| I am often asked how we manage to germinate | | | | Having bought Japanese maple tree seed myself |
| thousands of Japanese maple tree seeds each | | | | in the past from big name seed companies and |
| year because conventional wisdom says this is | | | | then failed to germinate them, I decided there has |
| considered very hard to do. | | | | to be a better way. |
| In this article I’ll reveal to you the little known | | | | Quite by chance I stumbled on the |
| "Nursery Secrets" we use to guarantee virtually | | | | ‘secret’ of using fresh seed only after |
| 100% germination rates and debunk the myth | | | | finding a |
| that… | | | | ‘rare’ source that offers fresh seed. |
| Germinating Japanese Maple Seeds Is Hard To | | | | So here’s what you need to do to get |
| Do… | | | | guaranteed germination success… |
| If you’ve read any standard text or | | | | 1. Get fresh new season seeds. |
| instructions for germinating Japanese maple seeds | | | | 2. Store them in a zipper bag. |
| and you’ll usually find virtually identical advice. | | | | 3. Keep them for at least 90-100 days in the |
| Conventional wisdom holds that successfully | | | | refrigerator. |
| germinating Japanese maple seeds is hard to do, | | | | 4. Look at the seeds from time to time and |
| definitely something for the more advanced | | | | make sure they are not becoming dry. If needed, |
| gardener. Conventional wisdom also says that the | | | | add a DROP or two of water, every few weeks, |
| key to successful germination is a combination of | | | | so the seeds do not dry out. |
| soaking the seeds in water followed by | | | | 5. If (and only if) you see mold develop, and as |
| "stratification" *(see below). | | | | soon as you see it, use a fungicide, very |
| Soaking the seed is recommended because | | | | sparingly, following the manufacturer's directions |
| almost all the seed you buy from merchants or | | | | or a weak solution of bleach (1 part bleach to 9 |
| from unknown sources (such as you will usually | | | | parts water) |
| find on e-Bay) is dry. Dry seed needs to be | | | | 6. At the end of the period of cold storage, the |
| re-hydrated then stratified* before it has any | | | | seeds are germinating naturally, even in the zipper |
| chance to germinate. | | | | bag in the fridge! |
| *Stratification is the scientific term used to | | | | 7. Transplant the seedlings as they germinate, |
| describe allowing the seed to experience an | | | | planting the emerging rootlet in a seed compost. |
| extended period of cold for at least 90-100 days | | | | We use and recommend using a coir |
| – as if the seed has been through a winter | | | | (coconut)-based growing medium. |
| period after falling naturally off the tree. | | | | Sign up for our FREE e-course for more details. |
| Even if you’ve tried soaking and germinating | | | | We grow a lot of our seedlings in tubes. These |
| dry Japanese maple seed, you’ll know the | | | | are the same tubes used by the USDA Forest |
| results are still hit and miss. People tell you it’s | | | | Service. This way we minimize the additional |
| difficult and, indeed, it is difficult to get any decent | | | | handling of seedlings (thereby reducing our time |
| level of germination from dry seed. | | | | cost and chance of damaging the delicate |
| So we discover by painful practical experience | | | | seedlings when replanting). |
| that conventional wisdom is correct. It’s hard | | | | You should also be careful to watch out for late |
| to germinate most of the Japanese maple tree | | | | Spring frosts. Search for our YouTube video and |
| seed you’ll find offered for sale. To make up | | | | additional online articles on Spring frosts and |
| for any lack of success as a result of using this | | | | Japanese maple trees! Your seedlings might |
| conventional method, you’ll be advised to | | | | germinate in January – February – March |
| leave your seed pans on the ground for another | | | | and you could be faced with a period of several |
| year in the hope that a few more seeds might | | | | weeks when the new seedlings are at risk from |
| germinate. | | | | frost damage. Your seedlings need to be kept in a |
| Well, good luck! You might be lucky and get a few | | | | frost-free place but also need to get good light |
| more seedlings - but it's more likely you’ll | | | | and air movement around them. Keep the |
| have provided the local mice and other critters | | | | seedlings in good light or they will grow long, |
| with a tasty winter meal! | | | | straggly and weak stems. |
| Conventional Wisdom Overturned! | | | | It is important to remember that seedlings are |
| Year after year in our nursery we get | | | | hybrids. We know the ‘mom’ tree that |
| germination success of 87%, 92%, even 98% in | | | | provided the seeds… |
| some cases. And we don’t even soak our | | | | …But we don’t know the ‘dad’ tree |
| seed! | | | | whose pollen (thanks to the bee) fertilized the |
| . | | | | flowers on the ‘mom’ tree. So, just like |
| Here’s the REAL "Secret" to Virtually 100% | | | | our kids, these seedlings will be similar to, but NOT |
| Success in Germinating Japanesemaple tree | | | | identical to the parents. |
| seed… | | | | Seedlings should exhibit some of the |
| | | | characteristics of the ‘mom’ parent, but |
| …Use FRESH, new season seed! | | | | they will not be identical (a true clone). This means |
| Yes, honestly that’s the most important thing | | | | we CANNOT name the seedlings with the same |
| you need to do. Please do NOT buy from seed | | | | cultivar name as the parent. For example, |
| merchants or from online eBay sellers who do not | | | | seedlings from Acer palmatum Bloodgood" can |
| care about your seed germination success. You | | | | only be called ‘Seedlings from "Bloodgood" |
| are almost certain to get old, dry seed buying | | | | seed" or Acer palmatum Atropurpureum (if a red |
| that way. | | | | leaf seedling). |