— Southwest Ohio, USA —

Here are trees that we are germinating in SW Ohio. If we don’t have the info you need, try these resources:

Country, state, county level: Local level:
Department of Forestry Garden centers
County Extension Service Nature centers
Soil and Water Conservation District Arboretums
Advocacy organizations Zoos
(tree, nature, environment) Urban Foresters/Arborists
Fellow gardeners

Bald Cypress:

Seed vs Husk: It can be hard to distinguish between Bald Cypress seeds and the non-viable parts of the seed ball, being that both are so oddly and inconsistently shaped. One way to tell them apart is that the seed ball is covered in ‘plates of armor’ to protect the seeds inside. The plates, being exposed to the weather, acquire a slight grayish tint from the weather. The seeds are a deep golden brown with irregular light patches If in doubt, just break up the seed balls and plant everything - let nature sort it out.

Note: Seed cones have a sticky residue, similar to pine sap, that is hard to get off your hands. If collecting from the tree, you can hold a plastic bag around the hanging cone and break it apart inside the bag, never having to touch it. Rubber gloves work too. The best way to remove the goo is by washing your hands with dish soap while scrubbing them with a copper scouring pad.

Buckeye:

• When to gather seeds:
mid-Sept - early Oct.
• Germination: Easy
• Vulnerability to critters:
High… Cover with 1/2”x 1/2”
mesh throughout the winter, to
keep squirrels from getting the
buckeyes. In the spring, when the
sprouts are emerging, replace the
1/2”x 1/2” mesh with 1”x 1” mesh.
The larger mesh makes it easier for
the shoots to navigate their way up
through the mesh without catching
and bending over.
• Approximate growing seasons required before giveaway: One season. Know
that while the seedlings may be small, the root systems are massive.
• Transplant survival rate: High
• Growth rate: Fast

Notes:
1. Seedlings do best if grown in dappled sunlight.
2. Buckeyes really fill out, even the first year. Space the buckets out to give the
seedlings room to grow.
3. Buckeye and horse chestnut seeds are often mistaken for each other as
their nuts and leaves are almost identical. Neither are related to true
chestnuts trees.

Catalpa:

• When to gather seeds:
Late winter, when the long
pods break open easily. The
seeds are paper-thin and lie
along the inside of pod.
• Germination:
Easy, but.. Because the seeds
are small, cover with a very
thin layer of ‘fluffy’ soil (soil
mixed with shredded leaves
works well), and keep the
soil moist. It also helps to
lightly shade the buckets until the sprouts are well established, because harsh
sunlight will dry out the top layer of soil (where the seeds are). Keep extra
seeds handy for re-seeding bare spots - loosen the soil with a kitchen fork
so you don’t disturb any tiny seedlings nearby.
• Vulnerability to critters: Critters won’t eat the seeds once they’re planted, but
will root around in the soil, disturbing the seeds. Cover with 1”x 1” mesh.
• Approximate growing seasons required before giveaway: 1 season
• Transplant survival rate: High
• Growth rate: Fast

Ginkgo:

• When to gather seeds:
Mid-Sept. - late winter, when the fruit drops.
• Germination: Easy
• Vulnerability to critters:
High, Cover with 1/2”x 1/2” mesh throughout the winter, to keep squirrels
from getting the nuts. In the spring, after the soil has settled enough that the
squirrels wouldn’t be able to reach the nuts, replace the 1/2”x 1/2” mesh with
1”x 1” mesh. The larger mesh makes it easier for the shoots to navigate their
way up through the mesh without catching on it.
• Approximate growing seasons required before giveaway: 2 - 3 seasons
• Transplant survival rate: High
• Growth rate: Medium

Hemlock:

• When to gather seeds: Fall through late spring.
• Germination: Easy. Hemlock seedlings are so tiny that they can’t push up
through a layer of mulch. Be sure to remove winter mulch before they start to
germinate, in early spring. They don’t tolerate full sun, so shade them with
lattice or similar screening.
• Vulnerability to critters: Critters don’t eat the seeds, but will root around in
the soil, disturbing the seeds. Cover with 1” x 1“ cage wire.
• Approximate growing seasons required before giveaway: Not sure, as the
only batch we’ve grown is 3 years old and still only 3” high. Hemlocks are
known to be very slow growers…
• Transplant survival rate: High
• Growth rate: Slow

Kentucky Coffeetree:

• When to gather seeds:
Winter through spring. The inside
of the pod is unpleasantly gooey.
• Germination: Easy, but seeds need
scarification.
• Scarification: Rub the seeds on a
file, until you’ve created a small
hole in the seed’s outer shell. Soak
the seeds for 24 hours after
scarification, then plant
immediately.
• Vulnerability to critters:
Low. Cover with 1”x 1” mesh.
• Approximate growing seasons
required before giveaway: 1 to 2
• Transplant survival rate: High
• Growth rate: Slow to medium

Honeylocust:

Honeylocust trees are lovely, and their seeds germinate well, but their propensity for developing thorns makes them undesirable for residential locations. Approximately 80% of seedlings grown from thornless honey locust tree seeds will develop thorns within their first 4-5 years. Since our audience is primarily homeowners, we’ve stopped growing them.

