ISO fresh Acer Shirasawanum ,Acer japonicum, (if fresh is option or dry if need be ) or advice

[tigerscott79]

Figured if check see if any members had Japanese maple seeds (Acer Shirasawanum ,Acer japonicum) (not Acer palmatum so much ) that were fresh or is best buy from ones like https://sheffields.com/ or https://www.treeshrubseeds.com/index . asking since some theres are listed as old as 2013 or such and not sure tbh how viable those would be or if its more the process they kept them dry then process to soak hot water is more the thing then age of viable seeds?

 

[czaczaja]

I wouldn't soak in hot, warm only if anything. Seeds have no 'use by date' so to speak providing they were stored appropriately, however, the viability drops significantly with age.

 

[tigerscott79]

I wouldn't soak in hot, warm only if anything. Seeds have no 'use by date' so to speak providing they were stored appropriately, however, the viability drops significantly with age.

Yea I bought few off sheffields.com and they are stratified as they recommend. Hope to find some fresh seed to plant for some for spring but worse case I'll be behind year with these as they say 90 to 120 warm then 90 to 120 days cold stratification. Atm soaked in warm water half sank so I emptied and resoaked and all but 1 sank so we will see how goes. Just deciding what to use to stratify them in as many posts and videos somehow a myriad of ways from peetmoss , sphagnum moss, potting soil , perilte, paper towels , or even sand (moist ofc ), all in baggies or solo cups

 

[czaczaja]

Yea I bought few off sheffields.com and they are stratified as they recommend. Hope to find some fresh seed to plant for some for spring but worse case I'll be behind year with these as they say 90 to 120 warm then 90 to 120 days cold stratification. Atm soaked in warm water half sank so I emptied and resoaked and all but 1 sank so we will see how goes. Just deciding what to use to stratify them in as many posts and videos somehow a myriad of ways from peetmoss , sphagnum moss, potting soil , perilte, paper towels , or even sand (moist ofc ), all in baggies or solo cups

I would take the float test with a pinch of salt. I've seen several tests disproving the theory. I always sow everything I have, throwing them away just because they didn't sink is pure waste of time and money.

 

[tigerscott79]

Oh I definitely agree, of prolly thousands of seeds I've grown whenni worked at nursery and greenhouse from trees , perennials, bi annuals, annuals, ornamental grasses ect before my disabilities. Even seeds that floated often sprouted . What I noticed on many of these is that they just easier had harder seed coating or even often times id notice the heat of the seeds were lighter less full but in no way ment non viable. Now that I'm retired medically income being sucky compared to when worked so I still follow the if have it use it and wordt case nothing grows best case even ones typically tossed grow then that's a nice bonus. Mainly for me with the warm soaking is to get more uniform germination via all the seed coats on the dry Japanese maple seeds being all loosened since I've noticedin past with native maples seeds being dry many would be sporadic with germination whereas when soaked were more even with what came up and the less stragglers ragglers

 

[Maples N More Nursery]

I have a few hundred Acer palmatum seeds that were collected last fall if you still need them. I can get you a price dependent on qty. These have a 90% cut rate as of Jan 10, 2024. They may be a tad less now but very healthy. They have been de-winged. Out of this batch, I sowed about 8k and have great germination numbers. I started the seeds in the fridge on March 9th and they started sprouting on April 22nd.

It's a tad late but there is still time to start them. I heat water to 125 degrees then pour that on them and let them soak in that water for 24hrs. Repeat one more time. At 24hrs after the 2nd soak, I drain the seeds in a colander for 1 hr, then throw them in a zip lock bag with 2 slits about 1 in wide just under the zipper. Keep moist but not soaking wet. I bounce the seeds around and blow fresh air into the bog about once a week. Start checking the seeds every few days after about 5 weeks.