The greatest delight of tree lovers is caused by giant sequoias (sequoiadendron) and metasequoias. Quite an obvious consequence of this delight is the desire to grow such a tree at home. Then, by no means the cheapest seeds are bought and, upon receiving them, a logical bewilderment follows: «How can you grow a hundred-meter tree from these tiny seeds?!!»
Well, it is quite possible.
Below is a step-by-step instruction on growing huge trees from far from the largest seeds.
We take the seeds (in this case, metasequoia in the photo), soak them for 2 days in settled water at room temperature. Change the water at least 1-2 times a day
After two days we take the seeds out of the water, shake them out on a paper towel and dry them a little so that they don’t stick together when sowing.
Next, take a box, fill it with soil (mix it yourself or buy it for conifers 1:1 with universal soil). Water the soil. Distribute the seeds evenly over the surface. Water again (from a spray bottle!).
If you are going to plant the plants almost immediately, you can sow densely, as in the photo. In any other case, sow 4-5 times less often.
You can sprinkle a little soil on top, but a very thin layer - metasequoias do not like to be buried deep in the ground. A layer of literally a couple of millimeters, so that with watering the seeds appear on the surface again.
After - water from a spray bottle.
Cover the box with polyethylene. Water from a spray bottle 1-3 times a day, the same amount - ventilation. Remove the polyethylene when the first shoots appear. Be sure to monitor the optimal soil moisture!
After the first shoots appear, you need to water so that the top layer of soil has time to dry out a little - metasequoias do not need a swamp! In case of overflow - "black leg". Maintaining this optimal balance is a guarantee of getting metasequoia seedlings.
In about 10 days, metasequoias/sequoiadendrons begin to sprout.
Sequoia germination is low, in the best case, 15-25% of seeds will sprout. The first shoots can appear in 2 days, or in 2 months.
In the photo: metasequoias are 2 weeks old, at the bottom with a red trunk is a sequoiadendron.
Metasequoias are a month old. They can be planted now!
If you don't plant them out, you'll get this (4-5 months)
Metasequoia, 2 years old (3rd one is coming)
Sequoiadendron sowing is absolutely identical. In the photo: sequoiadendron 2-3 months old (left), small one is sprouting in the center
What you shouldn't do:
- sow like carrots in rows to a depth of 0.5 cm or more, they simply won't sprout or only 1-2 will sprout;
- scald the seeds with hot water. Also, they do not need stratification at all, do not complicate;
- water like indoor violets and keep seeds/seedlings in a swamp. Yes, adult metasequoias grow quietly near water bodies and they like it, but seeds do not;
- dry the top layer of soil to a depth of more than 0.3-0.5 cm (if these are seeds) and to a depth of more than 1-1.5 cm (seedlings);
- water additionally if you see that seedlings are falling en masse or withering in wet soil - they do not dry out, this is a "black leg" and with additional watering you only aggravate the situation.
In general, if you maintain an optimal balance between overdrying and overmoistening the soil - everything is simple! Seedlings that live up to 2 months are practically indestructible, and 95% of seedlings survive to this age if you follow the recommendations listed above.