clouser@binkly.DEC (02/13/85)
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Somewhat taken aback by the high cost of tree saplings, I would like to try
my hand at starting trees from seeds. Has anyone out there had any
experience witht this? (How should the seeds be stored and prepared?
Should they be started inside and when? ...) In particular I'd like to
start some Dogwoods and Japanese Maples.
Thanks in advance.
---------------------
John Clouser
Digital - LSI
Hudson, MA
...decwrl!dec-rhea!dec-binkly!clouser2141smh@aluxe.UUCP (henning) (02/18/85)
> Somewhat taken aback by the high cost of tree saplings, I would like to try > my hand at starting trees from seeds. Has anyone out there had any > experience witht this? (How should the seeds be stored and prepared? > Should they be started inside and when? ...) In particular I'd like to **** **** From the keys of Steve Henning, AT&T Bell Labs, Reading, PA aluxe!2141smh Deciduous trees like dogwoods and maples are started from "softwood cuttings". That means that the twigs are cut in spring and rooted under glass or in poly bags. The cuttings are usually pencil size or slightly larger with at least 2 buds. For more information, look for books on "Plant propagation". A classic book is one called "Plant Propagation Practices" by Wells. If you do use seeds, the plant will not come true to the parent. For example, dogwoods will revert to the plain white form and Japanese maples will revert to a plainer less ornate leaf since the cultivated forms are selected forms that are preserved through asexual propagation. Quotes from Wells Acer palmatus atropurpureum -- take cuttings in June to July from softwood. Use 4 parts sphagnum peat moss and 1 part sand for the rooting medium. Use a light or heavy wound. Use 2% IBA hormone. Use soft to moderately form growing tips from current season's growth. Take before current season's growth stops. Strong hormones may be beneficial. Cornus floridii rubra -- take cuttings in June to July from softwood tips. Use 2 parts sphagnum peat moss and 1 part sand for the rooting medium. Use a heavy wound. Use an H3 hormone with IBA. Rooted Cornus are very difficult to overwinter. The rooting of these trees is not trivial and I personally find the cultivated cuttings are a real bargain. The trick is getting the rooted cuttings and not dug plants. Rooted cuttings are sold bare root and are very cheap. Balled and burlaped plants are very expensive.
mmr@ritcv.UUCP (Margaret Reek) (02/18/85)
> [] > > Somewhat taken aback by the high cost of tree saplings, I would like to try > my hand at starting trees from seeds. Has anyone out there had any > experience witht this? (How should the seeds be stored and prepared? > Should they be started inside and when? ...) In particular I'd like to > start some Dogwoods and Japanese Maples. > There are places that make trees available for very reasonable prices. Here in NY there are various tree programs run by state agencies that are very cheap. One is run by the Department of Environmental Conservation and the other by the Soil Conservation Department. The DEC offers bundles of 100-1000 trees for about 5 cents a tree; the Soil folks offer bundles of 10 trees for $5.50. They offer about 30 kinds of trees or more. You might check with your local Cooperative Extension to see if your area has any programs of this type. It would probably be faster than growing them from seed. Good luck. Margaret Reek Rochester Institute of Technology rochester!ritcv!mmr
fish@ihlpg.UUCP (Bob Fishell) (02/22/85)
> (How should the seeds be stored and prepared? > Should they be started inside and when? ...) *** REPLACE THIS MESS WITH YOUR LINEAGE *** This is a tricky thing to do, becuse it involves more than just planting the seeds in dirt and watching them grow in a lot of instances. The reason is that many perrenial plants' seeds require various conditions to break dormancy. Honey Locust, for example, requires scarification of the seed coat or it won't grow. In nature, bacteria and insects take care of this. In a greenhouse, a nail file will do. Other seeds require a period of cold prior to germinating; still others require soaking. In many cases, auxins can break dormancy, but sometimes breaking seed dormancy artificially will result in a sterile or dwarf plant. A better way to roll your own plants is to obtain a cutting of the plant you want, treat it with auxins (such as "Rootone") and plant it. Many plants will root, but in some instances, you have to air-layer the cutting, i.e., cut a little wedge out of the stem, but leave it attached to the plant. Treat the wound with auxins and tie a bag of sphagnum moss around it until it sprouts roots. Then you can cut it off and plant it. /_\_ Bob Fishell ihnp4!ihlpg!fish
mrh@cybvax0.UUCP (Mike Huybensz) (02/25/85)
> Somewhat taken aback by the high cost of tree saplings, I would like to try > my hand at starting trees from seeds. Has anyone out there had any > experience witht this? (How should the seeds be stored and prepared? > Should they be started inside and when? ...) In particular I'd like to This might be far more than you really want, but it is very economical. Seeds of Woody Plants in the United States 884 pp. Agriculture Handbook No. 450 1974 Forest Service, USDA It is available through the Whole Earth Catalog. Part 1: Principles and General Methods of Producing and Handling Seeds Part 2: Specific Handling Methods and Data for Seeds of 188 Genera -- Mike Huybensz ...decvax!genrad!mit-eddie!cybvax0!mrh