Seed Sowing Successes

CapeCodBonsai said:
I honestly believe the best method (short of a controlled laboratory) would be to mimic nature. If you live in a temperate zone, sowing your seeds that require stratification into a soil mix, outside, in the fall would work the best.
Having said that, I’m not set up to have a bunch of seed pots in an area protected from rabbits, squirrels, rats, field mice, insects, and competing weed seeds. Plants put out a lot of seeds for a reason . . . it’s perilous out there!
For what it’s worth, here is what I do. I have success (although mixed) and it’s convenient for me. I wash my hands first and sometimes even use a little rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or even bleach as I scrub up. I soak the seeds for the recommended amount of time. I only use warm/hot water if I’ve read somewhere that it will increase my success rate. My go to source for this information is Sheffield’s Seed’s.
I use zip lock bags and moist sphagnum moss. Although, there are better choices for the environment, it’s convenient and I have success. I’ve read that sphagnum moss has some natural antiseptic properties and that it restricts bacterial growth due to its acidity. I don’t know how truthful that is . . . I just accepted it as fact. I think keeping your seeds too moist without any air flow is a recipe for mold. The pillowy, sponge-like nature of sphagnum moss provides a good balance of moisture and air. A lot of seeds (if not all) require an exchange of gasses in order to change the chemistry inside the seed so that growth can occur.

I soak the Sphagnum in tap water in a large clean mixing bowl. I use warm water (but only because it feels a little nicer to reach your hands into). I wring out the saturated moss pretty thoroughly to where I am only getting a few drips from my clenched fist. I toss the moss wad into a colander suspended over another large mixing bowl so I can separate and “fluff up” the sphagnum before I start filling the zip lock. I place about an inch of wetted moss into the bottom of the baggie. Using my index finger, I pack some sphagnum into each corner so I don’t end up with any air pockets full of seeds that have filtered to the bottom. I don’t like my seeds clumped together (which I believe promotes mold) so, I spread several seeds in a layer and then add another inch of moss. I continue to layer seeds and moss until I get about 3/4 full (+/-) always ending in a top layer of moss. I don’t squeeze the air from the bag (still wanting to maintain a balance of moisture & oxygen).

Pop them into the beer fridge, set some reminders on my phone, go about life, and let the magic happen!
Click to expand...
So do you fish your seeds out of the moss before you sow them after stratification?
 
stewarjm192 said:
So do you fish your seeds out of the moss before you sow them after stratification?
Click to expand...
I pull the bags out of cold storage on the date designated by the stratification period . . . or at least I check on them if it’s been awhile since I last peeked. Occasionally, I have to act quickly because I’m surprised by a bag of already growing seedlings. Most times, everything is fine and I will leave them in the fridge until a weekend I can deal with them or until the weather is more conducive.
When I am ready, I’ll take the bag from the fridge and leave it in a warm spot in the house (70°F/21C). I check on them every few days. I’m primarily looking for the appearance of the radicles from the seeds but, I’m also looking for any mold growth now that things are warm.
Once I see the radicle emerging, I set up a pot with the best type of soil for what I’m trying to accomplish. My past experiences with a particular species might influence my soil choice also. The soil goes into a pot and I pre-wet it. I clean my hands, sterilize tweezers, whatever pointed tool(s) I’m using to make planting holes, and a scissors to trim away sphagnum (if it doesn’t separate from the root readily).
Once I see things “popping”, I will carefully dump the contents of the bag into a large clean container. If I’m late to the party, and I see cotyledons, stems, and true leaves, I will carefully cut the bag open to prevent damaging the seedlings during removal from the bag. I only pick out the individual seeds that have already shown signs of germination. A sign of germination could be as little as a cracked seed coat revealing a swollen seed that’s ready to rock. Everything else goes back in the bag until the late bloomers decide to show up. Some species will germinate sporadically over three years. I usually get tired of waiting after two years and toss the seed that’s left into a grow bed.
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Here is a bag of Cornelian Cherry (Cornus Mas) seed that I’ve been picking through for the past couple of weeks. You may note from the dates that this is a bag I cycled back into the fridge because Cornelian Cherry may require a couple of cycles of warm/cold/warm/cold stratification.
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I have to get on top of these this weekend because the radicles are really extending.
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Here is a pot of Medlar seedlings (Mespilus germanica). I just planted these last weekend. Most have broken free from their seed coats and some are even putting out true leaves.

Please take into consideration that the way I do it isn’t necessarily the best way, it just works for me based on my climate, space, and resources.

I wish you success whatever methods you use.
 
I’ve never seen any of these “bonsai’d”.
I know vining species don’t make the best candidates. Additionally, the leaves are too large and probably won’t reduce. But, it’s a perennial that forms a woody trunk so, I thought I’d experiment.
Dutchman's Pipe
(Aristolochia macrophylla)
FullSizeRender.jpeg
Seed Planted: September 3, 2022
Seed Source: Sheffield’s Seeds
 
Rowan or European Mountain Ash
(Sorbus aucuparia)
Snapseed.jpeg
Seed Planted: April 2020
Seed Source: Harvested from my Landscape Trees
 
Japanese Barberry
(Berberis thunbergii)
Snapseed.jpeg
Seed Planted: October 2021
Seed Source: Henry T. Wing School
(Bird Dispersed Shrub)
 
Siberian peashrub/Siberian pea-tree
(Caragana arborescens)
FullSizeRender.jpeg
Seed Planted: April 16, 2023
Seed Source: Sheffield’s Seeds
 
The two larger seedlings toward the left side of the photo are Stewartia but, the three little seedlings just emerging (next to the tag) are Franklin Trees! It’s WAY too early to call these “Seed Sowing Successes” but, I can’t help getting a little excited about them. They have a long way to go but, hopefully they make it to maturity.

Franklin Tree
(Franklinia alatamaha)
FullSizeRender.jpeg
Seed Planted: May 12, 2024
Seed Source: FW Schumacher Co.
 
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