First one up today. Seeds from 'Senkaki'. They've been in the greenhouse all winter because the blackbirds were pecking at the soil. They may have been after the grit on top as they did the same to the pots with dwarf iris bulbs that also had grit.
‘senkaki’ obtained from seed => a majority of good growers plants with brown-red woods in winter and intense red leaves in autumn. No diseases observed on them.
If you mean the one in picture #2 it is hard to say - maybe try to remove the seed shell pieces and see if it rights itself? Or maybe wait and see as @AlainK suggested. In picture #4 there is a "helmet head" to the right of the main seedling and if this does not improve with time you can try to remove the seed shell manually.
Here are some of my seedlings... already potted them up for the greenhouse. They were sown under a grow light with some bottom heat. I also have the following seedlings growing in the greenhouse but those have some way to go, they were not heated at all. I basically tried all kinds of methods to see what would work. - shir. aureum seeds - pal. bloodgood seeds - pal. osakasuki seeds - pal. dissectum mix seeds (bunch of dissectums I grabbed the seed from) - japon. aconitifolium seeds (hope some of them will sprout...) And a bunch more standard acer palmatum seeds.
Good work ! - shirasawamum seeds need two cold stratifications, 1 cold + 1 hot in summer and then a second cold one = 2 years. - Palmatum dissectum plants are generaly slow and difficult to grow.
More of the seeds put outside in November are started coming out! The tall one broke out about 2 weeks ago I think, and it's already quite tall, and likely extremely fragile... Maybe that one has become leggy, not having enough light
Would be happy to send you some D, if it has seed this year. Remind me in September though, 'cause I won't remember!
Thanks, the Aureum seeds came from this one: We'll see where it goes... I think we've already have some shirasawanum coming out, so not sure about those 2 years. Are you positive on that one? May be some other seed that slipped in...
Isn't that the Esveld plant? No possibility of hybridization then! heh. Or maybe not, I remember Cor mentioning it wasn't doing very well and he was concerned for it. My experience is also double stratification for shirasawanum (and japonicum), which in my case means: stratify, leave the tray for 2 years, sometimes 3. But I do guess that hybrid seed may sometimes have softer hulls (pericarps) too, and germinate faster.
@opusoculi is right. Shirasawanum and japonicums takes two years. Saying that doesn't mean none will germinate before hand. So do not disregard after this year.
I agree , a very little shirasawanum ‘aureum' seeds can germinale faster. 3 years ago, from a semi of 60 aureum samaras, i obtained 3 births after only the 1st stratification. I had collected the seeds from an old isolated tree, in a garden with no maple than this ‘aureum'. I thought that way, i had more chance of obtening a subject very close to ‘aureum’. Presently, i have 3 steel alive plants, typically shirasawanum (9 to 10 full lobes) of whom 1 very strong young plant; the leaves are light green very attractive.
Has anyone used mycrorhizzae? they make maples grow much faster and bigger. here is a photo of sugar maple seedlings, one without mycorhizzae and one treated with mycorhizzae. fast growth isnt good for japanese maples though. link: Mycorrhizae « Botany Blog
Never tried it with seedlings. Although I do use it on mature trees when re potting. An excellent blog. Thanks for the link Soumil. D
I tried some on a few of my bonsai, deciduous only, mainly Japanese maples. The conifers already had some streaks of white mycellium, so when I repot bonsai, I always include some of the old substrate. On my deciduous, I didn't see any spectacular growth, but they must have helped to establish the roots.
I performed an experiment, years ago, on a dozen varied maple species, one year or two year seedlings. Identical soil-free substrate (my regular, mostly pozzolan and partially composted pine bark). One mycorrhizae group, one control group. The mycorrhizae group had treble the root volume after one year. Since then I use it on all seedlings when repotting. I use it when moving to the ground, though I may be wasting money there. If you search the forum I think you'll find lots of experiences on myc.
Indeed the Esveld one. I grabbed a few seeds last autumn while I was visiting. Almost stepped into the wasp next that was in the ground, haha. What do you mean by "no possibility of hybridization"? I'd say with everything around that's pretty much a given? :) (which I don't mind of course) I was talking to Dick van der Maat last year and he told one you can be happy if one of your japonicum from 100 would sprout. So I guess I should leave them out until next year and see what happens.
