Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84 exptools; site ihlpg.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!ihlpg!fish
From: fish@ihlpg.UUCP (Bob Fishell)
Newsgroups: net.garden
Subject: Re: Starting trees from seeds
Message-ID: <198@ihlpg.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 22-Feb-85 13:14:41 EST
Article-I.D.: ihlpg.198
Posted: Fri Feb 22 13:14:41 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 26-Feb-85 06:58:34 EST
References: <562@decwrl.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 32


> (How should the seeds be stored and prepared? 
> Should they be started inside and when? ...)  



*** REPLACE THIS MESS WITH YOUR LINEAGE ***

This is a tricky thing to do, becuse it involves more than just planting
the seeds in dirt and watching them grow in a lot of instances.

The reason is that many perrenial plants' seeds require various conditions
to break dormancy.  Honey Locust, for example, requires scarification of
the seed coat or it won't grow.  In nature, bacteria and insects take
care of this.  In a greenhouse, a nail file will do.

Other seeds require a period of cold prior to germinating; still others
require soaking.  In many cases, auxins can break dormancy, but sometimes
breaking seed dormancy artificially will result in a sterile or dwarf
plant.

A better way to roll your own plants is to obtain a cutting of the
plant you want, treat it with auxins (such as "Rootone") and plant
it. Many plants will root, but in some instances, you have to air-layer
the cutting, i.e., cut a little wedge out of the stem, but leave
it attached to the plant.  Treat the wound with auxins and tie a
bag of sphagnum moss around it until it sprouts roots.  Then you
can cut it off and plant it.
/_\_

				Bob Fishell
				ihnp4!ihlpg!fish