Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: greenbtree on February 03, 2013, 02:35:05 PM

Title: Starting Bee-Bee trees
Post by: greenbtree on February 03, 2013, 02:35:05 PM
Found a surefire way to start Bee-Bee trees, by accident.  I received an order of seeds, sowed them in a flat, just covering the seed, watered the flat, and covered it in saran wrap. Placed in a warm location.  Monitored moisture level, and waited.  And waited, and waited.  Nothing.  About three to four months later, I forgot about them, one of my pets pulled the saran wrap off and the flat dried out.  Death Valley level of drying out.  About 5 months later I noticed them again, thought, "Well, they are probably toast, but I have noting to lose, and watered them again.  A couple of weeks later, the flat just exploded.  I have over 60 trees.

I wonder if the area of Korea they are native to has a dry season, or if maybe they trigger to a drought followed by rain?

JC
Title: Re: Starting Bee-Bee trees
Post by: Hemlock on February 03, 2013, 02:53:49 PM
Maybe the seeds weren't stratified when you got them.  Causing them not to grow but remain dormant till they were ready.
Title: Re: Starting Bee-Bee trees
Post by: greenbtree on February 03, 2013, 03:08:11 PM
Supposedly the person I got them from stratified them before I bought them, and I followed up doing more cold, moist stratification in the fridge.  Maybe not long enough.  I posted this more for the "don't give up" knowledge that anything.  That and that apparently a wet/dry/wet stratification process works as well or better than a warm/cold/warm one.  I had tried growing bee-bee trees the year before using the cold method, and got a grand total of two.

JC
Title: Re: Starting Bee-Bee trees
Post by: Wits End on February 03, 2013, 05:50:39 PM
I used the tea stratifying method on Robs website and got 72 out of 72. Planted some, gave lots away and still have some in pots.
Title: Re: Starting Bee-Bee trees
Post by: Maryland Beekeeper on February 04, 2013, 10:28:59 AM
Hope I have the same luck :)

http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/gardening/seed-germination/ (http://robo.bushkillfarms.com/gardening/seed-germination/)
Title: Re: Starting Bee-Bee trees
Post by: Greg on February 05, 2013, 07:13:51 PM
How long does it take these trees to begin flowering?