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Seed can be very
easily obtained from many species of tree that can be found growing
in fields, gardens and by the roadside. Many species of tree such
as Oaks, Maples and Beech have instantly
recognizable seedpods that once opened reveal large quantities
of seed that can be used to create large numbers of new plants.
There are also many retail outlets that sell 'bonsai seed'. It
should be noted that there is no such thing as 'special seed for
bonsai', bonsai are created from ordinary trees not 'special bonsai
varieties'. Packets of 'bonsai seed' are generally very overpriced
and can be misleading, they simply contain seeds from trees that
are suitable for use as bonsai.
Some species of trees are relatively easy to grow from seed, Maple species, Black Pine, Scots Pine, Zelkovas, Beech and Larch are all species that are easy to germinate from seed. Others such
as White Pine, Hornbeam and Needle Junipers can be more difficult.
Though seed is very cheap and easy to obtain, it does have some
drawbacks when propagating plants. It is a very slow process; seeds can take many months to germinate, some species
can take a number of seasons for their seed to germinate
and many species need exacting conditions to begin the process
of germination. Many types of seed require periods of cold or
mild temperatures or wet weather before they will begin the process
of germination.
When seeds have been successfully germinated, young seedlings
will need a number of seasons of vigorous growth before they have
thick enough trunks to warrant their use as bonsai. Typically,
a tree grown from seed will take a further 4 or 5 years of vigorous
growth to achieve a trunk just an 1" across. There are also
many species of trees that readily cross pollinate and their seed
will nearly always produce hybridized plants which may not display
all the qualities of the parent plant.
However, growing a tree from seed and watching it mature into
a bonsai is an experience that every serious enthusiast dreams
about and trees that are grown from seed, from their very inception,
are a reflection of their owners patience.
GERMINATING SEED
The ability of a seed to germinate depends on a number of factors;
the quality of the seed or even whether it is still viable, the
time of year, surrounding temperatures and importantly the temperature
the seed has been previously exposed to, the manner of collection
and storage, and importantly the matter of individual species'
dormancy requirements.
It is preferable to try to use fresh seed that has ripened within
the past growing season; some trees seed can have a relatively
short life span compared to flower or vegetable seed and old seed
may not be viable any more.
Seeds are biologically programmed to germinate in their native
habitat when growing conditions are at their most favourable.
For most species, this means that seeds that are released in late
Summer and Autumn, go dormant for the period of the Winter and
then germinate when the soil temperatures rise in the Spring.
This dormancy means that seeds don't germinate immediately in
Autumn as they fall from the tree; this would result in young
seedlings that would be killed by the first frosts of winter.
By germinating in Spring, a young seedling has an entire season
to grow and strengthen in preparation for its first winter as
a young sapling.
This is a good example of why it is important to understand the
need to try to imitate the natural growing conditions of an individual
species to prompt it to germinate. The easiest species to germinate
are nearly always those that are found locally; by virtue of the
fact that these species are able to reproduce by seed also means
that your local climate is favourable for germinating its seed.
If a tree is able to germinate its seeds by simply dropping them
onto the ground, so can you.
Unless described otherwise in the Species Guides, seed can be
sown in Autumn straight into a prepared seed bed or a pot outside,
the effect of repeated freezing and thawing through the winter,
followed by the gentle warming of the soil and increased light
in Spring will break the seeds dormancy and it should germinate.
This process of breaking dormancy is known as stratification.
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STRATIFICATION
Stratification can be artificially created with the help of a refrigerator. This can be necessary when trying to germinate seeds out of season, seeds that have been stored inside over winter or seeds of species that will not germinate naturally in your local climate.
Seed should be soaked in water for around 5 or 6 hours and then placed in a damp plastic bag at room temperature for 3 or 4 days. Seeds that are seen to soak when soaking in water are still viable for germination; any floating seeds are empty shells and will not germinate, these should be removed. Care should be taken with very small seed as they can all end up floating as a result of surface tension!
The plastic bag of seed is then placed in the bottom of a refrigerator where the temperature is around 4°C. The bag is then slowly moved up the shelves in the refrigerator over a period of two weeks until it is placed on the top shelf where the temperature is just above freezing. Over a second two-week period the bag of seed is then slowly moved back down to the bottom of the refrigerator. The seeds can then be removed from the refrigerator and sown.