AusBonsai

I was excited this year by some firsts for me in propagating.

Ginkgo seedling These are not supposed to be difficult to germinate but I only got the one. Seed sown in potting mix after collecting in autumn and left outside all winter.

Carpinus betulus These are supposed to be quite hard to germinate so I was pleased to get this one out of about 50 seed. From Cold stratified seed. Nothing from the recommended warm then cold stratified batches.

Allocasuarina verticilliata cuttings. I've tried before and failed then this discussion on ausbonsaiviewtopic.php?f=9&t=9902 so this time I just used single stems-'needles' as mentioned there and it works! A couple died but there's still quite a few with good callus but no roots yet.

Hi shibui,

Congratulations on a successful experiment I have not kept any of these. I am not familiar with them. But the ginkgo looks very healthy and strong. I think it is going to do quite well.

Regards.

Hi Shibui,

I have been meaning to get around to asking how you went with the hornbeam seeds. I got no germination on the ones you sent me. First time I have had no germination at all with hornbeam. Some have had great germination rates which I think was on behalf of great quality fresh seeds (germinated as soon as planted mid Winter. Oriental hornbeam looked like great seed but only got about 25% germination (Ray got 0% so I must have done something right) Craig sent me some turk and that was about 25% as well.

I was pretty haphazard with the ones you sent over. Soaked with wings on then chucked the lot into a tray of peat. Didn't even note the dates but guessed the warm, maybe a month then into the fridge until spring. The care on the bench was pretty haphazard as well.

Your seedling looks like a nice little chap I would be curious to see what the parent looks like as in the size of the leaves. Rays Carpinus betulus seems to have fairly large leaves? I have had some internationals say the leaves are large and others say they are normal?

Good work mate can you give a little info on how you did the casuarina's? Size, hormones, medium etc

Congrats!! A friend of mine from the SA bonsai society has a gingko seedling which actually has a nice spreading nebari!!! I have never seen that on a seedling before. It wouldn't be more than one year old.

Congrats Mate, I feel like sending you a cigar, nearly like having a baby. i am the same with "pauls Scarlett" hawthorns. I have tried and tried on cuttings, layers and have not succeeded yet

I had some luck with Fagus sylvatica last year. Fresh seed collected in winter saw about a 50% success rate and all but 1 made it through potting on
Also tring some crab apple but something keeps nipping the stem when tset jest set of true leaves appear.

I'm really impressed at the number of members who are trying new species and techniques.
Good that you have had success with other Carpinus species Bretts. From what I read some species germinate readily, others are considered difficult. This seedling was from the Ballarat Botanic Gardens tree. I currently have cuttings from the one at Mansfield. Will let you know about leaves and habit as they mature.

Hornet, A. verticilliata has relatively coarse growth. These cuttings were about 10-15 cm long using just the unbranched growth - some terminal, some from further back on the stem. Dipped in Rootex gel. Propagating mix is 50/50 coir/ med perlite then placed in the cutting area - auto intermittent mist (I don't have bottom heat). I'll try to update the allocasuarina cutting thread with more pics.

I will also be very interested to see how this seedling develops and which sex it turns out to be - might be some time before I find that out though.

Bodhi I tried some common hawthorn cuttings last spring just to see if I could do it but no strikes here either but I will heep trying to see if something works. In the meantime I might have to try a couple of grafts for the double red.

Fagus is one genus I've never been able to grow successfully. I think its probably too hot here in the summer but its good to see that you're having success germinating them Damian. Crab apples are a bit like weeds here there are seedlings popping up all over the garden so I'm surprised to hear you're having trouble. Any idea what sort of beasty is causing the casualties? Slugs and snails sometimes do this, cutworms?, rats and mice have also done something like that here a few times but more often digging up the seeds and eating them before or just as theyre germinating. Could also be damping off - fungal problem that makes the stem collapse just at ground level. It can often look like something has chewed the stem. Better air movement and sunlight helps stop it or just use a fungicide as the seedlings are coming up.

On the hawthorn, try root cuttings fellas. They graft well so they may strike well too ??? Well done on the rest Shibui !!!

anttal63 wrote:On the hawthorn, try root cuttings fella

Unfortunately it is grafted stock as "Scarletts" usually are. I would only get common Hawthorn I cannot work out why they do not layer. I have three more at the moment that seem to be surviving but i cannot get them to produce a healthy enough root system to sustain them. They just sit.

bodhidharma wrote:Unfortunately it is grafted stock as "Scarletts" usually are. I would only get common Hawthorn I cannot work out why they do not layer. I have three more at the moment that seem to be surviving but i cannot get them to produce a healthy enough root system to sustain them. They just sit.

Hmmm, have you tried reducing the foliage and then removing the layer (at the right time of year of course) so that it is forced to develop its own root system. Seems like you're gonna have to give them a shove out of the nest at some stage.

shibui wrote: Fagus is one genus I've never been able to grow successfully. I think its probably too hot here in the summer but its good to see that you're having success germinating them Damian.

Its important to collect seed that is roundish and firm when you squeeze it. I found that flattish seeds which buckled undeer a pinch of the fingers was never going to work. You have to be careful not to let the seeds get too damp too or they will rot in the pot.

I think you are right about the crab apple, the stem was decayed on 1 side the foliage would persist for a couple of days and then total collapse, I have one new one which is up and with recent hot weather it appears to be healthy. I collected the seed in a semi ghost town from an old garden so the variety is unknown but appeared to have good charecteristics for Bonsai providing they were passed down to the seeds Time will tell.

Damian Bee wrote:Hmmm, have you tried reducing the foliage and then removing the layer

Yes, most definitely Damian, i have left them and removed them. When you remove them they do not die they just sit and do not produce roots but do not produce new growth either. Very frustrating. I have three on the go at the moment and i am going to smother them with kindness. Fertilise them daily and seasol every week with a liquid fertiliser to boot.