Hawthorne

I'm a beginner. Okay, the issue is about overcoming seed dormancy by subjecting seeds to a process, natural or otherwise. When that process is otherwise (non natural), it's called stratification or pre-treatment. I believe in the Hawthorne case cold stratification is required, where the seeds are subject to a period of cold.

With Hawthorne then, it appears that if the seeds are sown naturally, seeds may germinate after the first, second or third winter.

However, you can stratify, which I presume can bring forward the germination process.

The article says "Stratify for 16 months". I don't know what that means. Does that mean store in cold for 16 months - or what?

My seeds have been outside in water since last October. Clearly they went through a first winter but did not germinate. Not uncommon. Also, maybe they did not germinate because they were not in compost.

The issue is what do I do. Do I put seeds in plastic bag in peat that is moist and put in fridge for some specific period, or do I put seeds in plant pots and put outside hoping seeds will germinate this next spring, which will be the second winter?

One thinks germination ought to be timed with spring.

 

Hi Richard,

This is gleaned from the BTCV Woodlands manual,

To stratify small quantities of seeds. mix them with 4 times their weight of sand, enough to separate them from each other, store in a plastic bag in a fridge. Sand should be damp but not wet.

Can be stored in a cool outbuilding in a mouse proof box.

 

Hi. So, I think what I can do, is put seeds in a plastic bag as mentioned, and place in cooler. When end of October comes, take out of fridge, put seeds in plant pots and put outside over the winter. By February or March seeds will probably have germinated. Then I can take out from plant pots and plant in my garden.

If no-one says I'm not doing right, I'll go with that plan.

 

I think hawthorn seeds will take much more effort to germinate 'unnaturally' than naturally, because you're missing one important step in the process. You could really do with persuading a bird (the feathered kind) to eat the seeds first, and then poo them out. That will break down the tough outer shell.

 

I wonder if the text in the above should read "Stratify for 16 weeks" rather than "Stratify for 16 months".

I found this:

http://www.communitytreetrust.co.uk/docs/Hawthorn.pdf

I think in the above stratification (as in keeping in a cold place) is 20 weeks.

Anyway, I think the process in the above link is probably my best bet.

 

My BTCV book says 18 months for Hawthorn. Its not so much the cold period as the breaking down of the seed case or drupe. Its hard & has to rot before the seedling can break thru it.

 

I've been confused over what the process is, especially over the timeline, but I think I've got it now.

http://www.communitytreetrust.co.uk/docs/Hawthorn.pdf

The actual stratification process, which is mentioned in the above PDF, involves a repeating process.

Which is:

b)

i) store in warm conditions for 8 weeks

ii) store in cold conditions for 20 weeks or as long as sees takes to "chit".

You take any seeds out that "chit" or produce a root.

The seed that does not "chit", you repeat i) and ii) again until all seed has produced a root.

And I guess it could take up to 20 months to get a particular seed to produce a root.

That is my best take on what the process is to grow Hawthorne from seed using stratification. Based on that link.

Which means, if you have many seeds, more than the plants you need, you could get what you want after one cycle of warm and cold.

 

That sounds good Richard

 

If I store seeds in a hessian sack, I wonder how long they would survive in a dormant state. Anyone have an idea? Thanks.

 

I wonder if you could speed things up by simulating the action of a bird's gizzards. Maybe lay a sheet of sandpaper on the floor, then put the seeds on, then another layer of sandpaper, and give it a good roughing up for half an hour or so. Then go through the stratification cycle.

 

There is another not so good way............swallow them yourself. I won't go into the rest of the details!

 

Wont work, humans don't have a gizzard.

 

You speak for yourself mate.

 

Have you got a gut full of grit like Zig? Doesn't sound very comfortable to me.

 

Taking some unnatural yoghurt & fruit for it.