Japanese maple from seed

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Out of curiosity, do you know how long it takes between when the root comes out, and the stock begins to raise out of the ground? A few weeks ago I collected some freshly germinated seeds, and I'm trying to figure out how often to go back to collect more.

Thanks, Casey
 

leatherback

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Very much temperature related, and some are faster then others. So.. It depends.

A few weeks ago I collected some freshly germinated seeds, and I'm trying to figure out how often to go back to collect more.

Maybe I am missing the point, but why would you not now collect all the seeds that you can handle, and pot them up in a flat for spring, trnasplanting them in early summer into individual pots?
 
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They're coming along nicely! Did you plant your seeds all at once? If so are they coming in one by one? I planted about 50 seeds and about 45 of them sprouted within a week of each other. I might have had 1 or 2 that were delayed.
 

BonsaiNaga13

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They're coming along nicely! Did you plant your seeds all at once? If so are they coming in one by one? I planted about 50 seeds and about 45 of them sprouted within a week of each other. I might have had 1 or 2 that were delayed.
I had mine in a container like @AlainK with like 200 seeds but only like 20 sprouted so I transplanted those and birds attacked some now I'm left with the 8 growing together. The others were started in doors late winter. I'm Gunn try again next autumn with a wider shallower container.
 

BonsaiNaga13

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Wire was starting to bite in so I removed it 20190602_151128.jpg
The birds went on a rampage attacking my seedlings but luckily this one was wired in and they couldn't yank it out but they did some trunk damage that's callousing over already 20190602_151211.jpg
 

AlainK

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Hi BonsaiNaga13 from Saint Louis, Missouri, USDA zone 6B :)

That's a great way to grow bonsai, to learn about trees requirements because we want them to be healthy, and hopefully beautiful.

You may lose some, but the ones that you'll keep will be better and better every year.

More people should start (again if need be) by planting seeds. Hurray, kudos on you! :D
 

BonsaiNaga13

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Hi BonsaiNaga13 from Saint Louis, Missouri, USDA zone 6B :)

That's a great way to grow bonsai, to learn about trees requirements because we want them to be healthy, and hopefully beautiful.

You may lose some, but the ones that you'll keep will be better and better every year.

More people should start (again if need be) by planting seeds. Hurray, kudos on you! :D
Thank you, I plan to keep this thread updated if I succeed in overwintering these
 

Jcmmaple

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Obviously I’m doing something wrong, this one is 2 years old and I have some others too about the same size. How are yours growing like that, what is the trick? 933892EE-B741-463A-8510-3D8D4F9692F5.jpeg
 

BonsaiNaga13

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Obviously I’m doing something wrong, this one is 2 years old and I have some others too about the same size. How are yours growing like that, what is the trick? View attachment 245737
Yours looks to be a lace leaf. I have a few of those that are growing extremely slow which is why lace leaf are usually grafted onto stronger root stock.
 

Forsoothe!

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Obviously I’m doing something wrong, this one is 2 years old and I have some others too about the same size. How are yours growing like that, what is the trick? View attachment 245737
Don't worry about the speed of growth. You now have a non-grafted tree that you can wire and clip and grow for the rest of your life. You can feed it moderately in the growing season and give it good protection in winters. Small pots can get too dry in winter and Maples are real sensitive to that, so beware.
 

Jcmmaple

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It’s seedlings that grow under my Bloodgood, I have thousands of seeds on it this year. Thanks for the heads up on the growth and the pot situation. I’m planning making a seed bed this year to try out, just till some yard up and drop the seedling and cover them a little bit in the shade and let Mother Nature take over. I read collect when they are still red but not yet brown, if that makes sense.
 

Forsoothe!

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You are exceedingly lucky! Very few 'Bloodgood' set seed, or they set very few and only occasionally. I could speculate endlessly on the possible reasons, but my first guess would be that there is a very fertile A.p. in the area. Look around for a green one up-wind, and not too far away, a block or two. Also, look under all the various and sundry other varieties in the vicinity, your luck may extend beyond your wildest dreams. Many special varieties set very few, or no fertile seeds. A.p. (and many others) have alternating high yield/low yield years, so do not assume that you can skip collecting seeds in a good year assuming that, "I'll get 'em next year...". Evidently, last year was a good yielding year, so don't be surprised to find no seeds this year, or seedlings next spring. To save seeds for more than one cycle, let them dry out for a couple days, put them in a sealed plastic bag (sandwich bag seal is fine), squeeze all the air out and put that in the freezer until you're ready to plant a few years down the line. You will have a smaller and smaller yeild over time, but it still works pretty good. If Maple seeds get too dry, they die, so don't over do the drying process.
 
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