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How to Grow Raspberry Plants from Seed (COLD STRATIFICATION)
Seed Germination
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Fill a seed starter tray with sterile
potting soil in the early fall. Press one to two raspberry seeds ¼ inch down
into the soil of each cell. Pat the soil down gently over the seeds to remove
air pockets.
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Mist the soil lightly to dampen, using
a spray bottle filled with water. Keep the soil moist throughout the germination
process. Place the seed starter tray in a cool, dark area while the raspberry
seeds germinate. The seeds will begin to sprout within three months.
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Set the seed starter tray in an area
that receives bright, indirect sunlight once the seeds begin to sprout. If this
is not possible, set up a grow light and place the seed starter tray underneath.
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Continue to keep the soil moist and
provide the raspberry plants with adequate light as they continue to grow.
Transplant the raspberry plants outdoors in the spring, as soon as the soil is
workable.
Outdoor Transplanting
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Select an area for transplanting your
raspberries that contains full sun and well-drained soil with a pH between 5.5
and 6.5. Test the soil if you are unsure of your soil pH, using a soil testing
kit purchased from a garden center.
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Turn over the soil with a pitchfork
after the final winter frost and add lime to the soil if the pH is below 5.5.
Add peat moss if the soil pH is above 6.5. Add the required amendment according
to label instructions.
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Dig holes for the raspberry plants that
are comparable in size to their root balls. Space each hole 2 feet apart. Space
rows 8 to 12 feet apart. Remove the raspberry plants from the seed starter tray,
placing one raspberry plant in the center of each hole. Backfill the holes.
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Water the raspberry plants generously
after planting. Use a soaker hose that will deliver deep watering. Water at a
rate of 1 inch per week, keeping the soil moist at all times during the growing
season.
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Cut the raspberry plants down to the
soil line, using a sharp pair of scissors or pruning shears, in the late fall.
Cutting the plants back will encourage growth the following spring.
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Fertilize the raspberry plants the
following spring when they begin to grow again. Apply a 10-10-10 fertilizer per
label instructions. Continue to keep the soil moist. Harvest the raspberries
when they ripen in the summer.
Tips & Warnings
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It is a good idea to hammer in a
trellis behind the raspberry plants to give them something to grow on. If you do
not have access to a trellis, transplant the raspberry plants in front of a
fence that they can climb on as they grow.
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A layer of mulch spread around the
raspberry plants will help with water retention and reduce weed growth. A 3- to
4-inch layer of sawdust, bark chips or pine needles should suffice.
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Do not over water the raspberry plants.
Standing water can cause the roots to rot, eventually killing the raspberry
plants. If the soil feels moist at a 1- inch depth, do not add more water.
Instead, check the soil for moisture again in a few days.
How to Grow Cherry Trees from Seed (COLD
STRATIFICATION)
Germinating the Cherry Seed into a Tree
In the fall, gather up your cherry seeds, and plant them outside in an
area that you can keep an eye on regularly. I like to use my flower bed for
germinating tree seeds, Plant several of them, as some pits may not sprout. They
should be planted 2 inches deep and at least a foot apart. Mark the area where
you planted the pits so that you know where to expect to see the cherry trees
sprouting. After you have planted the cherry pits and seeds, wait for nature to
do its work. The cherry seeds will go through a natural stratification process
in the winter.
Transplanting the Cherry Tree
In the spring, the cherry pits and
seeds will start to sprout into a tree. Wait until the trees are 8 to 12 inches
tall and then transplant them to the area you would like the trees to grow
permanently. After you have transplanted the cherry tree, mulch well around it
to prevent weeds and encourage moisture in the soil. Also, mark the tree
location with a stake to prevent the tree from being walked on or mowed.
If you are not planting your cherry
seeds in the fall, or winter, do this:
Seal the seeds with some moisturized peat moss in a sandwich bag and place it in
a fridge for 2-3 months for stratification. It is said that will shorten the
time for germination.
How to Grow Tayberry Plants from Seed (COLD
STRATIFICATION)
Tayberry seeds are best sown directly to the garden soil in early autumn in a
cold frame.
