Juniper from seed - Advice needed

[benbonsai]

Hi all.

I just bought roughly 100 Chinese Juniper seeds from eBay as I would like to grow some of my own stock as a project and as I'm finding it hard to get some nice Chinese Juniper starters (I'm not paying $70 for a starter).
This way I can start training them early to achieve some really cool trunks and so on.

The thing is I'm unsure about how & when to germinate/stratify them.
I have done some reading but some advice on how to get these little fellas started would be great (looking to get started ASAP if possible).
They should arrive within a month (from China) and the description states they are fresh seeds.

p.s. I do understand this a long process and that it will be years before I have anything remotely like a bonsai.

Thanks

[rodm]

Mate,
Buying seed from overseas don't they have to go through quarantine????
Cheers RodM

[benbonsai]

Not sure, only cost $3
But that's besides the point, I'm after advice.

[Boics]

I recall a well respected and experienced member Shibui often says that stratifying is not necessary.

So perhaps you can start straight away?
Let's see what others have to say - alternatively a search of the term stratify etc should yield some results.

[benbonsai]

Okay well if that's the case great
But my main concern, do I need to germinate at the right time of year or any time?
I have done some reading and most say to stratify, some using boiling water and some using fridge or freezer?

A specific method that has yielded good results would be appreciated

[shibui]

I've never grown Juniperus chinensis from seed. There are lots of slightly different varieties of Chinese juniper so you won't know which sort you are getting until they grow and produce mature foliage. We normally grow them as cuttings from one that has desirable bonsai characteristics - tight foliage, good colour, etc. I think I probably started with pieces left over after workshops at a club meeting.
I know that other junipers germinate without stratification but J. chinensis come from quite high, alpine environment so they might need the cold to start growing but, as I said, I have not tried seed.

BTW- Shibui Bonsai sells shimpaku starters in 11 cm pots starting at $10. Bonsai world have had some quite advanced but untrained J. chinensis at very reasonable prices so I'm not sure who is charging $70 for starters

[benbonsai]

Okay thanks shibui I will continue to research and when it comes time I will definitely post my progress.
I don't really have access to any cuttings and I really want to start from seed to have them in training as soon as I can. I might fail, but I'll learn a thing or too.
Also I do know that it's possible to find starters cheaper, but I don't live near a lot of places that have stock (bonsai world is the closest) and the online places are to expensive.

[PWC]

I don't really have access to any cuttings and I really want to start from seed

Just curious did you get the seeds and if so what was the result