#seed germination

[arabidopsis-bouquet]

doing my part to spread the word about plant biology

[kihaku-gato]

Only one germination between the tulip trees and ginkgos so far, but I'll take it. Viability for the former can be hella low and the latter's viability can be pretty variable (though from personal attempts- also fairly low). I hope we get a few more this March at least.

I still mill on the variables for ginkgo viability sometimes.

The very obvious one is if the trees are getting properly pollinated; dioecious as they are, female trees need male trees to wind pollinate nearby or else you'll only get infertile nuts, and most female trees I've collected from (this case Guelph Arboretum, past cases the Western University campus in London) tended to have a fair bit of distance from any form of partner male trees, fairly sheltered from wind. If so, there isn't a whole lot I can do unless I can find more female trees elsewhere in Ontario; only other ones I know of are in Toronto which- dear god no, never going to that big of a city that far away.

The more grasping-for-straws/hope theory is harvest time; they tend to be ready in October, but I was only able to gather for these in November (was it late November? Idr). It gets very cold in November and ginkgos require 2 months warm stratification before the cold- could the "early" cold/frost be killing the embryos? Unlikely, but as I said; it's me grasping for straws since I can control when I go on seed gathering expeditions moreso than whether a female tree got pollinated at all or not.

At the rate this has gone so far though, I may in the future look into grafting female scionwood amongst closer male trees to try to get better luck. A long term slow investment, but it's something.

[raccoonzinspace]

Trying to grow some of these things:

Unfortunately I can't germinate any seeds indoors because my cats tend to specifically target any houseplant that looks even remotely edible the day they're planted.

And by that, I mean all plants. Even if they have grass available, I guess the seeds I'm germinating look more appetizing. Especially Boo, because he's still technically a kitten. XD

[driftglazz]

How to Grow Pawpaws From Seed | Shades of Green Blog

Growing pawpaws from seed is quite easy if you follow a few fundamental steps.

#1 Don’t let your seeds dry out

Whether you’re processing seed from foraged fruit, trading for seed from others or buying seed from any given source, it’s critical that you keep your seeds moist. Germination rates will drop significantly if pawpaw seeds are allowed to dry out for even a short period of time. Leave them in the fruit until you’re ready to process, put them in a ziploc with peat moss or a paper towel, or even in a cup before you’re ready to clean and stratify.

I done fucked up. But doing the research now so I’ll be ready for next year.

Also: Kentucky State University Connect guide to paw paw propagation

[wildrungarden]

3/7/24 ~ They got sweaty sunnin’ today! ☀️🌱 Ft Martin

[cselandscapearchitect]

Unveiling the Desert's Charm: Growing Penstemons and Wildflowers in Queen Creek, Arizona

Transforming Arid Landscapes into Blossoming Gardens In the heart of the Sonoran Desert, amidst the dry, rugged landscape of Queen Creek, Arizona, lies the potential for a blooming oasis. The key to this transformation? A brilliant array of penstemons and native wildflowers. This article will guide you through selecting the best penstemons for the low desert and companion wildflowers to create a…

View On WordPress

[punkgardener]

I am now on a quest.

On my drive home today I noticed that one of the largest, oldest oaks in my town had fallen. It narrowly avoided the small business it sat in front of and left a massive hole in its wake

This was probably a 200 year old oak tree and while it's sad that it's gone, there's still hope for its lineage.

I have 2 viable acorns that I took from that tree, you can check to see if acorns are viable by placing them in a glass of water, if they sunk to the bottom they're good.

I took those 2 acorns and placed them in a bag mixed with potting soil and the clay dirt from the woods behind my house, they are currently stratifying in my fridge and will be for at least the next 35 days

I hope this works, these specifically are water oak acorns and I couldn't find any information on this species exactly, so i hope they still germinate

My goal is that if they germinate I want to grow them, and then when they're old enough, return the saplings to the business that lost it's tree

If any of you guys are interested in the specifics of germinating oak trees let me know, I'd be happy to share what I know

[therudegarden]

Heliamphora (minor) seed close up. Hopefully I can get it to germinate.