CWTurner - 6yr. JBP contest entry

[CWTurner]

Let's see if I can at least keep some of these alive for 6 years.

Sounds like fun now, but I'm likely to get lazy/distracted when my bigger trees start growing again, so hope I don't completely forget about these seedlings. Mother Nature better be kind if this is going to work.

I decided to purchase seeds from several sources. I won't use them all for the contest though.


FW Schumacher - $8.50/ounce. An ounce is a LOT of seeds!
Sheffield's Seed - $5.95/packet
TreeSeeds - $4/bag
Myseeds - $5/bag. Bought these cause Mikawa sounds more exotic and they cost a lot, so they must be better, right?

I'll try to keep them separate and see if there are any differences.
CW

 

[theone420]

How Many extra did you receive from Treeseeds.com? they are generous

 

[CWTurner]

How Many extra did you receive from Treeseeds.com? they are generous

They certainly are. I ordered 100 and when I pulled 100 out to soak, I easily had another 250 remaining. (counting JBP seeds is tedious work)

It would be interesting to see how Treeseeds and other seed companies store and dispense their seeds.
CW

 

[theone420]

They certainly are. I ordered 100 and when I pulled 100 out to soak, I easily had another 250 remaining. (counting JBP seeds is tedious work)

It would be interesting to see how Treeseeds and other seed companies store and dispense their seeds.
CW

I had my best sink rate from the seeds I purchased from treeseeds.com and i used 6 different vendors from all over the globe. 1 floater from 116 seeds

 

[Alexmacrophyllum]

Treeseeds.com have always been a great reliable source of seed for many different species of trees. As well as being relatively inexpensive.

 

[CWTurner]

So thinking that I'd get a head-start on my JBP seedlings, I planted a few dozen in a perlite/sand mixture. I had baked the mixture in the oven for a couple hours at 180 degrees to sterilize (ok, disinfect) it. I sprinkled some sphagnum moss on top and gave them a 70 degree heat mat.
The seeds sprouted in no time and were growing well in a seed flat with a humidity dome. After a couple weeks the seedlings were up against the top and fearing damping off, I removed the humidity dome. I kept the heat mat on.
Well, they all fell down and died. I thought I was keeping them well watered, and had them in bright, but not direct sunlight.
I'm no seedsman and I don't want this to happen when I plant out the remainder of the seeds. Anyone see what I did wrong?
CW

 

[RobertB]

try growing in full sun with no cover / dome, I mean as full sun as you have. Only slightly water when the very top of the soil starts to look a little dry. don't drench. Might want to spray some daconil on once they germinate also.

I have been trying to kill seedlings and have not really been able to. killed a few by watering heavily twice a day.

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

They were not hardened to grow in dry air. Semishade and/or protect from wind would be my way to go.

 

[CWTurner]

So I retried growing the seeds in direct sun and that worked. They've been out all summer in the sunniest part of my yard and watered regularly, but not religiously.

They are now averaging about 2" tall and seem healthy, so last weekend I planted them all in the ground. I have other JBP that I purchased as seedlings (some in containers, some in the ground) and they grow 3 times faster in the ground. So with the exception of some organic fertilizer sprinkled around, they are in Mother Nature's hands now.

If anyone has done this with young JBP, are there any special winter precautions I should take?
CW

 

[Wilson]

Hey @CWTurner did you provide any special winter protection? Did you leave them in ground?

 

[CWTurner]

Hey @CWTurner did you provide any special winter protection? Did you leave them in ground?

Nope. Just left them in the ground. Planned to put some leaf mulch around them but forgot.
Here they are after just one year.


Down here, Wilson

CW

 

[Wilson]

At least it looks like there is still some green down there!

 

[ysrgrathe]

Epic troll, I approve.

 

[theone420]

love it that is a great shot.