If you receive your seeds in or after summer, we recommend sowing the
seeds in the autumn this year.
Stored tayberry seeds require one-month stratification at about 37-degree
Fahrenheit and are best sown as early as possible in the year. If you missed the
time in last year autumn or winter, this is an alternative way to germinate the
seeds.
Here is a general guide to stratify and plant your tayberry seeds:
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Soak the tayberry seeds in cold water
and then place them in soaked paper towel, seal the paper towel in a sandwich
bag and leave it in your refrigerator at 35 ¡ã Fahrenheit (1-3 ¡ã Celsius) for 4
to 12 weeks
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Dig a 0.5-inch-deep hole in a 14-inch
diameter pot filled with potting soil. Sow 2 or 3 stratified seeds to the hole.
Cover the hole with the soil you dug up and water immediately with 1/2 cup of
water.
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Place the pot on a window sill where
sunlight will reach the plant; keeps the temperature 70-80-degree Fahrenheit.
Continue watering the plant every day with 1/2 cup water. You should start to
see the seedling sprout within 4 weeks.
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Mix a 2-inch layer of organic material
into the soil bed of where you'll be transplanting the seedling outside. The
organic material can consist of dead leaves, grass clippings and manure.
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Apply at least 4 cups of nitrogen
fertilizer to ever 100 square feet of soil during late fall. The fertilizer will
help to break down the organic material in the soil.
How to Grow Blueberry Bushes from Seed
(COLD
STRATIFICATION)
Soak the seeds in a wet paper towel overnight.
Sow seeds in a flat, 3¡å box filled with finely ground moist sphagnum
moss. Just sprinkle seeds evenly over the moss then cover with a very thin moss
covering. It is important not to make this covering thick. Keep moss moist but
not soaked and place flat in a cold temperature and cover with a newspaper.
Seeds should germinate in about 1 month. Remove the newspaper. The emerging
seedlings are very tiny. Once they begin emerging, place flat in a sunny window
or greenhouse. Keep seedlings moist and allow them to grow in the moss until 2
to 3 inches tall.
Carefully remove seedlings (especially around the root system). Pot each
seedling in 2 inches to 3 inches of peat or plastic pots using a mixture of 1/3
peat, 1/3 sand and 1/3 soil. Water well and keep seedlings in a sunny location.
After 2 or 3 weeks fertilize the potted seedlings with a liquid fertilizer such
as Start-N-Gro etc. at 1/2 the recommended rate.
After frost danger is past set out seedlings in desired location. Water well all
summer. A 10-10-10 fertilizer at the rate of 1 pound per 100 square feet can be
worked into the soil before planting. The first winter, mulch the seedlings with
straw, sawdust or pine needles (about Nov. 1). Remove in the spring when buds
swell. At this time 10-10-10 fertilizer can again be added at the rate of 1
pound per 100 square feet.
Blueberry plants like a lot of water. (But not until soil is waterlogged) The
plants should bloom and set a few berries when two years old.
How to Grow Blackberries from Seed (COLD
STRATIFICATION)
Blackberry seeds are best sown directly to the garden soil in early autumn in a
cold frame.
If you receive your seeds in or after summer, we recommend sowing the
seeds in the autumn this year.
Stored blackberry seeds require one-month stratification at about 37-degree
Fahrenheit and are best sown as early as possible in the year. If you missed the
time in last year autumn or winter, this is an alternative way to germinate the
seeds.
Here is a general guide to stratify and plant your blackberry seeds:
v
Soak the blackberry seeds in cold water
and then place them in soaked paper towel, seal the paper towel in a sandwich
bag and leave it in your refrigerator at 35 ¡ã Fahrenheit (1-3 ¡ã Celsius) for 4
to 12 weeks
v
Dig a 0.5-inch-deep hole in a 14-inch
diameter pot filled with potting soil. Sow 2 or 3 stratified seeds to the hole.
Cover the hole with the soil you dug up and water immediately with 1/2 cup of
water.
