Chinese elm seed planting advice

Arch1

Seedling
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I'm about to plant a bunch of Chinese Elm seeds, and am left wondering due to conflicting advice and prior failures. Do I need to cover the seeds after planting (container is indoors in an air conditioned room), and if so, at what stage after germination should I remove it? I'm an amateur and my last attempts to germinate Chinese Elm seeds ended with seedlings either dying due to being over-watered in the greenhouse enclosure I used, or dying due to what I assume was my taking them out incorrectly (they withered and died real quick). I don't have many and it's a pain to get more of them where I am, so it'd be nice if I didn't massacre the ones I have. xD
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
 

19Mateo83

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I don’t know if Chinese elm seeds work the same as American elm seeds, but the big American elm tree in my back yard just blankets everything with seed. They just lay on top of the soil and after a rain or two they come up everywhere. Outside in part sun, no greenhouse needed. Transplant when they have 2-3 sets of leaves. Keep moist.
 

Shibui

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Chinese elm does not need pre treatment so you should get good germination just sowing the seeds.
I cover the seeds with a thin layer of potting soil, sand or vermiculite. That helps hold the seed down while the radical (new root) pushes into the soil below.
I would avoid indoors air conditioning if at all possible. Those are terrible conditions for starting seeds so not surprising the last lot did not survive.
 

sorce

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Do it outside!

Sorce
 

Trojan Phil

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I just KNEW you would ask this question. So, here goes:
Thank you for that.

I am in Palm Springs. Looking to start a batch that will NOT live here in summer. I have been lookin at all the 'experts' telling how this must be done this way or that.

Looking for stupid simple here. So, starting I think beginning of October my plan is:
  • Soak
  • Sew
  • Cover
  • Water
  • Wait
That's my plan. Any reason why this will not work as well as soak and stratify, etc?
 

leatherback

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Thank you for that.

I am in Palm Springs. Looking to start a batch that will NOT live here in summer. I have been lookin at all the 'experts' telling how this must be done this way or that.

Looking for stupid simple here. So, starting I think beginning of October my plan is:
  • Soak
  • Sew
  • Cover
  • Water
  • Wait
That's my plan. Any reason why this will not work as well as soak and stratify, etc?
Elm seed ripen in late spring here. And germinate straight away. My conclusion: They do not have a cold dormancy requirement.
So no, no reason.
 

GSCALER

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I'm about to plant a bunch of Chinese Elm seeds, and am left wondering due to conflicting advice and prior failures. Do I need to cover the seeds after planting (container is indoors in an air conditioned room), and if so, at what stage after germination should I remove it? I'm an amateur and my last attempts to germinate Chinese Elm seeds ended with seedlings either dying due to being over-watered in the greenhouse enclosure I used, or dying due to what I assume was my taking them out incorrectly (they withered and died real quick). I don't have many and it's a pain to get more of them where I am, so it'd be nice if I didn't massacre the ones I have. xD
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
I purchased over 100 seeds from a seller and tried six different ways to sprout them. Did the 40 degree on paper towel, also in sand, and tried starting them in moist soil. After 3 months nothing has sprouted. I wonder if I need to wait longer?
 

leatherback

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I purchased over 100 seeds from a seller and tried six different ways to sprout them. Did the 40 degree on paper towel, also in sand, and tried starting them in moist soil. After 3 months nothing has sprouted. I wonder if I need to wait longer?
Its winter.. Nothing is moving in my yard
 

eugenev2

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I purchased over 100 seeds from a seller and tried six different ways to sprout them. Did the 40 degree on paper towel, also in sand, and tried starting them in moist soil. After 3 months nothing has sprouted. I wonder if I need to wait longer?
As Leatherback indirectly pointed out, depends where you are in the world. If you're in the nothern hemisphere, nothing will probably happen for a while. If you are in the southern hemisphere, there could be many possible reasons, the seeds may have been infertile, the process used possibly killed of the seeds, i have done this once by putting the seeds in too hot water, seeds from supplier might have been old might require a longer duration. Also seeds work on their own time lines, i've seen many articles/books/comments saying x seeds takes y days to germinate only for the seeds to take about a year to germinate. So i would say, be patient, if by the next spring there is still nothing it may be a failure and you need to try again.
 
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