Trees from seed

[DrCase]

I have more than a few varieties of Japanese red maples in my yard
i do get a lot of volunteers that come up on their own.each year
this year i picked seeds from each tree and put them in baggy's of moist dirt and put into the fridge till spring
I want to plant them in and along the woods on are farm for color and just cause i can

 

[Tmann]

If you have success with them I might have to give it a try. I have several types of maples but I do not get any volunteers.

 

[Arzosah]

It sounds a great idea in principle, Dr Case, and your maples obviously suit your local environment, thats brilliant. Can I ask, though, what wildlife use the woods, is the Japanese red maple a tree it can use? I know that lots of trees that grow really well in the UK can't be used by our insect or bird life at all, and everyone suffers. Hope the maple is useful to all the little critters, its such a beautiful tree

 

[Arzosah]

It sounds a great idea in principle, Dr Case, and your maples obviously suit your local environment, thats brilliant. Can I ask, though, what wildlife use the woods, is the Japanese red maple a tree it can use? I know that lots of trees that grow really well in the UK can't be used by our insect or bird life at all, and everyone suffers. Hope the maple is useful to all the little critters, its such a beautiful tree

 

[DrCase]

Thanks for your concern Arzosah
We have 260 acre of trees on the farm , If i can get 100 or more to make it i will be happy to have the color
deer will be able to eat the low leaves if they want to might get a bird nest
I always have at least 7 acre planted just for the wild life to eat all year long
We have deer rabbits coon bobcats coyote mink beavers bear hawks eagles owl ducks ivory billed woodpeckers it goes on and on

 

[maddie]

I love the color of Japanese maples. I had a bonsai a long time ago.. must have been 20 years old or more when I got it as a gift from my great uncle. It was such a beautiful tree.. but it aged and withered away.. my mom had it varnished and fitted with coral to make it look like a tree again.. I wish I had some pictures of that somewhere.

Here is a similar picture which I found online

 

[Amy]

Where are you planning on growing them? I hope it works out for you! I recently have been growing 4 balsam firs from seeds and they have sprouted and are growing beautifully.

 

[DrCase]

While I was in the yard yesterday I noticed new baby red maples coming up around 1 of my trees,
I checked my seeds in the fridge and they had little tails sticking out, I got about 150 or so scratched into the dirt on a ridge that runs along a road through the farm before it started raining.
With the time change I will have time after work to plant more this week

 

[DrCase]

I just want that 1/2 mi stretch to have beautiful spring and fall color in 10 years

 

[Tmann]

DrCase how long did you leave them in the fridge, since you picked them up?

 

[DrCase]

I put them in the fridge in early January . Tmann
It took a while to break off all the wings , I don't know how they know when to sprout.
All I can think of the warmer temp out side increased my beer out of fridge rate = light on more, making them think longer days

 

[ACSAPA]

You're amazingly patient to wait 10 years for those little seedlings to grow into Japanese red maples. But, as the quote says, the time will pass anyway whether you do it or not, so you might as well.
How long will it take the seeds to grow into little saplings?

 

[Tmann]

I put them in the fridge in early January . Tmann
It took a while to break off all the wings , I don't know how they know when to sprout.
All I can think of the warmer temp out side increased my beer out of fridge rate = light on more, making them think longer days

I am going to have to remember to try this next year. Setting a calendar reminder in my phone now so as not to forget.

 

[DrCase]

You're amazingly patient to wait 10 years for those little seedlings to grow into Japanese red maples. But, as the quote says, the time will pass anyway whether you do it or not, so you might as well.
How long will it take the seeds to grow into little saplings?

In my yard they grow about 6" the first year, I have 3 year old plants just over 2ft

 

[ACSAPA]

In my yard they grow about 6" the first year, I have 3 year old plants just over 2ft

Well that's cool. At least you don't have to wait 10 years to start seeing a small tree forming, so within a year you can start to see the fruits of your labor. That must be pretty encouraging. I still think people who plant trees are amazingly patient because a tree is a long term commitment in both time and permanence. Unlike my potted plants, that I can move on a whim, a tree pretty much stays where it is forever, so you have to be kind of a visionary and imagine your landscape in 10 years.