Joshua Santor asked:


The memoirs of cultivated roses goes back thousands of being. According to fossil support, rose plants have existed for about 35 million living old. The genus Rosa has some 150 species extent throughout the world.

Wild roses are resilient and adaptable plants which grow in conditions ranging from marshy to scorched, and can tolerate acute climates of the northern hemisphere. Alberta, a zone of Canada where winter temperatures regularly catch -40 degrees, has as its provincial flower the rowdy rose, a small brutish category with unhappy pink blossoms and a delicate aroma.

Domestic cultivation of roses began more than 5,000 being ago in China. Wreaths of Damask-like roses have been found in Egyptian tombs. Frescoes of the Minoan Crete ethnicity show roses. Roses were cultivated extensively in the Middle East during Roman period, their petals worn as confetti at celebrations, for remedial purposes and odor. Roman goodness reserved large communal rose gardens in the south of Rome, where they used hot houses to “push” roses into flush at beloved period, and they also imported roses from Egypt. After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the cultivation of roses allotment throughout Europe.

European roses are classified as Albas, Centifolias, Damasks, Damask Perpetuals, Gallicas, and Mosses. Mainstream Oriental roses are Chinas and Tea Roses. The European varieties, with the exemption of the Damask Perpetuals, have one time of tint per year, while the Orientals tint more or minus continually.

England is the country most associated with rose cultivation. The damp, mild climate united with the perenially unclear toughen produces the best redden in roses, which cultivate to have “bleached”flag in intense sunlight. Beautiful English women are often described as English roses.

Roses highlight extensively in British historical imagery, and many family coats of arms quality roses. In heraldry, the rose is the character of the seventh son, expect and joy. A red rose symbolizes elegance nd beauty, an ashen rose, desire and assurance.

In the Middle Ages, roses retained their use in both civic and dutiful festivals, and were also kept in medicinal gardens. Their use in herbology as well as an exact for their fragance led to a bungalow activity of rose-essence distillation, which still has economic importance in some areas of Europe such as Bulgaria.

The fifteenth century “War of the Roses” was so named because the York and Lancaster factions were symbolized by colorless and red roses respectively.

During the sixteenth century, roses and rose water were valued so very that they were used as swap for goods.

With the rise of mercantilism during the Renaissance, horticultural trade flourished. Due to their fleet of trading ships, the Dutch were leaders in the trade of tulips, hyacinths, carnations and of course roses.

The eighteenth century also saw a great spread in rose cultivation: the widespread growing of roses from seed fairly than just the propagation of cuttings. The varieties of roses presented fast lingering from just a few dozen to one or two hundred. Also, an entire new group, the Centifolias, was shaped by Dutch lodge breeders.

In the 1800’s, Napoleon’s companion Josephine kept a large rose plot at Chateau de Malmaison, an estate seven miles west of Paris. The botanical illustrator Pierre Joseph Redoute used this patch as the backdrop for his infamous 1824 watercolor botanical painting collection “Les Roses.” Josephine also provided imperial support to some French rose breeders, notably Dupont and Descemet, who urbanized hundreds of new cultivars out of the European rose groups.

The large, spectacular roses seen at flower shows nowadays are derived from cultivars introduced from China to Europe in the eighteenth century. These plants were continual bloomers, making them unsual and of great amount to workshop hybridizers. These roses were interbred with unfilled European roses to produce plants with both hardihood and long peak term.

In the 1830’s, horticulturists experimented intensely with interbreeding Oriental and European roses. Due to the truth that the attribute of recur-promising is recessive, the first generation of offspring between separate-tint and recur-tinge roses are all solo-flowering. However, as these are crossed with one another and back to the primary Orientals and Europeans, replicate-blooming hybrids emerge. By the 1840’s many new varieties had been formed, called “Hybrid Perpetuals” for their perpetual blooming. These cultivars came in all ensign and forms, were all at least somewhat reblooming, and enduring enough to withstand the northern European climate. Interest in the original varieties of roses waned, excepting as a sentimental profit to heirloom rose fanciers. The loud new artificial hybrids are now seized up as the flower-show benchmark of what a rose should look like.



