Seeds

Discussions about propagating from cuttings, seeds, air layers etc. Going on a dig (Yamadori) or thinking of importing? Discuss how, when and where here.
Post Reply
whereswally007
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 71
Joined: October 21st, 2010, 9:21 am
Favorite Species: Heaps
Bonsai Age: 0
Bonsai Club: None yet
Location: NSW (Near Bathurst)

Seeds

Post by whereswally007 »

Alright i just recieved my seeds and i wish to pot grow them now and i was wondering if anyone has used these seeds before or not and if so do you know how to get them to germante (sorry for spelling) quickly.

eucalyptus jacksonii red tingle
amaryllia belladona hippeastrum
drunk parrot tree schotia brachypetala
Acer buergeranum triple maple

Any information about these would be great like (pre treatment, soil depth, care etc...)
shibui
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 7911
Joined: August 22nd, 2009, 8:41 pm
Favorite Species: trident maple
Bonsai Age: 41
Bonsai Club: Albury/Wodonga; BSV; Canberra; VNBC
Location: Yackandandah
Has thanked: 80 times
Been thanked: 1614 times
Contact:

Re: Seeds

Post by shibui »

Its best to use good seed raising mix, esp for seeds you do not know. SRM is sterile so no weeds or fungi/ diseases to compete with your seedlings.
Use a shallow tray like the ones used to store seedling punnets at the nursery - about 35x30 x5cm deep (seedling punnets are a bit small for beginners as they can dry out too quickly unless you have just the right conditions) or use 10-15 cm pots. Use clean containers. No use putting sterile mix into an infected pot. Scrub used pots then sterilise with hot water or household bleach mix.
Fill the container with SRM. Do not be tempted to halffill containers - the dead air space between the rim of pot and mix is ideal for fungi like damping off disease to grow. Firm the mix down a little. The bottom of another pot is quite good for this.

Pretreatment: most seed will germinate without any treatment. Hard, shiny seeds often need scarifying with bouling water or sandpaper/ concrete, etc. Seeds from cold climates sometimes need stratifying - put seed into fridge or freezer for a few weeks or sow nermally and leave the pots outside over winter. Some Aussie natives germinate better with smoke like after a bushfire - water with 'smokewater' of put seed trays in a large container full of smoke and leave until the smoke soaks into the mix.

Sow most seeds about twice their thickness deep. Usually sprinkle the seed over the surface of the mix then just barely cover with more SRM, sand or vermiculite. Very fine seed will fall into the pores of the mix when watered and does not need to be covered or just the thinnest covering. Some seed eg daisies and Figs(?) need light to greminate and should not be covered at all.

Water the trays gently. If you do not have a really gentle nozzle water the mix from below by placing the pots into a shallow tray of water and letting it soak up into the mix (generally don't leave the pots sitting in water all the time)

Place the pots in a warm position, preferrably with sun for part of the day. Many seeds need light to stimulate germination and sunlight helps prevent fungal problems.

Seed may take from a few days to a few months to germinatw depending how fresh it is, the species and the outside conditions.

Seedlings can be left to grow on in seed containers but SRM has no nutrient and seedlings will starve unless fed regularly.
Or seedlings can be pricked out into potting mix as soon as they are large enough to handle ( 2-3 pairs of leaves). They will usually grow faster when given room to grow in larger containers or individual pots and a good potting mix with adequate fertiliser.

Trident maple is easy to germinate and is strong enough to grow in regular potting mix instead of SRM. No treatment needed.

Eucalyptus generally have very small seed so very light covering and water carefully. No treatment usually needed.

I have not grown the other 2 species you have so can't give specific advice. Just use the general metdod above unless someone else knows more.

Good luck and happy germinating.
http://shibuibonsai.com.au/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
User avatar
ozzy
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 608
Joined: November 21st, 2008, 5:51 pm
Bonsai Age: 15
Location: SA

Re: Seeds

Post by ozzy »

Also I would like to add that if you bought the seeds from Ebay seed sellers just throw them in the bin as they'll never sprout ;)
cosmo123
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 25
Joined: June 27th, 2010, 12:32 pm
Favorite Species: Ficus
Bonsai Age: 10
Location: Gold Coast

Re: Seeds

Post by cosmo123 »

Don't be too harsh Ozzy....I bought a load of seeds (five different types...and the seller threw another lot in for free)...and I currently have them sprouting all over the place. I reckon I have a 90% germination rate on them all...
whereswally007
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 71
Joined: October 21st, 2010, 9:21 am
Favorite Species: Heaps
Bonsai Age: 0
Bonsai Club: None yet
Location: NSW (Near Bathurst)

Re: Seeds

Post by whereswally007 »

well i bought them from the website austrailianseeds.com.au

so i dont go and but a seed tray from bunnies i should just on put them in a put in the sun for most of the day keeping them mosit??
If you cant keep up, dont step up.
User avatar
Aussie_Bonsai
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 93
Joined: September 13th, 2010, 4:31 pm
Favorite Species: Maples, Ficus
Bonsai Age: 1
Bonsai Club: -
Location: South Australia

Re: Seeds

Post by Aussie_Bonsai »

i have also bought some seeds of australianseeds.com or what ever and ebay. they ebay seeds germinated fairly easily with some pre treatment, but i dont think i had much luck with australianseeds.com, only 1 lot of seeds out of five germinated.
Patience is a virtue.
"He whom is the master of patience is master of everything else"-George Savile
:aussie:
whereswally007
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 71
Joined: October 21st, 2010, 9:21 am
Favorite Species: Heaps
Bonsai Age: 0
Bonsai Club: None yet
Location: NSW (Near Bathurst)

Re: Seeds

Post by whereswally007 »

well currently one of the packets had 5 seeds and i got 3 shoots but 2 died quick but ones going strong. out of the two other packets i see some green spots in the soil but until they brack through i dont count them.
If you cant keep up, dont step up.
User avatar
Aussie_Bonsai
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 93
Joined: September 13th, 2010, 4:31 pm
Favorite Species: Maples, Ficus
Bonsai Age: 1
Bonsai Club: -
Location: South Australia

Re: Seeds

Post by Aussie_Bonsai »

its funny, i was about to give up on one lot of seeds, but yesterday after about 2 months of sitting in the soil and nothing happening, one finally poped up :)
i hope the others shortly follow, but i have my doubts.

Ben
Patience is a virtue.
"He whom is the master of patience is master of everything else"-George Savile
:aussie:
Greth
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Aussie Bonsai Fan
Posts: 1022
Joined: October 10th, 2009, 7:07 am
Favorite Species: olive
Bonsai Age: 4
Location: Adelaide Hills

Re: Seeds

Post by Greth »

Don't give up too quickly, trees especially can take quite a while before they sprout. I have things coming up now from March plantings, and even had stuff coming up the next year. Just don't let the labels fade, geez I hate that!
If you are not killing plants, then you are not extending yourself as a gardener..
Post Reply

Return to “Propagation, Collecting and Importing”