Starting trees from seed.

[scott44]

This is my 3rd year of starting oaks and chestnuts from seed, the previous 2 years I've started them the first part of March and had decent success. Dipper posted a pic of his chestnut seeds the other day so I checked mine and got to thinking why not start them now. I have nothing special just a Rubbermaid set of shelves sitting in a south facing window in our kitchen, no grow lights. Just wondering when everyone else starts theirs, Thanks

 

[sandbur]

I used a Se facing patio window for tomatoes and crabapple seeds. Also a few swamp white oaks.

 

[j-bird]

I focus on members of the white oak family - so I start them as soon as I can in the fall in 5 gallon buckets. With them being white oaks I plant them right away in the fall - the sooner the better. I have a ring of drainage holes in the bottom of the buckets for excess water to drain and I put roughly a dozen or so acorns in them and push them into the soil (regular potting soil) about half way. I then cover the top with some wire mesh (dang squirrels will eat everyone if you don't). I then put them in a spot where they get some good, but not pounding sun and let mother nature do her thing. I water them about once a week. I float test all my acorns, before planting. I get pretty good results and will then transfer the seedlings to their permanent location in the spring - once they leaf out and I can see which ones survived the winter. I am sure there are better ways, but I just don't want to put the effort into it at this time. The acorns I use come off of my place so I know there are adapted just fine.