Samantha

J. Brian Keith asked:


Would you like to find out what those-in-the-know have to say about planting from seed? The information in the article below comes straight from well-informed experts with special knowledge about planting from seed.

When it comes to gardening, gardeners are of two minds. While some gardeners prefer to buy young seedlings and transplant them in the garden, other gardeners prefer the control and the sense of accomplishment that comes with planting flowers and plants directly from seeds.

Planting from seed has a lot to recommend it. For one thing, although transplanting seedlings can provide a good head start for the gardener, it can also introduce problems like disease or insect infestation to an established garden plot.

Planting from seed helps gardeners to avoid these problems. It is not difficult to plant from seed, but it is vital to read and follow the instructions on the seed packet for best results. As with other types of gardening, it is important to follow the instructions carefully. It is also important to protect the seeds and the delicate seedlings as they grow.

Whenever you plant seeds, it is a good idea to use a quality growing tray. It is important to choose the right growing tray, and you can get recommendations from your local nursery or garden center on the best type of tray for your needs. After you have the tray and the seeds in hand, the next step is to fill that growing tray with a high quality seed mixture. This type of product is also called a seed starting mix, and it is similar in consistency to potting soil. Another advantage of the seed starting mix is that it is sterile, and free of diseases and garden pests.

Now that we’ve covered those aspects of planting from seed, let’s turn to some of the other factors that need to be considered.

After the growing tray has been prepared, the seeds should then be placed in the seed starting mix. The rule of thumb when planting seeds is to plant them at least twice their own depth. In some cases, such as with very small seeds, you may want to simply dust the seeds with a light coating of seed mix, since if they are buried too deep they may not be able to sprout.

After the seeds have been planted in the tray, they should be labeled, using either sticks printed with a waterproof marker or actual nursery labels. Do not use the seed packets as labels, since they will quickly disintegrate from moisture as the seeds are watered.

Only a misting sprayer should be used to provide water to the newly planted seeds. If you use a hose or watering can, you could inadvertently dislodge the seed medium or uncover the seeds. The growing tray should be covered in order to prevent the moisture from evaporating. A covered tray will also encourage the germination of the seeds.

Another thing that can speed up the germination of newly planted seeds is heat. Heat has been shown to speed up the germination of seeds, and this is a technique used by many successful gardeners. Another favorite technique of gardeners is to use a bell jar to protect delicate seedlings from late frost. If bell jars cannot be found, a regular water bottle with the bottom cut off makes a good replacement.

There’s a lot to understand about planting from seed. We were able to provide you with some of the facts above, but there is still plenty more to write about in subsequent articles.



Darrell

Dave Pipitone asked:


When you look at any blooming flower, whether it is a tulip or a wildflower, you see the very last stage of its growth. Not all flowers start the same way, though. There is a difference between a tulip bulb and a seed that every gardener should know. To learn more, read the following information.

Let’s start with the basic definition of an ordinary flower bulb. There are many different definitions you can find on gardening websites. Here are two similar, but different definitions:

An underground leaf bud enwrapped in fleshy scales or coats.

An underground storage organ made up of fleshy scales wrapped around each other from which flowers and leaves are produced.

Let’s pull out the common elements. A tulip bulb is the bottom part of a tulip plant. When the bulb is planted in the soil and begins to come to life, roots and shoots break through the outer wall. Roots dig deeper into the soil to collect water and nutrients. Shoots grow upward and break through the surface of the soil and grow into the green plant that bears a tulip flower.

A bulb is a “storage organ.” It stores food in the “fleshy scales” around the “core” of the bulb. That core grows into next year’s plant.

