Hi. I'm new to the forum. I have a question... I harvested some Trachycarpus Fortunei seeds from a tree over here in Vancouver BC today. They are kidney shaped, and black in color. Do I need to dry them before I can germinate them? Also, do I need to peel the outter shell off? Any tips or tricks would be appreciated. Thanks.
This answers my question about removing the husk or not. I will remove it. All I need to figure out now, is if I should dry the seeds before attempting to germinate them. Thanks Ron.
Agree with removing the outer layer - in nature, this is done by birds that disperse the fruit by eating them, digesting the fruit pulp, and passing the seeds in their droppings. After cleaning the seeds, store them cold and moist for 2-3 months (in a fridge at 3 to 5°C), then sow in spring. Don't dry them out.
Oh wow. That makes total sense. I've always wondered how seeds survive the digestive tract of a bird. I appreciate your info. Why do you suggest I attempt to germinate in the spring as opposed to right now indoors?
Seeds usually germinate better after they've had a period of chilling - it makes evolutionary sense, they want to wait until they know winter is over. If they started in a warm spell now, they might get killed by a cold late winter snap. So their genetics tell them to wait. Time in the fridge does that for you :-)
