Re: Maples from seed
Posted: December 11th, 2010, 8:54 pm
hey, i find the best way to grow japs from seed is to pick seeds fresh in autumn (if you can) then store them dry on a rack so air can move around them or you may get mold, then about 4 - 6 weeks before spring mix the seeds with peat moss ( this is the important part 
) the peat moss must be mixed with the perfect amount of water because, 1. too dry and the seed will dry out!. 2. too wet and the seeds will turn to mush! the amount of water needed is judged by when you squash the peat in your hand you must have 1 to 3 drops of water come out. then mix the seed in, the more seed mixed in the closer you seed will come up. then you should store the seed in a closed plastic bag in a cool room or a fridge. the seed can be stored from 3 to 6 weeks. no longer than 6 weeks 
the seed can start to germinate from the 3rd week so you must check the seed at least once a week! then finally when its time to sow (you will know this because the seed will start to shoot) if they are long bean shoots you have waited too long, sowing the seed can be done in the ground or in pots, in either case you need to make a little furrow 1 to 2 inches deep and sprinkle the peat moss/seed mixture in and cover with soil, you only need to cover 1 to 2 cm and if done correctly the seed will be seedlings in the coming weeks. 
i hope everyone will find this information useful as this process has worked very well for me. here is a picture of my Japanese seedlings that were sown in the 1st week of september, this photo was taken the 20th of september, i will put a current photo up in the next day or two, there is approximately 10,000 
) the peat moss must be mixed with the perfect amount of water because, 1. too dry and the seed will dry out!. 2. too wet and the seeds will turn to mush! the amount of water needed is judged by when you squash the peat in your hand you must have 1 to 3 drops of water come out. then mix the seed in, the more seed mixed in the closer you seed will come up. then you should store the seed in a closed plastic bag in a cool room or a fridge. the seed can be stored from 3 to 6 weeks. no longer than 6 weeks the seed can start to germinate from the 3rd week so you must check the seed at least once a week! then finally when its time to sow (you will know this because the seed will start to shoot) if they are long bean shoots you have waited too long, sowing the seed can be done in the ground or in pots, in either case you need to make a little furrow 1 to 2 inches deep and sprinkle the peat moss/seed mixture in and cover with soil, you only need to cover 1 to 2 cm and if done correctly the seed will be seedlings in the coming weeks. i hope everyone will find this information useful as this process has worked very well for me. here is a picture of my Japanese seedlings that were sown in the 1st week of september, this photo was taken the 20th of september, i will put a current photo up in the next day or two, there is approximately 10,000 
btw the maples are for sale bare rooted in winter for $1 each
I am thinking about transplanting my Japanese seedlings and wasn't going to do anything to them until i saw this so could you please help me out a bit. 