According to Wikipedia, a seed is a small embryonic plant enclosed in a covering called the seed coat, usually with some stored food. The seed coat is a hard case that protects the tiny plant inside. Seeds grow inside a flower or fruit. A seed can be harvested, cleaned, dried and planted to grow new flowers and plants.

You can find tulip seeds within the seed pod in tulip flowers. The pod needs to be pollinated so that the seeds will grow. When the flower dies, you can extract seeds from the pod and plant them the following September. Just be aware that it can take several years before you see a flower on a tulip grown from a seed. Some gardening authorities state that it can take five-to-seven years before these tulips to produce blossoms. A tulip bulb is different from a seed because a bulb will produce a tulip plant and flower the very next year. Make sure to plant either one in the right soil with proper watering and care.

A seed can be as tiny as a poppy seed or as large as a peach pit. The biggest seed in the plant kingdom is from a coco de mer palm tree found in the Silhouette Islands in the Seychelles. That seed can weigh up to 17.6 kilograms or 38 pounds!

Tulip bulbs are very large compared to most flower seeds. A tulip bulb is measured by its circumference. A typical tulip bulb is 11-12 centimeters in circumference which translates to 1.5 inches in diameter. An average tulip bulb measures between 1.5 inches and 3 inches long.

Here’s one more, significant difference between a tulip bulb and a seed. Seeds often grow at the furthest end of a plant, tree or flower. Bulbs do not. A tulip bulbs multiplies by dividing into two bulbs that are attached to each other near the roots of the plant.



Vernon

Joshua Mintz asked:


Garden Seeds For Survival – Why?

Garden seeds for survival are our defense against hard times. They can mean the difference between healthy happy living and absolute depression.We can not overlook the path in which are nation has been heading. Whether you believe in end time prophecy or you simply pay attention to the news, its obvious that things seemingly get worse year after year.

I would **** to think that everything thats been done is irreversable. But sometimes is as if we have started an avalanche that nust hit the bottom of the mountain before it stops. We as people must start to take responsibility for our own lives sooner or later. Leaving it all up to our government to bail us out of the current financial crisis might be huge mistake. Not that we can really do alot to turn the economy around, but we can definitely prepare ourselves for the harshest of times. And growing our own food and vegetables is a simple yet effective way to do so.

Check Out The Garden Seeds For Survival Website

What Makes Garden Seeds For Survival Special?

The reason why we need survival seeds is similar to the reason our country is facing these dire times. For years greedy companies have been creating seeds that can only produce 1 season of crops. I dont know about you, but its just another sign of our ignorance as human beings. I know that I must pray for the people that make these decisions, but its hard not harbour strong feelings. The reason why the garden seeds for survival are so crucial, is that they are non-hybrid, natural garden seeds. They are hand-picked and created for the sole purpose of long-term crop production. 

Another reason that these seeds or so important is that they have the longest shelf life attainable. No seeds can hold the same length of life as these garden seeds for survival.These seeds go through a special process that actually increases the shelf life to more than 20 years! I dont mean to sound too excited, but that could literally bring us through some very tough times. That means that you could buy plenty of years worth of these special seeds, and not worry about them losing the ability to create food – life- for you and your family. I mean, anything could happen. Tornadoes and fires and many other things could destroy a crop almost instantly. So being able to have back up seeds for long periods of time is not only possible, but very important.

When Should I Get My Garden Seeds For Survival?

If we are waiting for things to get worse or for a time when growing our food is a necessity, we might not see things as they truly are. Waiting around until the absolute worst comes to pass, could be a big mistake. Learning how to our own food is not something that happens overnight. We are not talking about growing a couple tomato plants. We need to know how to grow a nice size garden that will take care of our families. And to wait until we have no choice to do so would leave us in a very tight spot. Even if we were to plant a few seeds of every vegetable, that would be huge for future gardening. Not to mention, growing your own food will save you money instantly. And you can start saving the seeds from all your plants now. If you think about it, if things keep heading the way they are going, things like seeds will be way more important than paper money. I hope that never happens, but we just dont know. There are countries everywhere that are full of starving people. We should really protect ourselves. Its not like growing our own survival gardens is an insurmountable task.

