How to Germinate Maple Tree Seeds
Maple trees fill forests and are valued for lumber, landscaping and their brilliant fall coloration of red and yellow. They produce an abundance of seeds which may be collected and planted to start new trees. Germinating the seeds and planting out the seedlings provides trees for landscapes and gardens. Some Japanese species require scarification, stratification and other treatments before the seeds will germinate. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
-
-
1
Gather the seeds in the spring as they change color or as they fall. Some seeds require scarification and others do not. Some varieties germinate quickly; others may take months or a full year to germinate.
-
2
Prepare the seed bed with 8 to 10 inches of top soil. Amend the soil with sand and peat if the soil is thick or contains a lot of clay. Do not add fertilizer.
-
-
3
Sow the seeds in fall as soon as they are gathered or falling from the tree. Space seeds 1 foot apart and plant each seed about 1/2-inch deep.
-
4
Fence the seedbed with wire fencing at least 3 feet high attached to metal fence stakes.
-
5
Water the seeds when the soil dries to a depth of 2 inches. After germination, seeds may be watered with a liquid fertilizer mix. Cease watering over the winter months and resume as necessary in the spring.
-
6
Transplant seedlings one year after germination to 2-gallon pots set in soil or to their permanent location.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Scarify seeds before planting for better results. Use a sharp knife to nick the seed coat. Identify the maple variety before gathering seeds. Some species such as the Norway Maple are considered invasive, growing like weeds and producing a large, smothering canopy that inhibits undergrowth. Always start with fresh seeds. Seeds that have been dried have very poor successful germination rates.
