2021 Forest From Seed(ling) 8 (or 6) Year Contest

[leatherback]

Guess I am lucky to have natures stratifier right outside my door. I pop seeds in seedtray in there in late fall, with a few brick on top to stop passers-by from nibbling. And come spring I put the tray in the sun and wait. Works well. No spraying with anti-fungal, no plastic baggies no replanting!

 

[LittleDingus]

Guess I am lucky to have natures stratifier right outside my door. I pop seeds in seedtray in there in late fall, with a few brick on top to stop passers-by from nibbling. And come spring I put the tray in the sun and wait. Works well. No spraying with anti-fungal, no plastic baggies no replanting!

For me, it's more about being involved and observing what's going on. I enjoy the journey more than the destination. Poking at stratifying seeds every couple of weeks gives me a little bit of joy each time I do

Outside is a little more of a struggle for me. Just this past winter, I lost 4 species of acorns to squirrels. A deer or something large flipped over my tray of eastern redbud...I'm not at all sure the seed are still in there after having to scoop the soil back into the tray. And two of my 3 osage orange fruits are gone...not at all sure what happened to them!

The biggest threat to my seed packets in the refrigerator is that they get used as seasoning!

 

[atlarsenal]

My habit is to take them out of the cold strat and set them out overnight every week or every other week. The cold/warm cycle weakens the seed coats so moisture can get in.

As they start to sprout roots, I'll plant them out but put the rest back in the cold. Whatever has sprouted roots next time, I move out and put the rest back in the cold, etc...

I find this method very effective for tridents especially but it works for most. Doing 6 different species of larch at the moment

I found 13 more sprouted overnight. I will check them again this evening before I put them back in the fridge.

 

[Kanorin]

Thanks for the tip! I’ll try this too. My styrax Japonica and Dogwoods seem much more stubborn than maples and crabapples. Maybe this trick will help!

 

[atlarsenal]

Thanks for the tip! I’ll try this too. My styrax Japonica and Dogwoods seem much more stubborn than maples and crabapples. Maybe this trick will help!

Let me know how yours styrax do. I have around 200 in the fridge now. This will be the first time I have done any styrax. They have been quite moldy each time I checked them through warm strat.

 

[Kanorin]

Let me know how yours styrax do. I have around 200 in the fridge now. This will be the first time I have done any styrax. They have been quite moldy each time I checked them through warm strat.

Mine were getting very moldy with the wet paper towel method. I've switched them to a ziploc bag with moist perlite and some sphagnum moss and that at least has reduced the mold.

 

[HorseloverFat]

I do sealed yogurt containers with 2:1:.5 Perlite/DE/Peat...

Every 8-10 days I shake containers and “cyle” the moisture by adding more water and re-straining. (Easy and quick process once you get it down.)
Then when “cold strat time” is up.. or I’m satisfied enough to transfer, I remove/separate the seeds from substrate into a glass of warm water/Hydrogen Peroxide.... then “sow”.

Although the Peroxide may be unnecessary with the “moisture cycling/‘air-ing’” ritual... I have yet to notice mold with this method... fingers crossed.

 

[leatherback]

I might do a AP 'arakawa' forest, if enough seeds germinate. Just got the seeds yesterday so my natural stratification might need some assistence of the machine kind.

Anybody good indication on how many I can expect to bark up?

 

[atlarsenal]

I found 13 more sprouted overnight. I will check them again this evening before I put them back in the fridge.
View attachment 354483

Only 3 this morning.


But I did find I have some ginkgos poking their heads up! First time trying these also.

 

[Njyamadori]

for the seedling division are clumps allowed? I have some from I bought on Facebook but actually he’s been on bonsai it for a long time.

 

[Kanorin]

Clumps are allowed as part of the forest, but if the trunks are connected, that counts as one tree. I think I said for this contest you need at least 4 individual plants per forest planting.

 

[Njyamadori]

Clumps are allowed as part of the forest, but if the trunks are connected, that counts as one tree. I think I said for this contest you need at least 4 individual plants per forest planting.

Ok makes sense . I will just stick to my trident maples and field maples .

 

[leatherback]

Clumps are allowed as part of the forest, but if the trunks are connected, that counts as one tree. I think I said for this contest you need at least 4 individual plants per forest planting.

hm.. And there I was, aiming to fuse the roots of my trees in the forest...

 

[Kanorin]

hm.. And there I was, aiming to fuse the roots of my trees in the forest...

Fused roots are fine - I wouldn't consider that as a clump. I guess I need to clarify with an official proclamation.

Here ye, here ye!
For the purposes of this contest, an individual plant shall be defined as one that shares no other trunks or branches with another plant above the soil line.

I guess that means rafts are ok. I'm fine with that.

 

[leatherback]

OK then

 

[atlarsenal]

Mine were getting very moldy with the wet paper towel method. I've switched them to a ziploc bag with moist perlite and some sphagnum moss and that at least has reduced the mold.

How are your styrax seed doing? I was checking mine for mold and I have 17 that have germinated. I went ahead got those in jiffy pellets. June 1 will be 120 cold strat.

 

[MrWunderful]

Ill start up a thread this weekend if possible.

 

[Arnaut]

Hey, I'll bite. Sounds like a fun challenge, and currently there's plenty seeds to collect!

 

[Stella]

I have a ton of seeds that i want to plant in spring. might as well join this here to make it even more fun

 

[BeepBeepBonsaiSheep]

Seems fun. I’m in for this

I already got 20 Texas mesquite seedlings growing. They’ll be a month old tomorrow, so I’ll start a thread tomorrow

I may do an aspen forest too as the main tree I just bought for the Native Tree contest also has 5 saplings/ suckers in it, so I’ll decide if I use it for one contest or the other

Picked up some silk tree/ mimosa seeds today and may start those

Also have an interest in some fruit trees, so maybe a grove of those will be cool. I’ll decide later