It is a very rewarding experience to grow your own Japanese maple from the seeds. Is there anything better than watching the seeds sprout into twigs and then grow into a beautiful tree? The secret to owning a tree from the seed is the so-called stratification. Here you can deceive the seeds and let them think they have experienced a freeze/thaw cycle; also known as winter. Here are 5 easy steps to help you:
- Start with fresh seeds. Fresh seeds increase the likelihood of seed survival. As the seed ages, the likelihood of its germination declines. Collecting seeds from local trees is a good way to make sure you start with new seeds, but be sure to get permission first! When the seeds turn red and green, they are ready to be harvested. Any Japanese maple seed must remember one thing: there is no guarantee that you will get the same color tree as the picking seed. The seeds from the red Japanese maple are usually red, but there may be a cross between the red and green trees, which may result in a tree that is hit from both parents. But this is an exciting part; your tree will be unique! You can also buy a small amount of seeds from Ebay, but be sure to confirm that they are the current year crop.
- Determine what the "last frost date" for your area is. This is a spring day and it is usually safe to start planting the garden. In Maine, usually after Memorial Day. Countdown now for 120 days. This is the approximate number of days required for seed germination. This is the date you started the tiering process. You may find that some seeds will not germinate until after 120 days, but be patient, some seeds are only late bloomers, or sprout?
- Fill the cup with hot water from the faucet on or before the date determined in step 2, but do not use extremely hot water. If your hot water comes out of the steam when it comes out, it may be too hot. Simply adjust the temperature with cold water. If the water is too hot, it will kill the seeds. Don't overfill the cup, you need space to add the seed. Pour the seeds into the cup and let everything rest for 24 hours.
- Most seeds are now at the bottom of the cup. The seeds absorbed the water and now begin the germination process. Remove the seeds and place them in a small bag containing moist sand, peat, vermiculite or a combination of them. The exact mix is not very important, just make sure it is wet rather than wet. Personally, I have better luck with meteorites and easier to find seeds when planting them, but continue to use the easiest method. Use a fork to poke a few holes in the bag to let the air circulate. Put the baggie in the fridge. I put me at the door, or keep it fresh. Be sure to put them where you can see them. You need to check them often, and if they are pushed behind something, you might forget. Check the bag occasionally to make sure the sand, peat or meteorite is still wet and add water when needed. Opening the bag to check moisture also changes the air in the bag, which helps to eliminate mold and fungus. If there is mold or fungus, don't panic. Simply rinse the seeds with a 50/50 mixture of water and hydrogen peroxide, then put them back in the bag and add fresh wet sand, peat or vermiculite.
- When the seed begins to germinate, you will see a small white "tail" from the seed. You are getting closer to your tree! You can choose to plant the seeds after the last frost, or use the method I found that works best for me. Either way, it works, but I find that I don't have much control over the weather, and it's not convincing. There was a time when my seeds were ready to be planted outside, but the ground was still frozen. I can't do that much! I decided to plant the seeds in a separate peat can. You know those; those that swell when you add water. Poke a hole in the top of the pot with a pencil and place the seed into the hole. Keep the basin moist but not wet. This method gives you a little extra time to work together. When they begin to develop leaves, be sure to give the plants plenty of light. I use fluorescent lights hanging above the plants, but a bright window can work as well. If the plants start to bend towards the light, be sure to rotate the plants. Another thing worth paying attention to is damping. This is when the plant dies and rots near the soil line. It is caused by fungi that live in the soil, usually from lack of air circulation and over-watering. If I find seeds that exhibit damping, I remove them from the area to reduce diffusion and use a fan to regulate the airflow and reduce the frequency of watering. When you can cultivate the soil outside, just plant the pot underground. I planted my plants on a bed for a while until I could sell them again. For seeds that are not germinated, they are planted in a cool bed of about 3/8 deep and occasionally watered. Leave them until next year to see if there is any sprout.
New Japanese maples should be shaded in the first or second year to minimize the likelihood that they will be burned by the sun. For a small number of plants, you can build a small cage to provide shade. For larger quantities, a grid hanging above the plants on a wooden frame or block or block of cement is an option, but a shade may be a better choice. After a few years of plant growth, they can be transplanted to permanent homes. Be sure to dig and transplant trees after they sleep to ensure their viability.
Congratulations! You now have a beautiful Japanese maple tree that you can enjoy in the next few years, and you can even tell everyone who commented on it to grow up yourself!
Orignal From: Planting Japanese Maple from Seeds - 5 Easy Steps to Success
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