AusBonsai

I'm looking for some advice as to when to sow seeds I've collected. I have some Daintree pine seeds (Gymnostoma Australianum) and Callitris seeds. I don't know if the callitris are rhomboidia or columnaris. I want to plant them at the optimum time of year. Should I sow them now and hope for the best or leave it until spring? The seeds were collected in October last year.

Raging Bull wrote: ↑July 7th, 2022, 11:14 am I'm looking for some advice as to when to sow seeds I've collected. I have some Daintree pine seeds (Gymnostoma Australianum) and Callitris seeds. I don't know if the callitris are rhomboidia or columnaris. I want to plant them at the optimum time of year. Should I sow them now and hope for the best or leave it until spring? The seeds were collected in October last year.

No idea with your Daintree pine but for the Callitris I have had reliable success sowing seed in early December, using the “bog method” to germinate… same technique I used in the Mel seeds in my project thread. Remember I am in Melbourne though so adjust accordingly… Hope that helps.

Ive never had any luck with Gynostoma seeds. I believe it has something to do with viability. They are dioecious so will need a male plant close by to fertilise. I think commercial growers propagate by cuttings so may only be females common in cultivation.

Hopefully you will have more success. Although I would suggest you may have more luck with fresh seeds than ones collected last year.

Hi Raging Bull , i get a lot of tube stock from a native nursery in the riverina . Speaking with them once about Callitris seeds, was told they sow in the dead of winter. Will be very interested to see how you go . John.

I've had good results in the middle of winter here too. I had a heap sprout about a month ago and we've had a few recent nights below 0 which hasn't fazed them.

They wont germinate on the shelf, sow them now.

Grant

i get a lot of tube stock from a native nursery in the riverina . Speaking with them once about Callitris seeds, was told they sow in the dead of winter. Will be very interested to see how you go . John.

Many natives will germinate any time of year if they get moisture. Time of sowing for tubestock is often more about growth rates so the trees are ready for sale at planting time rather than best time for germination.
I sow many native seeds in late spring so the trees are well grown for autumn planting. Early sowing means they will be overgrown by autumn and unsaleable.
Callitris are slower growing so the winter sowing allows for growth rates to get saleable tubes by end of summer.

Thank you all for your advice. I'll stagger the sowing between now and middle of spring and see which gets the best results.... if any.
Cheers, Frank.