In 1982, I started collecting cactus and a few succulent plants. By 1986, I was growing plants from seed. Most lived, but some died (mostly variegated and odd). Most beginning grafters use Myrtillo base and large pieces of scion, which makes the growth bundles easily matched. That’s good, but when you can graft a 2 week old seedling to a 6 week old base, you’re opening a whole new world of grafting. I did, and still do plant 1000 of one kind of seed just to find one that’s different. In 1994, my obsession became pachypodiums, crests, and monstrous plants. After a few thousand grafted crests, etc. I needed something new, so I started hybridizing. My first success was a brevicaule mother and a densiflorum father (B xD). I now have: BD x saundersii BD x brevicaule B x inopinatum B x rosulatum rosulatum Gracilius x horembense Arid Land x succulentum Arid Land x namaquanum Bispinosum x succulentum Most of these are grafted and doing well. Hybridizing takes lots of time and paper work (keeping records). Most hybrids die, on their own roots, within the first year. Grafted, 99% make it. I use lamerei ( my choice of base ). It loves water, but needs a deep pot for its tap root. It makes it hard to Bonsaii. People laugh when they see my seedling grafts that’s both the stalk and scion, which still have the seed hulls still attached to their leaves.