Dear Etsy Fans, Please find for sale 20 Red Maple (Acer Rubrum) seeds. It may also be known as swamp maple, water maple or soft maple. Totally hardy, the Red Maple makes an unusual & stunning centre piece to any garden - its fantastic autumn colour. The leaves emerge bright green in spring & turn delightful shades of gold, red, scarlet & crimson in autumn. The more acidic the soil, the more intense the autumn colours will be. Alternatively, Red Maple is rightly popular the world over as a superb bonsai specimen 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 Germination Guide Maple seeds benefit from cold stratification. Stratification is a process of simulating natural conditions that the seeds must experience before germination can occur (if a seed germinates in the middle of winter it will die). in the wild, seed dormancy is usually overcome by the seed spending time in the ground through a winter period & having its hard seed coat softened up by frost & weathering action. This cold, moist period triggers the seed’s embryo; its growth & subsequent expansion eventually break through the softened seed coat in its search for sun & nutrients. Sow at any time of the year. Soak seeds for 24 hours in water which starts off hand hot. Sow very thinly in small tray or small pot of moist, peat based seed compost, lightly cover with compost & seal inside a polythene bag. Place in a cold place for 6 weeks. in winter then can be just left in a shady spot in the garden or a cold shed. Alternatively, in the bottom of the fridge Return indoor & germination should take place in a few weeks at 18-21C. Ensure compost does not dry out - best to place inside a water tight tray & water from the bottom. Germination can be erratic - prick out the seedlings when they become large enough to handle minimising disturbance of the rest of the compost. Tip! Generally for maples the more acidic the soil, the more spectacular the autumn display. 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) Dont 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
