Growing trees from seed.....

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

been giving this subject a bit of thought of late, especially as wondering how I might get some seedlings from my fave trees to my second home!

 

Also because i have lost a lot of my fave trees in recent couple of years, and this year dozens:thumbdown:

 

I have been gathering a lot of beech mast from some venerable old beeches, some from ashridge in particular, so I went looking for information on growing trees from seed and found this FC document.

 

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/pdf/fcpg018.pdf/$FILE/fcpg018.pdf

 

I thought as there didn't seem to be a dedicated thread to the subject, and it being something we could probably all do, and replace trees with over the course of our lives as we go.

 

There is something very satisfying about watching a tree you planted grow, some of my early ones are impressive now, even David showed me a couple of his and it got the old grey stuff going.

 

How many trees have YOU planted? Do any of you plant from seed at all, and where, what do you do with them when they have grown? Do any of you plant in wild woods at all?

 

Got any experiences, knowledge or thoughts to share?

 

Now we have a trees from seed thread!

[woodyguy]

Excellent idea. As I've banged on about in other threads, I bought a 7 acre wood 2 years ago. It is ancient (pre 1600) but had been clear felled 80 years ago. There is a lot of regrowth but only about 9 species of tree (including non native sweet chestnut and sycamore).

So my aim has been to thin out the ageing birch and to increase the diversity. With global warming I've deliberately mainly planted natives but also some woodland friendly non natives which I have often had to grow from seed.

These include some american maples eg sugar and red, and things like caucasian wingnut and stone pine. Ebay is a tremendous source and most are very easy to grow. I planted out 1200 trees this last winter including 130 species, so definitely increasing the diversity. The main cost is tree shelters to get them past the rabbit vulnerable stage. The only ones I've had trouble raising has been Nothofagus but will have to try again.

[treequip]

About 20 years ago I was involved in a schools project, collect seed, germinate grow on and plant out.

 

Last year I was walking the dogs where the trees are growing and a fellow dog walker was telling me how these were "his trees" because they grew them in junior school.....

 

Nice feeling.

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

About 20 years ago I was involved in a schools project, collect seed, germinate grow on and plant out.

 

Last year I was walking the dogs where the trees are growing and a fellow dog walker was telling me how these were "his trees" because they grew them in junior school.....

 

Nice feeling.

 

I like that a lot:001_cool:

[treequip]

I like that a lot:001_cool:

 

Back when we were planting them I thought planting the trees was a worthwhile occupation in itself but the greater value is that at least one person is invested in protecting these growing trees.

[IanW]

I grow a few from seed, mainly redwoods, giant, coast and dawn, also have some monterey pine, red fir and incense cedar, I have a load more seed in the fridge breaking the dormancy of the seeds.

 

we and friends have some land and it's a nice though to have that what I have grown from a seed a few mm big will stand 100m tall and last for a 1000 years, if it's left alone.

 

ian

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Arbtalk

[ArthurBottlesworth]

I remember

Plant a tree in 73

Plant some more in 74

[matelot]

We really need a "like" button on this website

 

I used to grow trees from seed, tbh, I found it cheaper to buy trees from a nursery. I also find it a lot easier to carry/plant cell grown trees from a nursery as opposed to trees grown in plant pots.

 

I've planted about 9,000 trees over the last quarter century

[Tony Croft aka hamadryad]

We really need a "like" button on this website

 

I used to grow trees from seed, tbh, I found it cheaper to buy trees from a nursery. I also find it a lot easier to carry/plant cell grown trees from a nursery as opposed to trees grown in plant pots.

 

I've planted about 9,000 trees over the last quarter century

 

[shillo]

I collected lots of seeds from a big old Beech with merip, she blew over in the storms. After a bit of research on net i floated the seeds to see which ones were viable, floating seeds were ditched, the remainder i scattered in seed trays and left outdoors over winter. I thought they wouldn't come to anything but they started shooting in the spring, i pricked them out and potted on to 2l pots last october time. They have pretty much stood still ever since, A few oaks i did at the same time are twice the size (8'')

 

I think i should have used john innes no2 instead of crappy old compost and planted straight into bigger pots, but there are about 40 of them, so compost would be expensive.