AusBonsai

Hi,
I am having a go at growing Chinese elms from seed for the fun of it. I bought 100 Ch. elm seeds off of ebay from Australian Plant and Seeds. I have bought ficus seed from them in the past and they have sprouted big time!

The seeds came with some instructions that stated the seeds must undergo cold stratification but I have read elsewhere that no such treatment is necessary.

Has anyone had any experience of Ch. elm seeds bought from Ebay? Can I just put them in some seed mix and let them do their thing???

thanks

Adrian

I purchased 250 seeds, and didn't cold stratify - NOT ONE POPPED!

-Mo

MoGanic wrote:I purchased 250 seeds, and didn't cold stratify - NOT ONE POPPED!

-Mo

bugger - how long did you have them in the seed mix for? did you soak them?

Thanks for the feedback/

Adrian

Just plant them in seed raising mix keep them damp an you should be find they grow wild from my trees in my garden

Just plant them in seed raising mix keep them damp an you should be find they grow wild from my trees in my garden

Olive crazy, the seeds from your elm would get natural stratification by lying on the soil surface in whatever frost you get over winter.
Like OC I usually just pot up seedlings from under a tree so cannot give a definitive answer.

I've bought, didn't stratify, got an elm forest from it...

Hi Ado
I live in Perth too and would say definitely stratify in the fridge. Our climate doesn't have the temperatures required.
I picked up a sandwich bag full from the joondalup shops car park, sewed a handful that didn't grow, threw the rest into the fridge for a few months, soaked them before sewing and I now have a ridiculous amount sprouted.
If you don't have any joy with yours let me know because I have more than I think anyone could ever need.
Megan

paddles wrote:I've bought, didn't stratify, got an elm forest from it...

Hi mate, did you cover the seeds in plastic to keep the humidity in? also, what type of seed mix did you use?. I'm using coir peat and perlite. did you soak them before sewing?

cheers

Meegs wrote:Hi Ado
I live in Perth too and would say definitely stratify in the fridge. Our climate doesn't have the temperatures required.
I picked up a sandwich bag full from the joondalup shops car park, sewed a handful that didn't grow, threw the rest into the fridge for a few months, soaked them before sewing and I now have a ridiculous amount sprouted.
If you don't have any joy with yours let me know because I have more than I think anyone could ever need.
Megan

Hi Megan, thanks for the generous offer. I'll put half in the fridge and the other in a seed raising tray. Might just take you up on that offer if all fails!!

cheers

Adrian

I soaked, planted in comercial seed raising mix, in a seedling tray, they were in an enclosed seed raising thing (bought from bunnings) I had nearly 100% germination, BUT I must also point out, that around here, they self seed under the trees like crazy. so our climate is obviously suitable. I have also "collected" seed from mature elms, and scattered them outside, and had a reasonable success rate..


I also used a Heated propergation thingy...

paddles wrote:I soaked, planted in comercial seed raising mix, in a seedling tray, they were in an enclosed seed raising thing (bought from bunnings) I had nearly 100% germination, BUT I must also point out, that around here, they self seed under the trees like crazy. so our climate is obviously suitable. I have also "collected" seed from mature elms, and scattered them outside, and had a reasonable success rate..


I also used a Heated propergation thingy...

cheers mate. I soaked them and discarded the floaters. Ive got them in a little mini green house. might buy some more and chuck em in the fridge for a month or two.

thanks mate

Adrian

If they are fresh they will germinate without stratification. If they have been alowed to dry out they may need stratification. Chances are that from a seed seller they would have dried out so stratification may be the best option.
I have a street full of chinese elms and the seeds grow rampant but here is what I would do if I was you.

Soak the seeds then into a bag with your peat moss or whatever but don't place in the fridge straight away. Leave them at room tempreture for a couple of weeks and see if any start to germinate. If they do remove the germinated ones and plant out into pots. The ones that don't germinate put in the fridge for a couple of months then plant them out mid Summer. Keep a close eye on them as they may even germinate in the fridge. Bloody weeds they are

Bretts feel free to send some of them weeds this way 

Bretts wrote:If they are fresh they will germinate without stratification. If they have been alowed to dry out they may need stratification. Chances are that from a seed seller they would have dried out so stratification may be the best option.
I have a street full of chinese elms and the seeds grow rampant but here is what I would do if I was you.

Soak the seeds then into a bag with your peat moss or whatever but don't place in the fridge straight away. Leave them at room tempreture for a couple of weeks and see if any start to germinate. If they do remove the germinated ones and plant out into pots. The ones that don't germinate put in the fridge for a couple of months then plant them out mid Summer. Keep a close eye on them as they may even germinate in the fridge. Bloody weeds they are

Hi Brett,
thanks for that advice. I have already planted the first lot into a seed flat covered in a plastic clear dome to trap the heat in. they are outside under shade cloth. if they haven't sprouted in couple of weeks I'll wack em in the fridge.
I've got some more coming my way so I will try your method straight away and see how it goes. I can get Elm seedlings pretty cheap but I thought it would be fun to start from seed too. im only 40 si I should have enough time to make into good bonsai

thanks again

Adrian

I have a chinese elm as a garden specimen in my front garden. I'm always pulling out saplings germinated from the seeds falling from this tree in my garden. If your seeds are not growing, then they must be old or dried up.

Brian wrote:I have a chinese elm as a garden specimen in my front garden. I'm always pulling out saplings germinated from the seeds falling from this tree in my garden. If your seeds are not growing, then they must be old or dried up.

that might be case Brian. Time will tell. they were cheap so its no real loss.
here's fingers crossed

Cheers