The winged maple fruits fly around cheerfully in autumn. However, the vitality is over if the seeds are to germinate under the care of the gardener. We will familiarize you with a gardening trick that significantly increases the germination rate of maple seeds.
How do you germinate maple seeds?
In order to germinate maple seeds, you must overcome the natural inhibition of germination caused by cold (stratification). To do this, place the seeds in an airtight plastic bag with moist sand or potting soil in the refrigerator at -1 to +4 degrees Celsius for 6-8 weeks.
Overcoming germ inhibition – This is how it works with cold
The seeds of numerous maple species are protected from germinating in the midst of ice and snow by a natural inhibition threshold. Germination only begins when the seeds have been exposed to cold temperatures for several weeks, followed by milder temperatures. If you want to propagate a maple tree by sowing, you can deposit the seeds in the garden and wait or you can follow these instructions for specifically overcoming germination inhibition:
- Soak seeds in lukewarm chamomile tea for 24 to 36 hours
- Fill a plastic bag with moist sand, lava granules or potting soil
- Pour in the soaked seeds and close the bag tightly
- Store in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator for 6 to 8 weeks at - 1 to + 4 degrees Celsius
After the cold phase, sow the seeds in individual compartments of a multi-pot plate. As a substrate, we recommend commercial potting soil or planting soil that has been emaciated with sand. Place a seed no more than 1 cm deep in the soil. Then spray the seeds with room temperature water. In the partially shaded, warm location, the first seedlings don't take long to appear.
Always disinfect the substrate
Seeds and seedlings are vulnerable to diseases and pests. The pathogens often lurk in the substrate. By disinfecting the potting soil in advance, you avoid the risk of infestation from this source. This is easy to do by placing the moistened soil in a suitable container in the oven for 30 minutes at 150 to 180 degrees top and bottom heat.
Gibberellic acid accelerates germination
Thick-shelled maple seeds have difficulty germinating despite the cold. These reluctant candidates get you going with gibberellic acid. Gibberellic acid is a purely natural growth hormone that occurs in the seeds and sprouts themselves. The product is available in specialist retailers and online shops. How to use the germination accelerator for maple seeds:
- 0, stir 1 ml gibberellic acid into 5 ml pure alcohol (e.g. spirit or isopropanol from the pharmacy)
- Add 95 ml of room temperature water and stir well
- Let stand for 60 minutes
Pour the seeds into a coffee or tea filter and hang it in the solution for 12 hours. Then sow the seeds. As a rule, stratification in the refrigerator is not additionally necessary for the seeds to germinate.
Tip
Sowing seeds is limited to the propagation of pure species, such as field maple (Acer campestre) or sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus). For the propagation of beautiful cultivated forms, such as the varieties of the Asian slot maple (Acer palmatum), only vegetative methods such as cuttings or planters can be considered.
