Harvested Japanese Maple seeds... need clarification on dormancy/stratification PLEASE

[cody94withrow]

Hey hope everyone is doing well,

I've found two Japanese Maples at work that are producing seeds that I'm taking

(or they'll just go to waste being lost to bugs or whatever eats them)

The seeds I've bought offline mention what is necessary for germination basically 120 days of warm strat/120 days cold strat do break dormancy.

My questions are if I harvest the seeds on my own what makes them dormant?

Is the only thing keeping them from going dormant is that they weren't dried completely?

If I wait til next year to germinate will I have to go through the same process as the ones I purchased offline that came to me dormant?

If there's a link to some literature I'll take it but any direct answers are greatly appreciated and time saving.

Thank you so much.

 

[Hack Yeah!]

I think you can skip the warm strat. Collect them now. Store them in a paper bag in a cool dry spot for a few weeks then start the cold strat process in December. At least I've had plenty of success this way.

 

[cody94withrow]

I think you can skip the warm strat. Collect them now. Store them in a paper bag in a cool dry spot for a few weeks then start the cold strat process in December. At least I've had plenty of success this way.

awesome. I've labeled paper bags and put each different seed into its' own paper bag.

I appreciate it!

 

[Pugs]

I just came across this thread (Acer P seeds strat and germination question) a few minutes ago. Maybe it will give you some ideas.

 

[gschup]

JM seeds are hard to germinate once they dry out completely. If you harvest and sow them fresh, it should be much simpler.

Depending on your circumstances, please don't forget about the simplest germination process: sow them onto soil outside and wait for spring. I currently prepared JM seeds 50:50. One half in the fridge, one half outside.

As general advice, don't just take 5 seeds and expect 5 plants. Who knows how good your germination rate will be.

 

[leatherback]

Once they start dropping naturally, collect from the tree. You could clip the wings off, but leaven them on works fine to. Plant in open well-draining substrate. half an inch substrate cover. Place outside, well protected from animals, and do not let them get soaked nor dried out. Wait for spring. Done.

Nature knows how to organize germination processes. Just follow that process.

 

[Shibui]

Fresh seed (collected Fall then sown Winter or the following Spring) germinates without any stratification here. Cold stratification may increase germination rate slightly.
Cold stratification in the fridge can have problems, often mould growing on the seeds and also early germination before you are ready or when it's too cold to go out. Much easier to sow in pots/trays and leave them out through winter. They will get natural stratification through winter and germinate when the weather is right in Spring. Much simpler and less problems in my experience. Just make sure the pots are covered to exclude birds and seed eating rodents.

Dormancy occurs when maple seeds have been dried and stored for more than 6 months.

 

[cody94withrow]

Fresh seed (collected Fall then sown Winter or the following Spring) germinates without any stratification here. Cold stratification may increase germination rate slightly.
Cold stratification in the fridge can have problems, often mould growing on the seeds and also early germination before you are ready or when it's too cold to go out. Much easier to sow in pots/trays and leave them out through winter. They will get natural stratification through winter and germinate when the weather is right in Spring. Much simpler and less problems in my experience. Just make sure the pots are covered to exclude birds and seed eating rodents.

Dormancy occurs when maple seeds have been dried and stored for more than 6 months.

That answers a big question for sure, I was confused as to what makes them dormant.

I read something in the resources about dormancy and specific moisture content levels which I don't think I'd have the resources to actually find out what moisture level one seed had vs another.

Thank you.

 

[cody94withrow]

Fresh seed (collected Fall then sown Winter or the following Spring) germinates without any stratification here. Cold stratification may increase germination rate slightly.
Cold stratification in the fridge can have problems, often mould growing on the seeds and also early germination before you are ready or when it's too cold to go out. Much easier to sow in pots/trays and leave them out through winter. They will get natural stratification through winter and germinate when the weather is right in Spring. Much simpler and less problems in my experience. Just make sure the pots are covered to exclude birds and seed eating rodents.

Dormancy occurs when maple seeds have been dried and stored for more than 6 months.

Gotcha, I guess I figured it'd be more complicated since for the most part I never see any randomly sprouted maples near the other Japanese Maples at the facility I work at.

I'm starting to see that the seeds become food for bugs or just end up rotting away before they have a chance. Which is why I don't feel bad about going out and collecting as many as I possibly can.

 

[cody94withrow]

I just came across this thread (Acer P seeds strat and germination question) a few minutes ago. Maybe it will give you some ideas.

I'll take a gander!

 

[Shibui]

I guess I figured it'd be more complicated since for the most part I never see any randomly sprouted maples near the other Japanese Maples at the facility I work at.

Interesting that they don't grow where you are. We get thousands germinating under most JM trees every spring but the vast majority then gradually die as the ground dries out through summer.
Seedlings don't compete well so they grow best where there is bare ground or mulch under the trees. Some germinate in the grass but get chopped off as soon as the mower comes out. They rarely come back from that treatment.

 

[Pugs]

Interesting that they don't grow where you are. We get thousands germinating under most JM trees every spring but the vast majority then gradually die as the ground dries out through summer.
Seedlings don't compete well so they grow best where there is bare ground or mulch under the trees. Some germinate in the grass but get chopped off as soon as the mower comes out. They rarely come back from that treatment.

Could be that the ground has been treated to prevent "weeds" from coming up.

 

[cody94withrow]

Interesting that they don't grow where you are. We get thousands germinating under most JM trees every spring but the vast majority then gradually die as the ground dries out through summer.
Seedlings don't compete well so they grow best where there is bare ground or mulch under the trees. Some germinate in the grass but get chopped off as soon as the mower comes out. They rarely come back from that treatment.

I am surprised as well, the general theme is anything I see from the year before is typically a hollowed out seed or just the wing left from something eating the rest.

There are people I've talked to that have dug up seedlings from under an older Japanese maple though. I think these specifically at the VA campus where I work they never get a chance.

 

[cody94withrow]

Could be that the ground has been treated to prevent "weeds" from coming up.

That actually may be, not sure though because my elm, willow oak and about 6 red maples I've dug up here.

Unless its in the spots that are out front.

 

[Pugs]

The wind blows the seeds further away? We may never know what Mother Nature has planned.