Hello all,

How much impact does soil play in seed propagation. I have been told before that substrate isn't necessary early on for bonsai trees.

I have grown multiple batches of seeds, but every time used peat moss. One was just peat moss, and the last two batches were peat moss with perlite. I have tried to propagate 8 different species, and treated each one the same, and so far I have only been able to propagate Acacia Dealbata(Wattle), Pinus Thunbergi(Pine), and Picea Pungens(Blue Spruce).

I have failed to propagate Gardenia Jasminoides, Jacaranda Mimosifolia, Picea Mariana and a couple others. I am trying to learn. I understand that buying seeds online, there is no guarantee that the seeds will propagate. I am just trying to learn and eliminate variables, so I am wondering if using organic soil is not the way to go, or maybe it just retains water too much?

My latest batch is about 80% peat moss with perlite, 10% lava rock, 10% akadama. If organic soil is fine for propagation, then I am guessing watering amount, and just normal chances of seed propagation are playing a bigger role in the failures.

Tree seeds germinate in organic soil in nature and in nurceries all over the world. So it should not be a source of problems. Your seeds didnt sprout because the seeds wasent viable or didnt get the correct stratification.
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When growing from seeds it is important that the soil is very low in nutritions. Especially nitrogen. Too high will burn the fine new roots. I use a comercial seed starting mix. Organic mix with something like 20% sand in.

Tropfrog wrote:

When growing from seeds it is important that the soil is very low in nutritions. Especially nitrogen. Too high will burn the fine new roots. I use a comercial seed starting mix. Organic mix with something like 20% sand in.

I hear this a lot. Similar with not fertilizing when just repotted.
There is absolutely no biological reason for this.

As tropfrog indicates: In general, substrate has little influence on germination of the seeds. If your seeds germinate, and then die, that could be in the substrate.

I would guess there is something in the way you keep the seeds; to dry / too wet. For tropical species stratification often is not needed (Although scarification might be needed, damaging the seedskin).

Each species has its own way of preserving dormancy and how to break it. You need to look for the specific needs of the plant you are trying to grow.

So it is false that too much amonia will burn fine root? That seems to be a common understanding for all kind of growing.

But, yes. It is correct that it will not influence germination. If thrue it only influences the success after germination.

too much is always a problem. Thing is.. Plants take up nutrients predominantly with the white tips on the roots, which are always the young roots. So I have never understood the argument why after pruning or sowing this would burn young roots, but not in mature trees.

Things is more, the plant does not need fertilizer: It has a lot of reserves in the seed to get established.

Have you guys eard about a technique with lentils? I am testing right now.

@kebras What do you mean with lentils technique?
Growing the seeds on netting with roots in water?
Or do you want to grow you own salad??

Rorror wrote:

@kebras What do you mean with lentils technique?
Growing the seeds on netting with roots in water?
Or do you want to grow you own salad??

It's a technique that consist in letting lentils under water during the night, you can use a small cup. In the morning you take the water into a glass. Before bedtime you use the same water and re-use it in the cup. You keep this process for 4 or 5 days, It depends how much they grow. Then, whith the lentils germinated and the same water (you can add more water if you want to) you shred with a blender. It will turn into a paste. It's a powerfull rooted.
Check on youtube for better explanation.