I have tried in vain to germinate cypress tree seeds(in the UK), can any green fingered person help me with advice on the conditions to germinate them please I seem to remember someone on the site has been successful before but cant remember who.
Thanks in advance
Angela
Message posted by ecotrails on 03 May 2008 at 4:27pm - IP Logged
Legal Disclaimer
Hi Angela
Not green fingered (my tomato seedlings I lovingly looked after from seed are now withering fast) but I did study this in evolutionary biology (can't remember why).
To germinate most tree seeds you have to mimic a years (or even two) natural cycle i.e. plant them in a pot outside (cover to stop birds and mice eating them).
A faster method is to rub seeds in sandpaper to remove some of protective coating, pour hot water over them and leave for 24 hours at least (you may notice that they swell). Put damp in a plastic bag and put in fridge for at least a month (maybe 2 is better). Then plant them in good soil stuff and keep warm, 16-20 degrees until they germinate.
Hope this helps, good luck
Eco
Message posted by weststekker on 03 May 2008 at 5:15pm - IP Logged
Legal Disclaimer
weststekker
Angela,
Seem to remember that BOBBO germinated some Pencil Cypress and made a post on the forum. Why not PM him and ask how he did it.
Yammas, Colin.
Message posted by angela_h on 03 May 2008 at 7:09pm - IP Logged
Legal Disclaimer
Thank you both for your replies ,I must say Eco your a fountain of knowledge, I thought it would be easy peasy when you see the vast amounts on Corfu growing wild. Not as easy as I had hoped.
Colin
I will do just that, thank you.
Angela
Message posted by Dennis on 03 May 2008 at 10:48pm - IP Logged
Legal Disclaimer
Dennis
Angela
As Ecotrails says it is not like raising a few lettuce seeds so you have to be very patient and philosophical about it.
Tree seeds can be very difficult to germinate and take a long time so patience is needed. Ecotrails mentions the usual methods but you can buy seeds from specialist companies which will have been pre-treated for many months to mimic the natural process, including chilling or freezing. But that is not as satisfying as doing it all yourself.
I am not sure whether the freezing stage applies to the mediterranean cypresses, but expect it does. For several years I used to enjoy raising trees, including conifers, from seed and used to place the seeds in the kitchen freezer for a few weeks, then sow them in small pots and sink outside in the ground over winter or even for a couple of years and almost forget them. Success is very sparse indeed, and initial growth is very slow ! But then they really take off so if you plant them in a garden remember they are forest trees and be prepared to cull them before they get too big.
I can still see the results of my handiwork in a windswept caravan park in North Wales where I planted quite a variety of 12" high seedlings secretly at night in a fenced off area about 20 years ago to give privacy to our static caravan. They grew into a nice thick barrier and and attractive feature.
Dennis
Message posted by angela_h on 03 May 2008 at 11:08pm - IP Logged
Legal Disclaimer
Dennis
Thank you also for your informative post, I am willing to persevere with the seeds, we bought a cypress type looking tree, I think is sky rocket( visable in my avatar)about 9 years ago and it was about 4 ft, moved house to a much bigger garden and took it with us, it is positioned in more sun and has just reached over 10ft.
What an achievment for your seedlings and a personal touch.
We spend so much time in our garden I just wanted a bit of Corfu in it, we will give it a bash
Angela
Message posted by ecotrails on 04 May 2008 at 1:10pm - IP Logged
Legal Disclaimer
Nice one Dennis...
Another thought enters the empty space that used to be my brain before I found a true love for alcohol. Some species require that the seeds in a dormant phase undergo a forest fire before they will germinate, Italian cypress may be one of these. Don't know best way to mimic this, a frying pan or oven maybe. I would seperate seeds into groups and try various methods on each group then wait and see.
Evolutionarily speaking, these trees 'know' there is no point germinating when there are already lot's of them about anyway and then can wait until a fire and then trigger themselves to re-colonise quickly the burnt ground.
Having said that I know there are many cypress seedlings almost anywhere you look on Corfu so maybe fire is not a pre-requisit.
Perhaps, although maybe slightly illegal, you could get some seedlings transported over from Corfu , put them on a dashboard as a feature, don't hide them. Maybe spray with insecticide first. I don't think there is much chance of a cypress becoming an invasive species in the UK and I know of no diseases that could occur and be transferred to UK species.
Eco
Message posted by barrieh on 04 May 2008 at 6:54pm - IP Logged
Legal Disclaimer
you may have some luck by putting the seeds in the fridge for a few days and then potting them up it mimics winter and then spring which should kick them off.this is a trick i have used for bonsai trees give it a go,good luck barrieh
If you wish to post a reply to this thread you must first Login
If you are not already registered you must first register
All Rights Reserved. No part of the Corfu Travel Guide web site may be reproduced without permission.
Infringement will be pursued.
The Corfu Travel
Guide and Lefkada Travel Guides are brought to you by Agni Travel.
Agni Travel is the sister company of Taverna Agni and also the sponsor of the Agni Animal Welfare Fund
Topic:
I seem to remember someone on the site has been successful before but cant remember who.
