I've been messing around a bit this year trying to grow a few different trees and shrubs from seed.
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| Healthy little seedlings |
My Eucalyptus Lemon bush seeds germinated quite easily, just sowed in April and then waited. The smell off them is amazing and really strong even on these little plants, apparently they can be used in cooking and for making teas as well as a good natural fly deterrent. When they get a little bigger it'll be fun to try them out.
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| Seperated up into their own pots |
Another one this year is the tomato tree. Dawn sent me some seeds earlier in the year to try so I'm looking forward to seeing how this one does. Apparently it can live for three years if you over winter it. I also have some Prickly Pears coming up from her seeds as well so I'll look forward to seeing how they do!
My last little experiment is with some western red cedar seeds that are currently stratifying in the fridge for a few weeks. These seeds smell so good and I'm hoping I can get them to germinate. My plan being to then grow them on in some plug tray and sell them when they get big enough, but we'll see if I can get any to grow first!
Anyone else growing any tree from seed? any you recommend I try to grow or you think would sell well?
I have loads of Kiwi seedlings, orange, lemon and lime. Last year I grew an advacardo, it's in the green house almost 3foot high, not sure how far I can take it. I want to collect acorns later in the year.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to do some kiwi cuttings this week but no point in citrus here yet until I get better set up, I do love trying to grow things that are a little difficult though.
DeleteI have young Redwood trees that I grew from seeds a couple of years ago, when we were cutting the grass in the woodland we are growing I came across some young oaks that have self seeded now cleared the grass from around them and hope they continue to grow, my tomato trees are coming on they were so slow t get going have two planted in the tunnel and a third waiting to be planted, I am pleased you managed to get some going :-)
ReplyDeleteI've got a few young oaks in pots to plant in other locations that I've found. Also birch and things that I can plant, let grow for a while then cut for firewood.
DeleteCheers for the seeds, the tomato tree and prickily pear have come up but no sign of the sugar apple!
I always thought to get a good fruit tree required grafting but the guy where I keep some hives has a Peach orchard and he grows 90 percent of his trees from the pit. Been making me think I should as well. I got a number of Pinoaks around here I grew from acorns I planted almost 22 years ago. They are about 8 inches around now maybe :)
ReplyDeleteI think that there are some stone fruits that grow true to type, the yellow egg plum is the one I can think of. Even if they don't if you find out they don't have nice fruit when they're bigger you can always grafted it over to something more tasty.
DeleteWill the pinoaks make good firewood or are they alright as a building material?
Pinoaks are about the fastest growing of the real oaks around here and make excellent firewood and building lumber as well. Of course fastest growing is relevant in this case as the ones I planted when my son was born are now large enough they might make a couple of 8 or 10 foot 2x4's or maybe half a days worth of firewood.
DeleteMy grandchildren might harvest them before they die :)
I had help from a squirrel to start growing a Cob Nut tree from seed, he buried the nuts and lots of them sprouted on the hill (he was obviously a bit absent minded as to where he had buried all of his nuts). I carefully dug a healthy one up and potted it on, but it's just keeled over and died.
ReplyDeleteNow I'm wondering if he would help me again next year :-)
Yeah, we have oaks and hazels come up in the garden and I have saved a few of them. Trouble is Mr Squirrel wrecks as many young trees as he starts!
DeleteI've gotten several fine Japanese maple (now 5' tall) from seeds sown 4 years ago. Redbud trees spring readily from seed as do ash trees. A couple years ago I grew an avocado from seed, kept it until too tall for the bay window (near 4') and gave it to a local nursery for her to grow it out. If you have time, seeds are the way to go for fun.
ReplyDeleteI do love Japanese maples and I've had one in a pot for about 6 years now but every year I go to save it's seeds and they've gone by the time I remember! Mines a pretty little red one. I like the idea of you giving your avocado to a nursery to grow on, I wonder if it'll fruit for them?
Deletei've never done this myself but my trees propagate themselves all over the place. some a bit too much!
ReplyDeleteThere are certainly weed trees around here as well! The hedging trees seed everywhere as do the birch from the neighbours garden.
DeleteI have grown mimosa trees, tallow trees, catalpa trees, black walnut, chestnut... I just did the catalpa and they have been fast growing things for sure! They are only up by a couple weeks and are alraedy 6" tall! The chestnut tree was not a great success. They came up but they all died before it was over. The tallows are a piece of cake to grow and do quite well here. The mimosa are super easy too and also do well here. What is the low temp the Eucalyptus Lemon bush can take? Is that something you will have to bring in to protect during the winter?
ReplyDeleteThe lemon bush type of Eucalyptus needs to be brought in for the winter as it doesn't like frost but it smells so nice I think it'll be worth the effort!
DeleteI planted some chestnut seedlings I brought from the internet but I think out of 15 only about 2 are still a live, they're very fussy about soil type I think.
I'll have to google the other trees you've mentioned as they're not ones that are very common over here!
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ReplyDeleteI've grown a juneberry from seed and, after three years, it's got a handful of fruit on it. I can't wait to try them - I just hope I get to them before the birds. So I can't say I'd recommend them yet, but watch this space!
ReplyDeleteJune berries are on my list for next year and five flavour berries. i missed the boat this year though but I'll buy some seeds in the autumn and leave them in the fridge over the winter to stratify. I fancy a June berry hedge somewhere - if they taste nice that is!
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