"Evergreen Gardenworks" wrote in message
ic.net...
At 11:54 AM 7/1/04 +1000, Andrew wrote:
Hi everyone.
I have acquired Amur maple seeds.
I have been told to soak them for 24hrs, the refrigerate them for
2-4months.
I know the risk of fungal attack and so on with seeds so my question is
do I
dry these before refrigerating, and what should I put them in for
refrigerated storage? Envelope, peat moss, container?

Andrew

I soak them, drain off all the water and then mix with an equal volume of
DRY vermiculite. Then I put the mixture in a plastic ziplock bag and pop
them in the refrigerator for the winter. By the time the weather is
suitable for sowing them, they will be ready to germinate. You should get
excellent germination.

The vermiculite soaks up all the excess surface moisture and provides a
reservoir of moisture without leaving the mixture 'wet', which can lead to
mold. Some people use peat moss, but peat moss itself will mold,
vermiculite will not support the growth of mold, it is inorganic. Do not
try to store them like this any longer than necessary. They need about
three months minimum for complete pretreatment.

Hopefully these seeds were fresh, without overdrying. Most Acer seeds
don't
store well and should be pretreated immediately after collecting.

Thank you very much for the help, and I have gone with your advice.
We don't get snow, or many frost in this part of OZ, however maples do grow
here. Sometimes they lose their foliage sometimes they don't. But it was the
germinating part that bothered me due to lack of cold.
Thanks again
Andrew
Forster, Mid North Coast, NSW Australia

Brent in Northern California
Evergreen Gardenworks USDA Zone 8 Sunset Zone 14

http://www.EvergreenGardenworks.com


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