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Place the pot on a window sill where
sunlight will reach the plant; keeps the temperature 70-80-degree Fahrenheit.
Continue watering the plant every day with 1/2 cup water. You should start to
see the seedling sprout within 4 weeks.
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Mix a 2-inch layer of organic material
into the soil bed of where you'll be transplanting the seedling outside. The
organic material can consist of dead leaves, grass clippings and manure.
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Apply at least 4 cups of nitrogen
fertilizer to ever 100 square feet of soil during late autumn. The fertilizer
will help to break down the organic material in the soil.
How to Grow
Apple Trees from Seed
Apple seeds need to be started indoors. This can be
done in one of two ways: you can place some apple seeds into a paper towel. Fold
the paper towel over into a small square. Keep the paper towel wet, and place it
in your refrigerator. Keep checking the seeds and keeping them moist. In a week
or so, your apple seeds will sprout. They are now ready to plant outside. Or,
you can use a Styrofoam cup filled with potting soil to start your seeds. Dig a
shallow hole in the middle of the potting soil and plant the apple seeds there.
Set the container on a sunny windowsill and keep the soil moistened. In a week
or so, the apple seeds will sprout. They will then be ready to plant outside.
Once the apple seeds have sprouted, you will be
ready to plant them outside. Choose a location that receives a lot of sunlight.
Use a shovel or a rototiller to loosen up a fairly good size patch of soil. Rake
the rocks, sticks, and other debris from this patch. Dig two shallow ditches.
Plant your apple seedlings between the ditches on raised bed. Cover around them
with dirt firmly. Keep them watered and keep the ground free of weeds. You can
place a clean glass jar upside over each apple tree to help protect it from the
elements and from animals. If you are planting several rows of trees, as in an
orchard, the rows should be planted approximately thirty to thirty-five feet
apart. This will give you plenty of room to spray, prune, and otherwise care for
the apple trees after they have matured.
After your apple tree has grown up to a height of
about two or three feet, it is now time to stake it up. Simply use a stake or a
thin strip of sturdy wood that measures about four feet long. Pound the stake or
wood strip into the ground about four inches from the apple tree. Leave about
three and a half feet of the stake or wood strip exposed. Use a piece of an old
rag, or, a leg of an old pair of pantyhose to loosely tie the tree to the stake
or wood strip. The rag, or pantyhose, and the stake will help support the apple
tree and help it to grow straight. Wind, heavy rains, et cetera, can bend the
young tree over if it doesn't have anything to support it.
Mature apple trees need to be sprayed with
pesticides in order to keep them free from bugs and diseases. They also need to
be pruned to a rounded shape. Pruning also gets rid of the nonproductive
branches on the apple trees. Other than spraying and pruning, your trees that
you grew from apple seeds won't need much caring for.
How to Grow Plum Trees from Seed (COLD
STRATIFICATION)
Although you can plant a plum pit directly in the soil during fall and wait for
spring germination nature¡¯s way, you can also store the seed until early winter
(Dec/Jan.) and then induce germination with cold treatment or stratification.
After soaking the pit in water for about an hour or two, place it in a plastic
bag with slightly moist soil. Store this in the refrigerator (away from fruit
with temps between 34-42 degrees F).
Keep a check for germination, as germinating plum pits may take anywhere from a
few weeks to a couple months or more¡ªand that¡¯s if you¡¯re lucky. In fact, it may
not germinate at all so you¡¯ll want to try several varieties. Eventually, one
will germinate.
Note: While it¡¯s certainly not required, some people have found success by
removing the hull (outer pit) from the actual seed inside prior to the cold
treatment.
Plant the plum pit about 3-4 inches deep and then cover it with about an inch or
so of straw or similar mulch for overwintering. Water during planting and then
only when dry. By spring, if the plum was any good, you should see sprouting and
a new plum seedling will grow.
For those germinated via the refrigerator, once germination occurs, transplant
to a pot or in a permanent position outdoors (weather permitting).
