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From Seed to Sapling: A Comprehensive Guide to Ginkgo biloba Seed Germination

January 7, 2023 Smrketa Comments 0 Comment

Growing Ginkgo biloba from seed

Embarking on the journey of Ginkgo seed germination with cold stratification is a thrilling endeavor for horticulturists and tree enthusiasts alike. Ginkgo biloba, with its ancient lineage, unique leaves, and potential health benefits, holds a special place in the world of botanical wonders. In this comprehensive guide, we will unravel the intricacies of Ginkgo biloba seed germination, including the essential step of cold stratification, providing a step-by-step exploration from harvesting to nurturing the delicate seedlings.

Harvesting Ginkgo Seeds

Harvesting ginkgo seeds is a crucial first step. Wait until late fall when the fruit surrounding the seeds emits a pungent odor, indicating they are ready for harvest. Wear gloves to protect your hands from the fleshy outer layer, which can cause skin irritation. Collect seeds from healthy, disease-free trees.

Seed Preparation – Soaking and Scarifying

To prepare ginkgo seeds for germination and cold stratification, start by soaking them in water for 24 to 48 hours. This process helps soften the hard seed coat and promotes water absorption. Following soaking, some horticulturists choose to scarify the seed coat. Gently file or sand one end of the seed to create a slight opening, aiding in water absorption and germination.

Cold Stratification

Cold stratification mimics the natural winter conditions that many seeds require to break dormancy. Place the soaked and scarified ginkgo seeds in a damp paper towel or sphagnum moss within a plastic bag. Seal the bag and refrigerate it for a cold stratification period of 60 to 90 days. This process is essential for triggering the germination process.

Choosing the Right Growing Medium

Selecting an optimal growing medium is crucial for ginkgo seed germination. A mixture of potting soil and perlite or sand provides a well-draining and nutrient-rich environment. Fill individual containers or seed trays with the growing medium, ensuring they have drainage holes to prevent waterlogging.

Planting Ginkgo Seeds

Plant the cold-stratified, soaked, and scarified ginkgo seeds about one inch deep in the prepared containers. Space the seeds apart to allow adequate room for root development. Gently press the soil over the seeds to ensure good seed-to-soil contact. Water the containers thoroughly.

Creating the Ideal Germination Conditions

Maintaining optimal conditions is crucial for successful Ginkgo biloba seed germination. Place the containers in a warm location with a consistent temperature between 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit (21 to 27 degrees Celsius). To create a greenhouse effect, cover the containers with plastic wrap or use a clear plastic dome to retain moisture and warmth.

Monitoring and Patience

Ginkgo biloba seeds are known for variable germination times, ranging from a few weeks to several months. Regularly check the moisture levels in the growing medium, ensuring it remains consistently damp but not waterlogged. Be patient, as ginkgo seeds may exhibit staggered germination, with some seeds sprouting before others.

Transplanting Ginkgo Seedlings

Once the ginkgo seedlings have developed a pair of true leaves, they are ready for transplanting. Gently remove the seedlings from their containers, taking care not to damage the delicate roots. Transplant the seedlings into larger containers or directly into the garden if outdoor conditions are favorable.

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Using Aspirin on Plants

January 16, 2017 tarzan Comments 0 Comment

Salicylic acid (SA)

Aspirin’s active ingredient is acetylsalicylic acid. It is chemically similar to Salicin, which naturally occurs in willow bark. When dissolved in water, acetsalicylic acid breaks into acetic and salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is a plant hormone (phytohormone) which works as a defense mechanism against pathogens and environmental issues like drought, heat and chill stress, heavy metal toxicity and similar. Plants can also make the hormone signal reach nearby plants by producing volatile methyl salicylate.

Plant hormone

Plants produce small amounts of salicylic acid when stressed. The defense mechanism allows them to fight environmental stress and pest damage. It became evident that there are also other benefits of SA growth hormone, related to growth and plant development. Usually plant response is slow and SA levels are low, which means we can speed things up by activating plant’s immune system by exposing it to Salicylic acid. Possible reason of high concentrations of salicylic acid in willow is the fact that it usually grows in water logged conditions. SA hormone allows it to keep the stomates opened which allows transpiration.
Diluted salicylic acid is helpful when germinating seeds as it speeds up germination and boosts their resistance to pests and infections. Pretreating seeds with SA also improves germination rate.

How to use Aspirin?

As mentioned above, acetylsalicylic acid breaks down in water, making salicylic acid available to the plant. Usually it is applied as foliar spray. I use one Aspirin tablet dissolved in 4 liters of water. Some use stronger concentrations, but I’m trying to keep it safe, rather than burning my plants. I usually leave the water with dissolved aspirin sit for a day, so it can hydrolysate completely. Positive effects should be visible a week or two after application.

