Redbud Seeding

Jan 28, 29, 2021 collected seeds from redbuds, shelled the pods

Boiled 50 seeds for one minute then soaked over night- by morning these seeds had swelled up. Therefore, seed coat was breached and seed absorbed water

Boiled 50 seeds for one minute, but did not soak. Seeds not swelled of course, but assume seed coat is no longer impenetrable

Vernalization- put 15 seeds of boiled/soaked, 12 seeds of boiled only and 10 seeds of no treatment in plastic container = see below- placed different seeds in paper towel and covered with potting soil, put in fridge on Jan 31/21

Will test some winter sow with balance of seed

https://growitbuildit.com/illustrated-guide-to-winter-sowing-with-pictures/

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 Redbud seeds have hard, impermeable seedcoats and dormant embryos.  The seedcoats must be broken and dormancy overcome before the redbud seeds can germinate.

 Boil seed in boiling water for one minute or soak in hot water overnight. This is done to allow moisture to penetrate the seed coat.

Dormancy can be overcome by subjecting the seeds to moisture and cool temperatures for a specific period of time.  Place a small amount of a moist potting soil in the bottom of a small plastic container, such as a margarine tub.  Place the redbud seeds on the surface and then cover with additional moist potting soil.  Make 1 or 2 small holes in the plastic lid and then place it on the container.  Place the container in the refrigerator for 5 to 8 weeks.  (The temperature should be 35 to 41 degrees Fahrenheit.)  After the cool, moist requirement has been met, remove the seeds from the refrigerator and plant indoors.  Using a commercial potting mix, plant the redbud seeds 1/4 to 1/2 deep.  Keep the potting mix moist until the redbud seeds germinate.