From Seed Division: HorseloverFat’s Contest Seedwork

[HorseloverFat]

Nothing much to see here.. ...yet.

57 Ulmus Davidiana Seeds.

 

[HorseloverFat]

But I was ALSO thinking ... maybeee...

Boiled for 5.5 minutes.. (I also lightly scored.. but this was not advised.. i was just “comfortable” performing the operation.) If this treatment is unsuccessful.. I will need to Give it the HydroChloric Acid.

The scoring/hot scarification has sufficed.. the seeds have “plumped”
Soil temp monitored and kept at 78(average) degrees through a heat pad.... and a little under 4 days later..
Such a neat species.. i am torn.

 

[Kanorin]

Start them all down the forest path! In a couple of years you'll probably know which show the most promise. Indeed nature may do the choosing for you

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Palo verde, from seed. I've always loved seeing the various palo verde when visiting Texas, Arizona & California. I know I was looking at 3 or more different species of Parkinsonia, but they all get called palo verde. The "beans" are edible too, especially harvested green, and then boiled as for lima beans and other bean crops.

The fact that Palo Verde is leafless most of the year is interesting. It will give you a winter silhouette pretty much year round. The issue I see will be giving the Parkinsonia enough sunlight and supplemental light in winter to keep it healthy. It is a desert plant, adapted to, and to some extent requiring blazing full sun. I'll be curious to see how these do for you.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Palo verde, from seed. I've always loved seeing the various palo verde when visiting Texas, Arizona & California. I know I was looking at 3 or more different species of Parkinsonia, but they all get called palo verde. The "beans" are edible too, especially harvested green, and then boiled as for lima beans and other bean crops.

The fact that Palo Verde is leafless most of the year is interesting. It will give you a winter silhouette pretty much year round. The issue I see will be giving the Parkinsonia enough sunlight and supplemental light in winter to keep it healthy. It is a desert plant, adapted to, and to some extent requiring blazing full sun. I'll be curious to see how these do for you.

Yes! They get 2 hang lamps of their own right now, About 10” above and a radiant light heater directly on them that provides mostly heat, but a TOUCH more light...
I had read that they (well THIS palo tree specifically) can TOLERATE some shade in winters.. this is the only reason I attempted.. and I’m still very “curious”, myself!

 

[HorseloverFat]

Also.. here goes my Apple seed Theory projects: 3 domestic, farmed apple seed trays.. 5 Wild, collected Apple seed trays... 4 Wild, collected CrabApple seed trays... All spent 7-8 weeks in “cold strat” (All kept separate, obviously, for reference)

Let’s see what happens.

Wreaking havoc on my mantle.

 

[HorseloverFat]

 

[HorseloverFat]

Malus(s) Crustaceous and otherwise. (Last shot, sprout is barely visible.. but it IS there)

 

[HorseloverFat]

....and in addition to all those sprouting malus...

Another picture of the “Jerusalem Thorn” Seedlings “reacting”. (My favorite common name)
These Parkinsonia are so delicate and sensitive (at this stage).. they move and respond to touch, light, and wind... almost like certain Mimosa.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Jerusalem Thorns.. LOOSELY guided with wire, to provoke movement/interest (duh).

4 days later... Thorns becoming apparent..

 

[HorseloverFat]

None of the Elm seeds germinated.. shucks!

Well.. just in time..

Acer Monspessulanum..

Sploosh!

 

[Gabler]

Odd you mention that. I tried germinating some of my elm seeds, and they didn't fare well, either. I think I'll try sowing the rest in the spring after a full winter in the fridge, even though the package says they don't require cold stratification.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Oh dang there was supposed to be a picture attached!

 

[HorseloverFat]

Some progress on the wild apples and crabs... None of the “Grocery Store” seeds sprouted... weird.. but these ones are QUITE live. (There’d another tray that looks similar that I forgot to photograph. )

 

[Gabler]

I thought grocery store apples we're usually sterile hybrids?

 

[HorseloverFat]

Well.. by “grocery store” i mean semi-local farm/orchard apples (These ones were from Hillside Orchards, 11 miles from me).. just SOLD at the Grocery Store in my city. I definitely should have clarified.

 

[LittleDingus]

I thought grocery store apples we're usually sterile hybrids?

Hybrids? Yes. Sterile? Not necessarily.

I thought most commercial stock was grafted for "conformity". Hybrids do not generally produce identical-to-parent offspring. When growers find a good tasting, long shelf life, marketable color apple, they graft cuttings so that all trees are clones and the fruit is consistent. That doesn't mean the seed is sterile. The seed may very well grow crap apples, however. Not generally a concern in bonsai...

 

[HorseloverFat]

Hybrids? Yes. Sterile? Not necessarily.

I thought most commercial stock was grafted for "conformity". Hybrids do not generally produce identical-to-parent offspring. When growers find a good tasting, long shelf life, marketable color apple, they graft cuttings so that all trees are clones and the fruit is consistent. That doesn't mean the seed is sterile. The seed may very well grow crap apples, however. Not generally a concern in bonsai...

Yes! Smaller orchards like this, after inquired about, are said to operate on an entirely different scale... THIS particular one utilizes Air-layering instead of “Rootstock burrowing”... I noticed the “set-ups” on some of their trees, so I asked...

I believe even the WILD apples/crabs have a fairly high “Genome Roulette Factor” ..... there are many clear differentiations ALREADY.. I know many of these may revert.. but STILL very interesting.. I set out on an “Apple Seed Theory Project” with handsome, desirable specimens as a “paydirt”.
Fascinating stuff.

 

[HorseloverFat]

Pepper (amongst other vegetable) seeds came today!.. I grow every year.. but THIS time, my cousin was able to send me a lot of neat species that I have not grown... now while “Bonchi” is not my PRIMARY relationship with Chile Peppers.. Some of THESE will be “fun” down that avenue.

 

[Kanorin]

Please tell me this is your cousin's version of his/her annual holiday card.