6,340 Garden Web Discussions | Growing from Seed
Japanese maple is fairly easy to grow from seeds provided you remember 2 things. One: you must have fresh seed. It does not keep. So if you have seed from the tree you must plant it now, not in the spring. That's right - in the fall. The seed will not germinate until it has passed through several months of very cold weather (stratification) which reflect its natural Japanese climate.Sow in pots in ordinary garden soil and cover with gravel. Don't forget to label them as you have a long wait ahead and might forget about them! One final small observation. If you have one of those fancy cultivars with purple leaves, the seed will not come true ie. not be like the parent, though you make get some interesting variations. Good luck. Ian.
Why bother growing them on cotton? It's unnecessary. Start them in soil...a bag of potting mix put into plastic containers. Then you can pop them out and plant them.
Make sure your little seedlings are in full sun or one inch from indoor lights or they will stretch and get too "leggy".
Florauk is correct, that is morning glory. The HBWR seeds take a bit of time to germinate so its likely going to be late to sprout. Got free sample at thriftyhut going now in styrofoam cup. Slow at first but takes off after that. Within two years it will start covering a fence line.
first two are the little sprout that has stayed itty bitty. Third are the plants that tottally took off and are loving life.
Fourth is another batch of sprouts that stayed small.
There are many more like that. The fifth has stayed the same as well. They grew a little more than the others in the seed starting mix and since the transplant, they haven't grown.
All the plants have gotten the same water and the same fertilizer. The little one though got a a little less fertilizer. I didn't really know what to do so i fertilized it anyway. All the plants are in the same vicinity and receive the same light.
Hi Greenhorn,
Raspberry seeds don't like to be dried and stored. Also, there are a few embryonic "keys" you have to unlock. Lot's of people have different favorite ways of doing this. I would do it this way. Pick ripe fruit and freeze it for 2 months. Thaw and let it overipen to the point of fermentation. Place the fruit in a wire mesh strainer, and separate the seed from the pulp. Place the seeds immediately into a cup of water that is 100F or so and soak for an hour. Place seeds in sterile soil and keep moist, maintaining a soil temp of 75F to 85F until you see signs of sprouting. Then, you can back off to 65F to 75F Here is a scholarly link on it (good luck with trying to scarify a raspberry seed!). You could also soak them in various acid solutions at point of planting. It's all in the article in the link below.
Susan
Here is a link that might be useful: Drying interferes with germ of Rubus species
I've never heard the dry thing before. I'm no pro, but I've grown dozens of raspberry plants from seeds in the past from store bought fruit. You won't get the same thing, often times they're just sweet and no tart.
I usually pick a few berries and leave them somewhere warm for a day or two, then run them with my finger using a fine steel sieve and wash them thoroughly and allow them to dry in folded paper towels. When I'm ready I wet and wring out a paper towel or two, place the dried pods which have been ziplocked for a few months, onto one side then fold over the other side. I stick them in a baggy and put them on the condiment shelf in the fridge for about a month, then plant them. I've gotten about an 85% germination rate doing this. Raspberries are invasive, much like mint, so you'll need to check them out often as they mature. I planted and grew a little over 15 plants when I was 10, I'm 24 now and my folks' house's backyard now has about 60 different berry plants all throughout. They're regularly pruned now though, so they don't take up much space.
You could also do as nature intended, just throw a few berries into a pot or the ground where the soil is nice and rich, let it rot in the soil and come some time later, you'll have plants growing.
Depending on soil conditions and regional weather, you may have to wait more than a few years or more for fruit. If you're in California, fruit from seed usually results in faster mature times for trees. In the nearly 30 years my parents have owned that house, they've never had any luck with grafted trees. So they just did it like in the old country, they just planted what they bought at the store. Of the apple seeds, only two trees resulted in tart little apples, the rest of them are some type of cultivar, whether they're discovered or not is a mystery to me. One tree in particular sets crimson red apples the size of a fist with a buttery yellow, pink tinged flesh. The others are some type of gala and golden delicious variety, but not exactly those.
Those all fruited in 3-5 years.
Hi Leah,
I would think ordinary potters clay could be rolled in seeds and have them stick without further wetting? I'm with you that wetting might mildew the seed, etc.
why not dispense with all the dirt stuff and just tie up the dry seed mix in traditional chiffon like you would rice? If the seed is too small, any material you chose would do. or if you want something people just have to add water to, just include a lite seed starting mix.
I just stuck a seed in the ground slightly covered and it grew into a small tree without any care. I am in 9b and the cold kept nipping it so I pulled it. It was in the wrong spot anyway. Guess I never expected it to grow. I thought of planting some of the new types that are more cold hardy but never did.
It takes a little time to grow them from their pits, but it's a basic second grade experiment. All grade school kids have success.
I got a few to grow, but they died when they got into a pot with soil.
There is one that survived. It's putting out leaves like crazy! They do love water, which is why they do just fine in pure water! Mine is on a drip system. We will transplant into the ground in spring on a drip system and add a couple more for polination!
Good luck!
Suzi
I think you'll get better info on the allium forum. When you get there, do a search on that forum for what you want. There are tons of posts about growing garlic and onions.
Start garlic from individual cloves, not seeds.
Good luck and enjoy.
Yeah, garlic from cloves are a piece of cake! You can use store bought, just get a few organic garlic bulbs at the grocery, break off the cloves, plant them 2-3 inches deep, 4 inches apart!
Onion seeds I have problem starting for some reason. Not sure why, I have a really green thumb.
Hi Gav65,
I grow the dwarf type. Actually they grow themselves. Spreading through out the garden. They look beautiful. Even though, luckily they duplicate as dwarf, sometimes they revert back to tall, which I pull mostly. Occasionally I get a pink dwarf, which I like.
I slipped into to calling them Mexican popping plants, because when it rains or you water them, the seeds pop across the yard. I remember once sitting in the yard. I heard a drop and felt a seed hit my cheek from about 4 feet away. The first new plant I got from seed was 12 feet from the parent. I thought the root traveled that far, not knowing that the seeds pop that far. At this time of the year they are one of the prettiest plants in my garden. Sorry I did not answer your question.
bugbite,
Just had to comment on your beautiful home and yard. The plants all look so healthy and well kept. It's obvious that you love plants and have learned to grow and care for them in a way that keeps them happy and looking so beautiful! They may not be able to speak, but I know they love you too :-)
Art
Hi Art,
Such kind words. It's nice to know there are souls like you who would take time to spread joy to others.
I appreciate it.
Thanks,
Bob