Some plum pits germinate quick and easy and some take a little longer¡ªor may not
germinate at all. Whatever the case may be, don¡¯t give up. With a little
persistence and trying more than one variety, growing plums from seed can be
well worth the extra patience. Of course, then there¡¯s the wait for fruit (up to
3 years or more)¡Remember, ¡°patience is a virtue.¡±
How to Grow
Peony Poppy Plants from Seed
*You can sow directly into soil 1 cm deep, either in late fall, winter, or even
early spring*
Here is our nursery guide for mass production.
Soak the seed in clean water for 1 day,
Place seeds in a sealed plastic bag with barely moist vermiculite or peat moss.
Place the sealed bag in a warm area of the house (not in the sun), check them
every week to see if the root has emerged, and ensure they remain moist (but not
wet!).
Leave them in the warmth until the roots appear (anywhere from a few weeks to
several months)
Once the roots appear and are about 3 cm in length, move the bag to a cool
location. The temperature should be approximately 4 degrees C (An old
refrigerator is fine)
After 12 weeks, remove the bag and pot up the partially germinated seeds in a
soilless germination mix
Depending on the time of year, you may have to place seedlings under grow lights
for a few months before being able to transfer outside.
Keep seedlings under grow lights and ensure they are moist but not soggy.
Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer every few weeks.
Transfer outside slowly as you would any other tender seedling. Too much sun,
too rapidly, will result in burnt foliage.
Seedlings should be outside in a sunny well-drained seedbed by September at the
latest
How to Grow Kiwifruit Plants from Seed
You will need a pot measuring about 8cm across, with holes in the bottom to let
water drain out. Fill your pot with multipurpose compost or peat moss and water
it very well. Sow the seeds thinly on the surface and cover them lightly with a
bit more compost or peat moss. Put the pot in a clear plastic bag and tie the
ends up. This is to keep all the moisture in and stop the seeds from drying out.
Put the pot on a sunny windowsill and wait.
The seeds will grow in a few weeks, but will need checking every day. If the
compost or peat moss looks dry, give it a little water. When the seeds have
started sprouting, remove the plastic bag and put the pot back on a sunny
windowsill. As the seedlings grow, they will need to be potted up in separate
pots of compost. Let them grow some more, and repot them again when you see
roots coming out of the holes in the bottom of the pot.
Caring for your kiwi plant Kiwi plants grow quite large and only make good house
plants for about two years, before they get too big. To grow them indoors, you
need a large pot, about 35cm across. They will be happy in a sunny room or
conservatory. They will also need something to climb up. The best way to do this
in a pot is to make a wigwam with 2m long canes which you push into the compost
before planting the kiwi plant.
If you decide to put the plants in the garden, they need a sunny wall to climb
up. Plant them either in a big pot or in the ground. To make your plants produce
fruit you need a male and female plant. You will not know whether the plants are
male or female until they flower, so grow several plants in order to be surer of
getting one of each sex. For indoor plants, water them regularly and feed them
twice a week in the summer, using a general houseplant feed. You will need to
train and tie your kiwi plants up their support until they become properly
established.
How to Grow Cantaloupe Melons from Seed
Planting
Amend soil with aged manure or compost before planting.
Cantaloupe Melons can easily be started by direct seeding in the
garden. Plant the seeds about 1/2 to 1 inch deep. Typically they are planted in
hills, 4-6 feet apart depending on the variety. They are very intolerant of
frost and need warmer temperature, so plant at least 4 weeks after the last
frost date. They will take 80 to 100 days (warm summer days) to mature.
If you are in a cooler zone, start seeds indoors about a month before
transplanting. Cantaloupe vines are very tender and should not be transplanted
until all danger of frost has passed.
If you have limited space, vines can be trained to a support such as a trellis.
Care
Cantaloupe likes loamy, well-drained soil. Handle them gently when you
transplant. Add lots of compost to the area before planting and after planting.
Mulching with black plastic will serve multiple purposes: it will warm the soil,
hinder weed growth and keep developing fruits clean.
Fertilize when vines start growing.
Row covers are a good idea to keep pests at bay.
