Most trees will long outlive the people who plant them, with a their typical
lifespan being about 100-200 years. There are many determining factors such as
species, varieties and environmental conditions, which all play a big role.
Many kinds of trees can be grown from seed, like other plants. It can be very
rewarding and for many species, a fairly easy task. Requiring time and care, but very
little cash or specialized equipment. The pods or fruits that contain the seeds
can often be found and gathered in your garden, in woodlands or purchased from
suppliers or nurseries.
When gathering seeds, always ask or get permission from the landowner before you begin collecting.
If possible, try to only collect seeds from mature, well-formed, healthy
trees. Another good practice is to collect seeds from more than one tree to encourage genetic diversity.
Some seeds such as Ash, Birch, Catalpa, Dogwood, Sycamore and Black Gum can be found either on the
branches or on the ground beneath the trees. For conifers such as Spruce, Pine and
Fir, gather the cones, because thats where their seeds are, neatly tucked under
the cone scales.
Tree seeds come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and types, anything from large nuts to
berries to tiny seeds. Individual species often have different requirements and seasons for the
collection, treatment and planting of seeds.
Nuts should be sorted by floating them in water for about 24 hours. The good ones
will sink to the bottom, and are the ones that should be planted. The ones that float to
the top are empty and can be discarded. (Acorns, Beechnuts, Cherries)
Fruits and berries need to have the flesh removed from around their seeds. This
can be accomplished by first bruising the fruit and then leaving it a few days.
After a few days mash the fruit in a container, then carefully wash away the pulp,
leaving only the seeds remaining.
Conifer seed can be extracted by placing the cones in a container and putting the
container in a warm place. Once the cones open up, cover the container and shake
vigorously to dislodged the seeds.
Most seed have a period of dormancy before they will germinate. The
breaking of dormancy is influenced by moisture, temperature, oxygen and light.
This process is called stratification and can be artificially hastened by
changes in temperature and removal of seed-flesh or coats.
Stratification provide an ideal environment for seeds to break dormancy, ready
to germinate. The method is very simple: The seed is mixed with at least an equal
amount of coarse sand and either peat, ground bark or leaf mold then sown in flats
or containers and kept outdoors. Exposure to the outside temperatures, rainfall
and air, is vitally important to this process.
For seed that doesn't require stratification, it can be stored in air
tight containers in a cool place or in the refrigerator. If not all seed is needed in
the same season, it can be stored in a freezer. Be sure and check stored
seeds periodically to make sure they have not spoiled.
