm last time it was re potted. It flowers several times a year, and gives me more seeds than I know what to do with. (They are so hard to grow I don't always try every year!)

Anyway, the point of the above is that it can be very rewarding growing Peyote. It is one of the few possessions I have that I will keep forever, and once it is happy and mature will keep giving you more cacti each year (if you're patient enough), so my vote would be to get a 6cm mother plant. Or if you have the funds, why not buy all 4!

forgot to add - you could minimise the moss by putting a thin layer of fine gravel, or perlite on top of the seed / compost mix. The peyote should push through this no problem when it germinates, so long as it is a thin layer.

Place on soil mix, not in, moisten gently but don't get too wet. Keep out of heat and sun at first, only getting warmer and brighter after germination and establishment, and then only introducing sun slowly, never all at once. Germination should be close to 100%.
When they are young or have not germinated yet keep the mix moist but not soaking wet, nor too dry, containers or daily attention work well. Lights such as shop lights are very choice, as are HID lights.
It should be very easy
and simple

thanks guys. they are now inside right on the window so i can keep a better eye on them and give them more care and maintain water moisture a little better and keep the temperature a little higher.

1664 its amazing that you have had your for 12 years. people think its weird to like a plant but i feel the same about my psychotria cause i spent so much time caring for it. it will be sure to go with me where ever i live. would it be a good idea to try and re root a 3cm cactus or would this be too small to try this technique.

Yeah, I'll never eat the big one I have, it's kinda like a pet now! It's kind of a shame that they are such slow growing cacti, as it means you rarely get to trip from your stock, unless you are very dedicated to it. They are more ornamental and a trip every few years!

If it's 3cm it should be plenty hardy by now, I have just found if they are moved before they have a good root system, they will invariably die. I'm not saying it can't be done, it just hasn't worked for me!

Albert - do you give yours any special treatment after the first few weeks / months?