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How to grow
Native and Naturalised Trees
from seed
This project is supported by the Department of the Environment
Environmental Partnership Fund.
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Native and Naturalised
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Many species of trees can be grown from seeds sown in October. Children love to engage in collecting and sowing seeds, especially when the importance of their task is explained to them. They are amazed that they can set in progress something that can outlast them for hundreds of years. |
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Oak
Requirements Seeds of some of the following trees:oak, beech, hazel, rowan, ash, sycamore, hawthorn, blackthorn, crab apple, horse chestnut. These should be collected from healthy trees which are not grown in isolation. Note that some seeds have special requirements for germination. Seed compost, comprising of a half and half mixture of peat/coir and horticultural sand. Potting compost. Half litre and litre sized empty milk cartons or 15 cm wide pots. Old slates or clear plastic. Self-adhesive labels. A container filled with wet moss for temporarily storing seeds.
Different Trees and Seeds Hazel and Beech Half litre cartons are ideal for these seeds also. The method of sowing is the same as above.
Crab and Sycamore The pips of crab apples and the seeds of sycamores can be sown in yogurt cartons, small pots or cell trays using a seed compost.
Ash Collect Ash keys (seeds) as soon as they are ripe. Sow the seeds immediately in half-litre cartons filled with a growing mixture which must contain some lime (one seed per carton). Some good soil must be mixed with the sand and peat in equal parts. Cover the seeds lightly, water them and leave the containers outside. Some will germinate in the first spring but most seeds will need two winters outside, to break their dormancy.
Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Rowan Start off by leaving the berries in plastic bags for a few days. The flesh will begin to rot. Remove the rotting flesh from the seeds by washing them under a tap. The hard-coated seeds of these trees need to be subjected to cold conditions before they will germinate. Some seeds will germinate after the first spring, but most will need the cold of two winters before this will happen. This is referred to as stratification or vernalisation.
Definitions Coir: A peat substitute made from crushed coconut shells. If it is not available at your local garden centre, it may be ordered. Horticultural sand: This is sometimes called silver or granite sand. It is used on golf courses and in children's play-pits. All garden centres stock it. Native: tree species that predate human settlement in Ireland. Proof of their growth has been found in pollen samples preserved in peat, e.g. hazel, ash, oak, birch, holly. Naturalised: tree species that have been introduced to Ireland in modern times and successfully reproduce without human interference, e.g. sycamore, horsechestnut. Storing seed: Wet moss prevents acorns, chestnuts and beech mast from drying out. These lose their viability if they become dry.
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Start Here
Continue...
After Care
Nursery Bed
Next Autumn
A glass or plastic cover prevents evaporation and keeps the compost moist. This saves the bother of watering. It also keeps cats and mice away from the trays.
Pots and Seeds Separate pots should be used for each type of seed. Only moist horticultural sand (play sand) should be used in pots. About four measures of sand to one measure of seed is the recommended ratio.
The Process
After Care
Text:Patrick Madden
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