Tips for winter growth?

[MoxyTree]

Hi everyone!

Writing from England, I’m starting my first seed growth this week, giving them a fake winter for two months and hopefully have some shoots in July.

I am just looking for some tips and support for helping young seedlings through the coming winter, how to best care for them and grow them while waiting for spring.

is it a case of keeping any shoots/saps well watered or fertilised? Or will it be a toughfight on my hands,
Thanks for any help!

 

[Shibui]

So much will depend on the species.
Many are hardy enough to go through winter without any help. Nearly all the temperate species are adapted to seeds surviving winter under snow, etc and then germinating when the weather is right in spring. In most cases they know how to do it without any help.
Species from warmer climates often sprout soon after they get wet because they have not had to adapt to cold winters. Those should be saved for planting in spring. Any warm climate seedlings that do sprout over winter will need protection from cold.

Let us know what species you are growing and maybe there will be specific advice on some.

 

[MoxyTree]

Hello and thanks for the reply. Very informstive, it has been given as a gift so there is a variety!
the seeds I have are:
Juniper
Larch
Pine
Sweet Gum
Chinese Redbud

I have plants but never cared fora tree seed/sapling- especially through the winter months.

 

[sorce]

Welcome to Crazy!

Don't fake em out!

Just sprout the ones that'll grow now normally. Hell, they all may, as sometimes, stratification instructions and all that jazz is just hooey!

If they ain't growing till July, they'll die by November!

Sorce

 

[Shibui]

All those species are cold hardy. Most should all just sit and wait until warmer spring before germinating. Even if some do germinate before then they will be capable of handling any temps you can inflict on them.

 

[MoxyTree]

Ah ok, so I should just let them grow naturally? Find a sheltered spot and let them go naturally, no fake winter?

cheers for all tips!

 

[Shibui]

That's my tip. Do you need a 'fake ' winter. You don't have winter there?

 

[WNC Bonsai]

I have overwintered J. Maple, trident maple, zelkova seedlings without issue. Most I just put outside and dumped leaves on them for insulation and they did well. To hedge my bet I also kept a few in my unheated garage one winter and they also did well. Just remember to toss some water on them all about once a month so the roots don’t dry out.

 

[MoxyTree]

Ah ok, I only got the seeds in the last week, so didn’t know if I needed to give them the dormant period to get them to sprout! All useful, thanks guys!

 

[Shibui]

Pine do not seem to need stratification (winter cold) but don't know about the other species. Safest is to sow them in pots and leave outside for winter cold to do the job naturally. They will germinate when the time is right. Remember they have been doing this before Adam was even considered.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Junipers need that stratification.
For pines it depends on the species.
The rest I don't know about.

Sheltered spots are usually shaded, that's where plant go long and leggy. It's best to keep them in the blazing sun from as soon as they germinate. This'll keep internodes short and the foliage tiny. It's more work to keep them alive, but the result will be superior compared to sheltered growth.