Gathering Tree Seeds

One of my favorite things to do at this time of year is gathering tree seeds. I love to find seeds from native trees that we don't have growing on our property and add them to "our collection". The easiest way to go about gathering tree seeds is to study up on the specific tree you are wanting to collect seeds from. Find out their good and bad points. And most importantly, for the sake of this post, find out when the seeds are mature for harvesting and what the seeds need to get them growing and established. Most tree seeds simply require you to remove the seeds from a pod or shell of some sort. But there are a few tree seeds that will need to go through different treatments so that the seeds will germinate. Be forewarned, saving seeds from some trees can be a little messy, especially if you let the seeds go past the ripe stage. For example, if you want to save seeds from the black walnut tree, just put them out in the driveway and drive over them for a few months. You won't harm the seed inside and it won't be such a messy job as opposed to trying to remove the shell covering by hand. After the shell covering has decomposed, you can plant the black walnut, shell and all, into a pot or directly where you plan to grow the tree. Just remember to mark where you planted the tree seed so you don't forget what you planted and so you won't accidentally run over it. Some tree seeds may not germinate for two years or more, so patience can indeed be a virtue in gathering tree seeds.





Gardening Tips