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Carnivorous forest

December 14, 2016 tarzan Comments 0 Comment

Anyone who owned Drosera capensis knows how much seeds they can produce. In autumn, all my plants went into full bloom and managed to produce large amounts of seeds. As winter came, I decided to sow the seeds into an empty ice cream container and check for germination. I expected a lot of small plants, a mixture of regular Drosera capensis and Drosera capensis ‘Alba’.

Germination of fresh seedlings

I’ve kept the ice cream container outside during the rainy autumn, filled with cheap peat moss. I hoped for the peat to get thoroughly washed for the new seedlings to grow. When I bought my first Drosera seeds, I needed to wait around a month, before the first tiny seedlings emerged. I expected the same thing with my seeds. How wrong I was!
I used the seeds that somehow ended up on my desk where I kept the flower stalks I’ve cut off during after the flowering. Most of the flowers were completely ripe and the seeds just loved to ‘jump’ out of the seed pods. That is one of the reasons why D. capensis easily seeds into surrounding pots when you leave flower stalks to ripen.

I’ve been growing my Droseras outside during the summer, both regular D. capensis and Alba variety in the same spot. The seeds I used were from both, white and pink flowering carnivore plants.
As I mentioned before, I expected the seeds to germinate really slowly. I was extremely surprised when I saw first tiny green plantlets emerging in less than a week. After a couple of weeks, there was a whole forest of small seedlings, baking under my grow light.

The carnivorous forest

I’ve sown Cape Sundew seeds tightly together in the past already and never managed to separate them. At first they didn’t look too happy and needed to fight for their position in the pot. After a while, weak plants died off and the strong Sundews remained healthy. In the end, the pot got completely covered with healthy sticky leaves and the plants set numerous flower stalks. I actually liked the crowded pot much better than my large but lonely growing plants. There is another thing I loved about that pot – these tightly grown carnivores were hungry! When I placed the pot near to the source of light during the night, or close to the pond during the drought, they caught all kinds of flies, mosquitoes and other flying, bloodsucking vermin. I intend to do the same thing this year, but on a much larger scale.

Taking care of the seedlings

Same as before, I placed some springtails into the container to keep the small seedlings well fed and to remove any possible source of mold infection. Springtails feed on decaying organic matter which can quickly lead to mold growth. When I feed my adult carnivores with beta fish food, I usually use the same food to feed the tiny seedlings as well. Well, at least some of them. I dilute the fish food with distilled water a bit more than the food I make for my large plants. I dip a toothpick into the prepared fish food and tap the tiny carnivore leaves with the toothpick. I make sure there are no large chunks that could harm the plants. I don’t feed them that way very often, because it’s much easier to just watch the springtails get caught.

🙂

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Germinating walnut tree

June 26, 2016 tarzan Comments 2 comments

I received several extremely large walnuts and decided to try making them germinate.

Walnuts are easy to propagate from seeds, but they grow slow at first and you don’t really know the size of the walnuts until the tree is already quite large. They also secrete juglone, a phytotoxic chemical that is toxic to many plants. All parts of the walnut tree have some level of juglone, which inhibits growth of plants around it. Juglone is also the reason, why it’s usually not a good idea to add any part of the plant into compost bin. My experience is, that when properly composted, juglone decomposes enough and doesn’t even bother tomato seedlings, which are otherwise extremely sensitive to juglone. Trees grow tall, with dense and broad crown. They can grow in most soils and can handle some drought.

To germinate the walnut, it have to be stratified for 3 to 4 month in a plastic bag with damp paper towel, moist peat or sand in a refrigerator. During the stratification, paper towel and the nuts can become mouldy. They can be washed in cold water and wrapped into new moist paper towel, before placing it into the fridge for some more time. I did not see any issues regarding the mold, all the walnuts I tried germinated into healthy seedlings, even if kept moldy for a while, before I’ve noticed and cleaned them.

After 4 months or when you feel the seeds are stratified enough to germinate, wash them in cold water and plant the nuts into well draining moist compost rich soil, 2 to 5 cm deep. They start sprouting in a couple of weeks and in a month or so, you can have your first little trees emerging. If it takes longer, seeds might not have been stratified enough and will take a bit longer to sprout. When they grow enough to handle, place them separately into large enough pots, buckets or directly into the ground. Walnuts are supposed to get larger if they get up-potted a couple of times when they are young. I have heard that story many times, but I have no idea if it is true.

When planting walnut trees outside, you have to make sure they have enough space to grow properly. If they grow close together, the overall appearance of the tree will be tall, without the broad crown. When they have enough space if you plant them 15-20 meters apart, they will grow more sturdy, thick and branched out trunk with broad and extremely dense canopy. It can get too dark under the trees for most plants to thrive, especially considering that the roots of walnut tree release juglone through the roots and keeps the competition away.

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