It's not that easy to grow beech trees from beechnuts. Above all, you need a lot of patience until the first successes become apparent. But later you can be all the more proud of the beech tree you grew yourself from seeds in the garden.
How can you sow beechnuts correctly?
To sow beechnuts successfully, collect at least 30 ripe and heavy specimens, remove them from their shells and sow them in autumn in a mixture of garden soil, chopped beech leaves, spruce needles and sand. Protect the seeds from animals and wait for them to germinate in the spring.
The individual steps for sowing beechnuts
- Collecting beechnuts
- Remove from the shell
- Sowing in autumn
- Protect from mice and squirrels
Find germinable seeds
It is best to pick ripe but still closed fruits directly from the tree. Test on other beechnuts whether the seeds are white, i.e. really ripe.
Even if you only want to grow one common beech, collect at least 30 beechnuts because not all of them will germinate later. Choose only the thickest specimens.
Put the beechnuts in a bowl of water. Only the fruits that sink to the bottom are suitable for propagation. The others do not contain seeds.
Beechnuts inhibit germination
Beechnuts need to be stored in a dark and cool place for some time. They only sprout after several weeks.
Germination inhibition is nature's protection so that the seeds only sprout when it is warm enough outside again.
If you don't want to sow immediately, it's best to store the beechnuts outside in the ground and cover them with a thick layer of beech leaves. Protect the seeds from mice and squirrels.
Prepare the breeding site
Beechnuts germinate best in the same soil in which the mother plant was grown.
You can create similar conditions in the garden if you mix garden soil with chopped beech leaves, spruce needles and a little sand.
To protect against animals that like to eat the slightly poisonous beechnuts, place a wire mesh (€129.00 on Amazon) around the seed.
Sowing beechnuts
Place the released seeds several centimeters deep into the prepared soil with the tip facing downwards. Cover the seeds with loose leaf mold.
Some corners should have sprouted in spring. Continue to nurture only the strongest plants until they are large enough to be transplanted to their final location.
Tips & Tricks
Growing a new beech tree is easier and quicker if you dig up freshly germinated small beech seedlings in the spring and plant them in your own garden.