Seeking bigger alder seeds - Page 5

 




On Tyneside 6-7 years, but in America 3 years I hear. But I am trying
to shorten it by collecting my seeds in year 0, germinating them in
year 1, grafting them onto spurs of side-branches of adult trees, this
is in places where new growth would be expected to produce catkins and
cones in year 2.

I have been having problems with this. I germinated my seeds in trays
on a window sill and they grew about a foot before I took midsections
out of them to graft onto the adult trees. Not many have taken and
none will now produce catkins and cones next year, the adult trees
have now produced next year's catkins and cones. I think the room for
improvement is :-

Germinate the seeds earlier so that they are bigger and fleshier by
the time they are used for grafting. This means germinating them in
warmth and under light. There is a place near me which sells gear for
this, my children agree that it is sold for cannabis growing, but
honest officer, I am completely innocent!

Better grafting technique. Grafting such small stuff is a hand skill
and I think I have learned it. Grafting wax is just impossible to use
"in the wild" away from a bench, it goes solid before you even get
there and I don't want to carry burning candles with me. These are
small GREEN shoots and I think Arbrex contains general poisons which
are effective against fungi on stems with bark, but which soak into
small green pieces and kill them. So I have decided to use Vaseline
for sealing and Hellermann sleeves for holding the scion onto the
stock. They are very effective, but like all things, there is a knack
to them.

Next year is next year and I hope and to do better then. Wish me luck!

Michael Bell




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@gardenbanter.co.uk says...

  red alder only takes about 7 years.I grew them because they have
larger cones, very handsome in winter when trees are bare. Size of cone
doesn't mean larger seeds though; they are still only about the size of
dandruff.

   Janet B

 



Yes, I have seen red alders, Alnus rubra, American alder, in parks in
this country, a very big tree. But the wood is used for the bodies of
electric guitars. You can't get cooler than that!

Michael Bell


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