"Bonsai Seed" Collecting

Collect mature seeds. Most seeds ripen in late summer and can be harvested in the fall. Check them often – gather them before they fall to the ground!

Many poke fun at the idea of starting a bonsai from a seed. “Look how old I am"---" I don't have time", but the creation of a bonsai from a seed is very economical- time vs money! There is no such thing as "bonsai seed". The packs of seed marked as such, are just ordinary tree seeds that can be grown into a bonsai. They are a good source of tree seeds when none are locally available.

Japanese maple seed wings drying

Japanese Maple 

Momiji 

Acer palmatum

Japanese maple seed tips of the
 wings turn brown in late summer

The real "secret" to germinating tree seeds is to use "fresh", new season seeds.

Japanese maple seed in mid summer

Japanese Maple Seedlings
in 20 years
"I started it from seeds myself."

Camellia

• C. japonica
• C. sasanqua
• C. sinensis

camellia seeds

Pod cracks open as the seeds ripen

This is the time of year the camellia seed pods ripen. Let the pods split before harvesting and plant shortly after collection. Do not keep the seeds at room temperature or in a dry or the vitality of the seeds will be affected. When the seed pod cracks, harvest the seed and keep the seeds with moist (not wet) perlite and ground peat moss in a zip-lock bag and keep in a refrigerator until they can be planted. Plant the seeds in a pot and set it at warm place. The seeds will rot if kept to wet. The tap root will start to develop within a couple of months and top growth should begin in the spring. Removing part of the taproot will encourage a fibrous root system, benefiting young seedling growing in a pot.All potted plants need to be in a soil that is very porous, coarse textured, and fast draining. In only 5 to 10 years the seedlings will begin to bloom, that is part of the fun.

C. sasanqua grown from a seed
"I started it from seeds myself."

Wisteria Seed Pod 

 Pyracantha already turning red!

Ginkgo biloba

fruit is a nut with a fleshy covering

 Bald Cypress
Taxodium distichum cones

Once the new leaves come out
 in the spring,  flower 
and seed begin to appear 
on Bloodgood Seedling

Bonsai grown from seeds are called Misho bonsai.

Tsukamiyose A natural forest planting can be created by scattering several to several dozen seeds in a tray. The seedlings are planted very close to each other and develop into multiple trunks with each tree naturally competing for its own light and space.

Getting tree seeds to sprout:

Acer palmatum stratification

Most tropical trees will germinate as soon as they ripen, but seeds from most temperate trees need to be sown after stratification. Stratification is a period of artificial winter that trees that are not tropical need to set off the internal clock that spring triggers and makes seed sprout as temperatures rise. Depending on the seed species, they will need 21 to 90 days of cold storage to begin to sprout. This can be done in the home refrigerator.  Use zip-lock sandwich bags with damp peat moss. It is suggested that they be soaked overnight in room temperature water to improve germination percentages. Seeds that float after soaking won't germinate so toss them out. A fungicide can be used in the media to keep soil borne diseases from killing the seedlings. As any of the seed germinate in the refrigerator, plant them.

Japanese maple seed

When the artificial winter is over, the seeds are ready to be planted. Sow the seed in a light and friable soil mixture is so that it drains well to prevent fungus and sprinkle peat moss over them. 

Japanese maple seed

Air should move to prevent damp-off. The air movement he says simulates natural outdoor conditions. Light friable soil dries quickly and seedling with their minimal root system can be killed in a few hours from dryness, or direct sun!

Banrot is a broad spectrum root rot fungicide in a 40% wettable powder configuration. It provides contact and systemic action for control of damping-off and root and stem-rot diseases

Subdue Maxx Controls damping-off and root and stem rots caused by pythium and phytophthora. Apply only as a soil drench or soil surface spray followed by irrigation.

Bloodgood Seedlings
"I started it from seeds myself."

Alternatives:

Chamomile tea - 2 tsp of chamomile flowers to 1 cup of boiling water allow to steep overnight or at least until cooled. Strain and then use as is to moisten growing medium before planting seeds then use in a mister to spray soil. Sage or garlic teas also have been used. Soak the seeds in a solution of hydrogen peroxide and water (1 teaspoon to 1/2 cup of water) to remove any lingering bacteria on the seeds. Some lightly sprinkle a bit of cinnamon or baking soda over planting mix used as a fungicide on plants for mildew.Two capfuls of household bleach in the water used to dampen your peat moss or vermiculite could act as a fungicide.

Always make sure horticultural tools are disinfected even if they are new, and that your planting pots are disinfected....

Disinfection of Horticultural Tools and Pots

"Empty pot of soil"

Plant tree seed in the Fall and let Mother Nature take care of your stratification. Just remember to protect them from rodents (squirrels and mice) and label that “empty pot of soil”. Once I was talking with a fellow enthusiast in the nursery and he started raking his fingers through a tray filled with soil and began talking about soil mixes. I should have labeled that flat as I had seeded the tray with  Jacaranda for a Tsukamiyose the day before!

Growing 'misho' bonsai is both economical and rewarding.

More Misho Pictures.........