Oak:

• When to gather seeds: Mid-Sept. through
early Oct. (Chinkapins drop earlier than
Bur, Red, or White oaks.)
• Germination: Easy
• Vulnerability to critters: High. Cover
with 1/2”x 1/2” mesh throughout the
winter, to keep squirrels from getting the
acorns. In the spring, after the soil had
settled enough that the squirrels
wouldn’t be able to reach the acorns,
replace the 1/2”x 1/2” mesh with 1”x 1”
mesh. The larger mesh makes it easier for
the shoots to navigate their way up
through the mesh without catching and
bending over.
• Approximate growing seasons required before giveaway:
Bur oak: 1 season
     Red and white oaks: 2 seasons
Chinkapin: about 3 seasons
• Transplant survival rate: High
• Growth rate: Varies

Notes:
1. To determine seed viability - water test:
Put the acorns in a container of water.
Pitch the ones that float, plant the ones that sink.
If all the acorns float, give them 24 hours and then re-evaluate.
2. Some oaks are robust, even their first season. If you have great germination,
space the buckets a bit, to give the seedling room to spread out.

Acorn Weevils:
Acorns with a small hole were infested with weevils, and won't sprout. The acorn weevil is a brown beetle that deposits its eggs inside the acorn mid-summer. The larvae eat the developing acorn during the summer, emerging in the fall to burrow into the earth. They remain underground for one to two years, before digging out to repeat the cycle. Critters know exactly which acorns are infested (not good for eating or sprouting), so be sure to harvest early or you’ll be left with their rejects. 

Invariably, some weevils will emerge from the acorns after you've gathered them. You'll see them in the bottom of your bag, or - if you collected the acorns in a wicker basket - crawling across on your floor.

FYI: Goldfish love the weevils.

Persimmon:

• When to gather seeds: Late fall.
(Note: Plant the seeds, but save
the pulp for the kitchen!)
• Germination: Easy
• Vulnerability to critters:
High. Cover with 1/2”x 1/2” mesh
throughout the winter, to keep
squirrels from getting the seeds. In
the spring, after the soil had settled
enough that the squirrels wouldn’t
be able to reach the seeds, replace
the 1/2”x 1/2” mesh with 1”x 1” mesh. The larger mesh makes it easier for the
shoots to navigate their way up through the mesh without catching and
bending over.
• Approximate growing seasons required before giveaway: 2 - 3
• Transplant survival rate: High
• Growth rate: Medium

Sycamore:

• When to gather seeds: Late winter to
early summer.
• Germination: Easy, but care is needed.
Cover seeds with a thin layer of very fluffy
organic matter that the tiny sprouts can
push up through. Keep soil moist. Place
buckets in the shade so the sun doesn’t dry
out the soil. Germination can be spotty, so
save some seeds for re-seeding bare spots
later, using a kitchen fork to loosen the soil
without disturbing nearby seedlings.
• Vulnerability to critters: Critters don’t eat
the seeds, but will root around in the soil,
disturbing the seeds. Cover with 1” x 1“
cage wire.
• Approximate growing seasons required before giveaway: 2 - 3 seasons
• Transplant survival rate: High
• Growth rate: Fast

Tulip Poplar:

• When to gather seeds: Fall through early winter, when the seed heads break
apart easily. If you have access to trees near pavement, wait for the wind to
blow them off the tree and you can simply sweep them up.
• Germination: They can be difficult to germinate. Soak them in water for a
couple weeks before planting and sow thickly. Cover them with a thin layer of
soil mixed with crumbled leaves. They will sprout slowly over many weeks.
• Vulnerability to critters: Critters don’t eat the seeds, but will root around in
the soil, disturbing the seeds, so cover with 1” x 1” cage wire.
• Approximate growing seasons required before giveaway: 2 - 3 seasons
• Transplant survival rate: High
• Growth rate: Fast