Hi,

I am getting some Chinese Jujube seeds in a packet from a seed retailer.

The instruction for planting the seeds is to store the seeds first in a
fridge around 5C for 60 - 90 days in order to aid germination. Why?

How-Hie Ling

Certain seeds such as this one needs the period of dormancy in the cold.
Basically what happens in nature is that this seed is shed in late
summer and early autumn. The seed then has to have a period of dormancy
because in natural conditions if the seedling was to rise it would do
so in horrible cold conditions and most likely not survive. So what
this does is stimulate the same response. After the 60-90 days the seed
"thinks" (i use this term very loosely) "oh, I've had my 3 months of winter
I think Ill be able to germinate now"... and thus germination is stimulated

The process of placing the seeds in cold conditions is termed
"stratification"

Hope this helps
David
How-Hie Ling wrote in
:

Hi,

I am getting some Chinese Jujube seeds in a packet from a seed retailer.

The instruction for planting the seeds is to store the seeds first in a
fridge around 5C for 60 - 90 days in order to aid germination. Why?

How-Hie Ling

"How-Hie Ling" wrote in message
...
Hi,

I am getting some Chinese Jujube seeds in a packet from a seed retailer.

The instruction for planting the seeds is to store the seeds first in a
fridge around 5C for 60 - 90 days in order to aid germination. Why?

How-Hie Ling



I don't know the Chinese Jujube plant, but the need for the low temp is
probably due to the fact that where this plant naturally comes from is a
cold place, and it's all part of the plants way to reproduce. In nature, the
seeds may drop, then the cold weather (Winter) will trigger the seed
dormancy, and as Spring comes around it will germinate.
Similar with the need for keeping Tulip bulbs cool before planting if you
live in a warm climate.
Also similar is the need for fire or smoke to trigger some Australian native
seeds out of dormancy, or to open their casing. Bushfires are part of nature
here so as it rages through, the seed will open and smoke will cause a
chemical reaction to bring it out of dormancy, then it will germinate. The
parent plant may die, but it's natures way of avoiding extinction.
There are also other others that need to be triggered by water, (soaking),
sacarafying (outer case of the seed must be damaged, even rubbed on
sandpaper), and I think even by the passiing through a bird, the stomach
acid breaking down the protective coating.

Good luck


--
Remove "not" from start of email address to reply

Also similar is the need for fire or smoke to trigger some Australian native
seeds out of dormancy, or to open their casing. Bushfires are part of nature
here so as it rages through, the seed will open and smoke will cause a chemical
reaction to bring it out of dormancy, then it will germinate.

wow! that's amazing!

pat (obviously not residing in australia)

In article , Andrew G wrote:
Also similar is the need for fire or smoke to trigger some Australian native
seeds out of dormancy, or to open their casing. Bushfires are part of nature
here so as it rages through, the seed will open and smoke will cause a
chemical reaction to bring it out of dormancy, then it will germinate.

Even still, you can simulate the effect with smoky water.

The parent plant may die, but it's natures way of avoiding extinction.

Note likely since most eucalypt trees have a lignotuber just below the
ground.

For an interesting read see:

http://homepages.ihug.com.au/~don/australian_trees.htm
http://www.ffp.csiro.au/nfm/mdp/bbproj/eucalypt.htm

--
Jeremy Lunn
Melbourne, Australia
Homepage: http://www.austux.net/
http://www.jabber.org/ - the next generation of Instant Messaging.

To go even further from the original thread:
Certain seeds only need smoke to trigger germination, certain seeds only
need fire and there are some that need both.

I worked in a nursery where this was sometimes confused. Because a plant
responds to smoke doesnt neccessarily mean it will respond to fire (ie
sometimes to stimulate this you use boiling water). Usually fire is used to
crack a hard seed coat so water can be absorbed, while the smoke is used to
stimulate the germination process.

David



Also similar is the need for fire or smoke to trigger some Australian
native seeds out of dormancy, or to open their casing. Bushfires are
part of nature here so as it rages through, the seed will open and
smoke will cause a chemical reaction to bring it out of dormancy,
then it will germinate.

Even still, you can simulate the effect with smoky water.

Note likely since most eucalypt trees have a lignotuber just below the
ground.