Please find for sale 25+ fresh Hawthorn seeds (Crataegus Monogyna). Seeds sustainably harvested & prepared in Autumn 2022. PLEASE NOTE: All orders received before 8pm (Mon-Fri) will be dispatched same day SAVE PACKAGING MATERIALS - SEE OTHER INTERESTING & UNUSUAL SEEDS & PLANTS in MY SHOP Named after the month in which it blooms & a sign that spring is turning to summer, the pale green leaves of this iconic hedgerow staple are often the first to appear in spring, with an explosion of pretty pale-pink blossom in May. It simply teems with wildlife from bugs to birds. Hawthorn is a pagan symbol of fertility & has ancient associations with May & in the Middle Ages it was put to all kind of uses - as well as being Shakespeare’s most mentioned plant - in 5 plays! All that old stuff aside, Hawthorn is an incredibly useful plant today as a native hedging - easy to maintain, hedging plant, loved by birds, insects & other small animals…but loathed by intrusive livestock & wannabe burglars! It also make a great bonsai specimen. Germination Guide: 2 ways - natural & artificial Natural Sow in trays of compost, & cover with approx a cm on compost. Leave outside over winter or in an unheated shed/greenhouse If outside, cover to protect tray from animals in spring move to a bright spot Artificial Method (more controllable) Mid the seeds with some moist but not wet potting compost Place in a zip lock bag Place at bottom of fridge for 2-3 months cold stratification After stratification, sow seeds in trays of moist compost Place in a warm place out of direct sun - circa 15-22c Pot on seedlings once large enough to handle Olly’s General Guide to Seed Sowing! I love sowing seeds & it runs in the family - dad, granddad & finally my great-granddad for whom the hobby helped him get over his experiences in the Great War. I still get a big kick when I see the first seedling poking through from a new plant that I have never sown before or been successful at. However, even the most experienced gardeners draw blanks from time to time. Whilst I sow all the seeds that I sell so I know that they are viable, some are trickier than others & problems can arise so here are some tips to make blanks few & far between: 1) Don’t Rush! Tempting though it is when that packet arrives in the post to simply bung the seeds in some compost! 2) Google & YouTube are your friends! Take some time so see the methods other people use to germinate the seed. 3) Think Nature! What conditions do seeds face? For example a seed from a tropical plant will fall to the warm, wet & dark jungle floor. A seed from the mountains of Europe will fall to the floor in Autumn, then have to endure months of freezing temperatures before germinating in the spring. So as growers, what we are trying to do is to simulate the conditions that the seeds will naturally experience & there are plenty of tricks that can be done to short cut the processes somewhat. 4) Good compost pays dividends. The best investment you