While melon plants are growing, blooming, and setting fruit, they need 1 to 2
inches of water per week. Water in the morning, and try to avoid wetting the
leaves. Reduce watering once fruit are growing. Dry weather produces the
sweetest melon.
If you've had an exceptional amount of rainfall during the ripening stage, this
could cause the bland fruit.
Once fruit begins to grow, prune end buds off vines. Your plants may produce
fewer melons, but they will be larger and of better quality.
Vines produce male and female flowers separately on the same plant. They often
begin producing male flowers several weeks before the females appear. (Don¡¯t be
discouraged when the first blooms do not produce fruit.)
Blossoms require pollination to set fruit, so be kind to the bees!
How to Grow
Honeydew Melons from Seed
Honeydew melons are somewhat unique for their smooth, cream-colored outer skin
and lack of 'netting' ridges on the rind. They take a bit longer than most other
melon varieties, sometimes as long as 120 days after germination to produce the
smaller (3-6 pound) melons. Honeydew is popular in Europe, Asia and other
regions thanks to the sweet, green flesh.
Indoor Starting
As they require a long growing season, melons are best started indoors
approximately 3 weeks prior to the last frost of the season. Sow seeds ½" deep
in flats or small pots, sowing 3 seeds per pot. Keep medium moist while awaiting
germination. Additionally, melon seeds will show better germination rates with
heat. Keep the soil between 80-90 degrees, using a heat mat if necessary.
Once seeds start to germinate, lower soil temp slightly to the mid 70s, for 1-2
weeks; also decreasing water. Thin to one plant per cell or pot. Once the first
set of true leaves has developed, reduce watering once more, but do not allow
plant to become desiccated.
Harden plant by gradually exposing to outdoor conditions. Transplant to
permanent site in late spring after the last frost has passed. If possible,
transplant on an overcast day to minimize wilting and create a more amenable
environment for your young plant.
Outdoor Starting
If you have long, hot growing seasons, melons can direct-seed into garden. To
ensure ripening in areas with shorter growing seasons and cooler weather, choose
fast-maturing varieties, start plants inside, use black or IRT plastic mulch to
warm soil and use fabric row covers to protect plants.
Direct-seed 1 to 2 weeks after average last frost when soil is 70 F or warmer.
Plant ½ inch deep, 6 seeds per hill, hills 4 to 6 feet apart; or 1 foot apart in
rows 5 feet apart. Can plant at closer spacings if trellised. Thin to 2 to 3
plants per hill.
Choosing a Site
Prefers warm, well-drained, soil, high in organic matter with pH 6.5 to 7.5.
Consistent, plentiful moisture needed until fruit is about the size of a tennis
ball. Soil temperatures below 50 F slow growth. Consider using black plastic and
fabric row covers to speed soil warming. Sandy or light-textured soils that warm
quickly in spring are best.
How to Grow Habanero Chilly Plants from
Seed
Sowing: Sow from mid February to mid July. Fill small cells or trays with
a good sterile seed compost and sow the seeds on the surface. ¡°Just cover¡± with
a fine sprinkling (3mm) of soil or vermiculite. Keep the compost moist - don't
let the top of the compost dry out (a common cause of germination failure) If
you wish, spray the surface with a dilute copper-based fungicide. Cover the pot
or tray with plastic film or place in a heated propagator, south facing window
or a warm greenhouse. The ideal temperature is around 18 to 20¡ãC (65 to 72¡ãF)
How to Grow Cranberry
Plants from Seed
(COLD STRATIFICATION)
Cranberry plants (Vaccinium macrocarpon) are low-growing, berry-producing
vine-like shrubs that are native to regions in eastern North America. They are
usually grown in sandy, acid-rich soil with bog-like growing conditions. Growing
cranberries from seed requires perseverance and commitment, since the seeds can
require a long period of time before germinating.
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Fill 3- or 4-inch wide pots with enough
lime-free sterilized growing medium to fill the pots to within about 1/4 of an
inch from the top of the rim.
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Firm down the soil in each of the
planting pots using your fingers, a piece of wood or a metal spoon. Transfer all
the pots into an irrigation or watering tray. The tray should be able to hold
about 2 inches of water.
