Maybe I should list the mix here. It is from the packet:

CONTENTS Saguaro, Hedgehog, Fishhook Barrel, Organ Pipe, Dollar Prickly Pear, Desert Prickly Pear, Christmas Cholla, Cane Cholla, Santa Rita Prickly Pear, Cardo'n.

Those common names ... I don't even recognize all of them, but they seem to be relatively large North American species that take a little longer than 150 days before they reach flowering size ...
(Some cacti can flower after 1-2 years, most take longer)

All cacti have cotyledons (seed leaves). A few species have true leaves as well, but most have only spines (which are believed to be modified leaves).

Dave,
Most amateur growers use the "baggy" method, that is, sowing seeds in pots that are in sealed plastic bags. Cactus seedling are surprisingly fragile, and though it seems counter-intuitive, grow best in 100% moisture both at their roots and in the atmosphere.

So anything you can do to duplicate that will help.

The Prickly Pears and Chollas will produce large seedlings and will be ready to be transplanted into individual pots in a few months, whereas some of the others will take six months or longer to get to that stage.

HTH,
-R

Hahaha, some of these are really fast! It has been only 6 days after I started them. I am happy about that. :-)

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land3499, do you mean the seedlings (not the seeds) can still be enclosed? And how long should I keep them that way before I open the cover?

Gradually give them more air, and keep them slightly moist the first year, tranplant when they out grow the container, when they get a set of four leaves, you can give them a light diluted fertilizer, after you water. Make sure they have decent roots before transplating, Optunita need a gritty coarse soil, it grows in horrid soil in our southwest, gets all the rain it wants during the sping months. In the winter cut down on water and give them a dormant period. My weather is different here so I'm telling you from my own experience and another friend who is the expert, and live in Los Vegas. Norma

dave,
Congrats on the germination, that's always exciting!

I forgot to mention that my advice (keeping the seedlings enclosed) only applies if you're NOT growing them in sun, but in controlled conditions under lights. If you're growing them in sun, you'll just end up with cooked cactus seedlings. If that's the case, don't keep them enclosed, but keep the soil constantly moist (from the bottom) and spray them regularly.

I'm not sure about Norma's advice...

-R

Thanks, Norma and R. In fact, watering and humidity were questions in my mind although I hadn't asked them. The confusion was that cacti and succulent don't need that much water, yet seedlings in general require more water. Now I know how I should treat them. Thanks!

R, I am growing them by a window sill without extra light, so I have removed the cover, but I will keep the medium moist.

I have sprouted cactus from seed here in New England at anytime of year. I sprout them under plastic with a good soaking, but not muddy. I have found that keeping them covered definitely helps them. They are still under plastic and they are on their second year. To me, they seem to THRIVE that way, as young cacti need more moisture tan adults. I once had the very same packet as you. Don't know what happened to those original plants, but I buy seed from Mesa Garden to ensure the correct species and my Pachycereus pringlei (Cardon) are doing fantastic. They look like cardons. They look like billy bats with thorns. My lophophoras (only one left) is under plastic too and looks good. I will keep them under wraps for quite come time. I may put a full grown echinocactus grusonii under plastic, too when I get back to China, as it looks shriveled up there.

Sage

Thanks, Sage. Did you grow them under artificial lightI or sunlight?

I check my package on each species listed, and it looks like they are not what I like, so I bought 3 packs of "Cactus Ornamental Blend" from Park Seed and will start them soon.

So far the seedlings above are doing fine. They are kind of slow but I believe that is more or less expected.

All of my seeds are grown under natural light. I tend to start them in mid January. They'll take from 5 to 21 days to sprout, then they get the benefit of the lengthening day. Gradually getting a little bit more sun.