Perhaps, seeing the hanging fruit on the trees and shrubs, many of you have repeatedly asked yourself the question: is it possible to collect them already, and when it is better to do it, so that it is not too early or too late?
After all, the timing of collection and pre-sowing treatment have a great influence on the germination of seeds — in time collected and properly prepared germinate quickly and amicably. It is especially important to know this when it comes to crops on a large scale: when you, for example, decided to create a hedge of your own seedlings or get a favorite plant for yourself and your loved ones.
The fact that the seeds of woody plants (as well as herbaceous) go through several stages of maturation, and their collection should be carried out to achieve full ripeness, when they become hard and elastic, and the fruits take a characteristic color. Often they themselves suggest the time of collection, not only changing color, but also revealing.
It is clear that the flowering trees and shrubs at different times of the year the timing of ripening of fruits and seeds will also be different.
Moreover, every year the rate of fruit ripening is greatly influenced by weather conditions (warm and dry autumn they ripen faster).
Before harvesting fruits and seeds, it is possible and necessary to visually determine their readiness. Let me remind you that all of them should:
- to find their characteristic color;
- boxes should be dry and well cracking when pressed.
Self-cracking and even self-flying fruits it is important to gather before the “fatal” moment, because then they will have to pick up from the ground.
To collect seeds should be prepared in advance:
- buy or self-glue for them a sufficient number of bags (preferably from Kraft paper);
- stock up on pencils, pens, markers (than you feel more comfortable will work).
It matters!
- Fruits and seeds should be collected on a dry Sunny day.
- It is very important to sign packages immediately.
Storage preparation and storage
- Harvested seeds are cleaned, if necessary (for species with juicy pericarp), poured with water and washed.
- Then they are necessarily dried, laying out a thin layer on paper.
- Clean, dry seeds stored in a signed crafting bags, cloth bags (or destratification) up to the time of sowing.
Despite the fact that the year does not have to, known approximate terms of seed collection, and if possible they still need to be followed.
April-may
We collect the fruits of Ulmus and other members of the family Ulmaceae, as well as Salix, Populus.
Fruits Ulmus laevis-a kind of wide lionfish. Seeds are small nuts. Benign (number of apparently healthy seeds) up to 80%. Soil germination (the number of normally sprouted seeds from the total when sowing in open ground) to 30%. The depth of seeding (the distance at which the seeds are immersed in the soil during sowing) — 0.5-1.0 cm.
June
It is time to harvest the fruits of Lonicera caerulea var. edulis, shadberry Amelanchier canadensis, and others.
Red globular berries Lonicera tatarica with bitter juicy flesh are poisonous. Before storage, be sure to clean the seeds from the pulp. After storage, the seeds germinate at a temperature of +12…+20°C (without stratification) for 2-3 weeks. Stratification at +3…+5°C for 1-2 months significantly increases the energy of germination (Amity of shoots). Freshly harvested seeds germinate in a week. Laboratory germination (the number of normally sprouted seeds from the total when determined in laboratory conditions, for example, soaking in Petri dishes) — 69-78%, ground — 57-65%. The depth of seeding — 1.5-2.0 cm.
July
The fruits of Cotinus coggygria, Morus alba, Ribes aureum and others ripen.
In the pink clouds of Cotinus coggygria it is easy to see its fruits — small dry drupes. When they turn greenish brown, with a network of longitudinal veins, that’s when they can be harvested. Seeds have strong outer covers, because of which shoots can appear only in the spring of next year. The depth of seeding — 0.8-1.3 cm.
July-August
It’s time to harvest the fruit:
- Euonymus;
- Betula pendula;
- Philadelphia;
- Prunus virginiana;
- Berberis vulgaris;
- Cotoneaster horizontalis and others.
The fruits of Euonymus are bright (often pinkish) boxes, inside which at first no less spectacular orange-red, red, crimson seeds are hidden, which need long-term (within 6-7 months) stratification in wet sand.
August
Collect fruit and seeds:
- Sambucus racemosa;
- Prunus padus;
- Deutzia;
- Caragana arborescens;
- Clematis montana;
- Crataegus sanguinea and others.
Often dry Laburnum fruits hang on the branches until the next flowering, however, it is better to collect them no later than the end of September. Seeds need scarification (mechanical damage to the upper covers).
August-September
Small spherical drupe Vitex agnus-castus can be collected until the end of December.
Fresh seeds Vitex agnus-castus germinate long-within a year. After storage, they need long — term (within 3 months) stratification in wet sand at a temperature of +5°C. the Depth of seeding is 2.0-3.0 cm.
September
When ripe Sapindus fruit-swollen 3-nest boxes-acquire a light brown color and open the leaf. Seeds need scarification and subsequent stratification (within 3 months) in wet sand at a temperature of +3…+7 ° C. depth of seeding-1,5-2,0 cm.
September-October
In Lebanese oak acorns ripen in the second year of development! Sown in autumn or spring. Their average quality is high-up to 98%. Laboratory germination-95%, soil — 89%. The depth of sealing acorns-8,0-12,0 cm.
October-November
The seeds of Catalpa ovata (small, with small wings) remain viable for up to 1.5 years. Laboratory germination of 78 percent of white and 38%. It is better to sow seeds in autumn, the depth of incorporation-1.0-1.5 cm.
November-December
To obtain Viburnum tinus seedlings, it is better to sow freshly harvested seeds in autumn.
Since I live a little South of the middle lane, the timing of the collection of fruit and tree seeds are given for this region. It is quite clear that everything Matures 2-3 weeks earlier than in the middle lane, and this should be taken into account.
Most of the seeds of trees and shrubs are harvested in late summer or autumn.
In some species, the period of collection of fruits and seeds is quite long, due to the prolonged period of their flowering.
From September and almost until spring, you can collect ripe berries Ligustrum vulgare, which are kept firmly on the branches all winter.
From fall to spring of next year to gather seed cones of coniferous wood: pine, cedars, spruces, firs, giant Sequoia. But still it is better to harvest them in the fall or early winter, and until spring to store in a dry ventilated area, scattering a thin layer on thick paper (seeds ripen successfully, cones will open themselves).
For a long time (2-3 months) on trees and shrubs hanging fruit Robinia pseudoacacia, Catalpa bignonioides, Platanus, Fraxinus, Elaeagnus, Hippophae rhamnoides, various Cotoneaster(if they are not devoured by birds).
Now, knowing the terms of collection and the rules of storage of seeds, it will be easier for you to grow attracted species of trees and shrubs.