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Pour enough water into the tray so the
growing medium in the pots will soak up the water and become well-moistened.
Pack the soil down one final time. Pour out the remainder of the water, if there
is any.
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Poke two to three 1/4-inch-deep holes
in each pot. Drop two cranberry seeds into each of the holes. Sprinkle over the
top of each pair of seeds approximately 1/4 inch of the growing media.
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Place the tray of pots in a location in
your home that will stay consistently around 65 to 70 degrees F for four weeks.
Provide as much bright light as possible but, if possible, not direct sunlight.
Keep the growing medium moist in each of the pots; add water to the tray as
needed.
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Transfer the tray of pots into a
location where the temperature will be between 25 and 40 degrees F for six
weeks. Maintain the moisture levels by adding water to the tray when required.
The temperature change is beneficial to hasten germination.
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Put the tray of pots into an area where
the temperature will stay fairly consistent between 40 and 55 degrees F. Leave
the tray of pots in this location for germinating the cranberry seeds.
Germination of cranberry seeds can begin in as little as three weeks or can take
several months. Transplant the cranberry seedlings into their permanent location
outside after they've become well-established.
How to Grow Salmonberries from Seed (COLD
STRATIFICATION)
Salmonberry seeds are best sown directly to the garden soil in early autumn in a
cold frame.
If you receive your seeds in or after summer, we recommend sowing the
seeds in the autumn this year.
Stored salmonberry seeds require one-month stratification at about 37-degree
Fahrenheit and are best sown as early as possible in the year. If you missed the
time in last year autumn or winter, this is an alternative way to germinate the
seeds.
Here is a general guide to stratify and plant your salmonberry seeds:
v
Soak the salmonberry seeds in cold
water and then place them in soaked paper towel, seal the paper towel in a
sandwich bag and leave it in your refrigerator at 35 ¡ã Fahrenheit (1-3 ¡ã
Celsius) for 4 to 12 weeks
v
Dig a 0.5-inch-deep hole in a 14-inch
diameter pot filled with potting soil. Sow 2 or 3 stratified seeds to the hole.
Cover the hole with the soil you dug up and water immediately with 1/2 cup of
water.
v
Place the pot on a window sill where
sunlight will reach the plant; keeps the temperature 70-80-degree Fahrenheit.
Continue watering the plant every day with 1/2 cup water. You should start to
see the seedling sprout within 4 weeks.
v
Mix a 2-inch layer of organic material
into the soil bed of where you'll be transplanting the seedling outside. The
organic material can consist of dead leaves, grass clippings and manure.
v
Apply at least 4 cups of nitrogen
fertilizer to ever 100 square feet of soil during late autumn. The fertilizer
will help to break down the organic material in the soil.
How to Grow Bell Pepper Plants from
Seed
Starting Seeds: Additional potassium
and calcium might be needed to spur good fruit development. Potassium and
calcium help produce nice thick pepper walls that not only taste better but also
resist fruit rot. These nutrients should be added when turning under the
remnants of the year¡¯s garden. We always plant a cover crop, such as clover or
wheat, which stabilizes our raised beds through the winter. When we turn the
cover under in spring, it decomposes and provides most of the nitrogen the
peppers need.
Seedlings Transplanting: Seeds need feed and heat. Eight weeks before
transplanting, we start our seeds in a well-drained potting mix and keep them
moist and warm (70¡ã to 80¡ãF) to ensure good germination. We use a heating mat
under the seedling flats. But any consistently warm place, above the
refrigerator for instance, works. Plants need to be separated in the seed flat
by at least 2 in. for best growth. After the first true leaves develop, we start
fertilizing with a balanced liquid solution such as a fish emulsion and kelp
mixture. Closely watch the cotyledons¡ªthe seed leaves that appear before the
first true leaves. They should be vibrant and green. Yellow cotyledons, for
example, indicate insufficient nitrogen. It¡¯s best to gradually expose
transplants to the outdoors for a week or two prior to setting them out. |