In this second of three articles showcasing the writings of the late Joseph Lomahaftewa, known also as Cancerian, we've assembled various posts he made concerning the propagation and grafting of entheogenic cacti.

Joseph does a wonderful job of conveying the knowledge accumulated from over a decade of experience growing and caring for both cristate- and regular-growth Lophophoras and Trichocerii. After his unfortunate death last year, his plants were passed down to his family and to other members of the Native American Church. His knowledge, this article aims to pass down to you.

Cancerian offers some general propagation advice:

Peyote grows from either seed or clonal offshoots, often called pups, which often re-grow from the roots of harvested plants. Older, uncut specimens also produce pups from their base.

Seed grown peyote is a precious and small crop for the first several years. In natural conditions, plants may take 4 or more years to reach dime-size. Under optimal conditions however, growth is considerably faster. The earliest one may expect harvestable-sized plants (3 inches or so in diameter) from seed is about five years, much like the length of time involved in planting and eating fruit.

Peyote seeds should be gently and evenly tamped into a fine, washed sand and soil combination, preferably with a slightly alkaline pH. (7.5 to 8, add lime if needed.) A small board works well for pressing seeds into soil so that the tops are even with soil surface. Keep moist and in indirect natural light.(or under grow lights) At 80 deg F., seeds should sprout well within two weeks.

An excellent sprouting chamber can be made using a small, plastic tofu-type container. Place soil mix inside and after planting and misting cover with a Ziploc veggie bag. These are fairly new items which have micro-pores for breathability. Your seedlings will thrive from the combination of high humidity and air exchange with this simple setup. Seedlings should be allowed to nearly dry out before being gently sprayed with more water.

A few weeks after sprouting, consider giving them a feeding. My preferred fertilizer for peyote seedlings is a regular spraying of dilute (50% of recommended strength) liquid seaweed, available from a number of sources. If using another type, try to keep the nitrogen (N) level low and the phosphorous (P) level high. A 5-10-5 type formula is a good example. Remember to dilute the solution considerably (25% of normal strength) as these little guys don't need a whole lot of anything but time.

Too much sunlight, fertilizer, water, or cold are the main things to avoid in your seedling project, aside from impatience of course. By the end of the first year, seedlings should be large enough to transfer individually to a more permanent location. This can be in separate containers or in a nicely spaced, group garden.

...and continues on the subject of lighting...

Oh, on the subject of lighting...
Peyote grows VERY well under lights that promote vegetative growth, such as mercury-halide. Any light good enough for bud should be just fine for growing peyote, however. If you live someplace where the summertime temperatures run between 80-100 degrees F. you can put your cacti outside. Make sure to acclimate them to full sun as they can sunburn easily! Cacti react just like you and I do when placed in the sun... they need to "tan" in order not to burn. Seedlings are especially sensitive to burning and should ALWAYS be covered with a shade cloth when placed out of doors.