For more information and ideas for starting your own Survival Garden, check out the Garden Seeds For Survival Website by clicking the link below :

 



Rafael

Patrick Desnoyers asked:


When buying seeds from wholesaler, seeds are sold by weight. Seeds are mostly described with the following terms :Common nameSome common names of tree species would be : maple, pine, boxwood.Latin nameLatin name of the previous mentionned would be : acer for maple, pinus for pine and buxus for boxwood. These latin names constitute the scientific name for each species.After the description section, the next information are the technical ones. First, every supplier will have a monitor measure. Two measures are commonly used. The first is the count of seeds per pounds, and the second is the weigth per thousand seeds.PurityPurity is expressed in %, and it represent the number of seeds versus the number of debris (dead leaves, stem) in the batch of seeds.Germination rateGermination rate is also expressed in %, it represent the number of seeds that will germinate with proper condition.Origin / sourceThe origin and source will determine the country the seeds originate from, where they were collected. Some supplier will also list the state or province of origin.Growing infoGrowing info will refer to the needed condition for germination. Common details are, pre-treatment, such as scarification and stratification, both hot or cold, and sowing technique.Common useSupplier will often state the common uses or classification of species. For example, you could find all of the following : Edible Fruit/Nuts · Fall Color · Medicinal · Rootstock · Shade Tree · Urban Tolerant · Tree · Poisonous · bonsai · Drought Tolerant.Conditions of seedsYou can get, winged or dewinged, refering to seeds who grows with a wing or two. Usually, dewinged seeds cost more, since they require an additionnal step of preparation before they are sold.You can get clean or uncleaned seeds. This usually happens with seeds that come from fruit trees. A clean will have the pulp of the fruit remove, while an uncleaned seeds will almost come with the complete fruit.You can also come across green or dry seeds. Green seeds are the freshiest. The supplier have skip drying the seeds for proper storage and is selling untreated seeds. A dry seeds is not completly dry, but rather as a 5-8% humidity rate. The treatment is done to prevent decay of seeds in a shelflife. It mainly prevent rot.



Vicki

Michael J. Mcgroarty asked:


You are welcome to use this article on your website or in your newsletter as long as you reprint it as is, including the contact information at the end. Website URLs must be active links. You are welcome to use this article with an affiliate link, http://www.freeplants.com/resellers.htm

Most Japanese Maple seeds ripen in the fall. Watch the tree and wait for the seeds to turn brown. The seeds are ready to be harvested when they are brown and can be easily removed from the tree.

  The seeds are attached to a wing, it’s best to break the wing off before storing or planting the seeds. Japanese Maple seeds have a very hard outer coating as do many ornamental plants. Under natural conditions the seeds would have to be on the ground for almost two years before they would germinate. All that happens the first winter is the moisture softens the hard outer shell, and the second winter germination is beginning to take place.

  In order for all of this to happen in the proper sequence so the seedlings actually sprout at a time of the year when freezing temperatures or hot summer sun doesn’t kill them, takes a tremendous amount of luck.

  You can improve the odds by controlling some of these conditions, and shorten the cycle. Once you have picked the seeds and removed the wing just place them in a paper bag and store them in a cool dry place until you are ready for them. You don’t want to plant your seeds out in the spring until the danger of frost has past. Here in the north May 15th is a safe bet.

  If May 15th is your target date you should count backwards on the calendar 100 days. That will take you to about February 5th if my math is correct. On or about the 100th day prior to your target planting date, take the seeds and place them in a Styrofoam cup or other container that will withstand some hot water. Draw warm to hot water from your kitchen faucet and pour it over the seeds. Most of the seeds will float, just leave them in the water overnight as the water cools down. 24 hours later most of the seeds will have settled to the bottom of the cup.

    Drain off the water. Place the seeds in a plastic bag with a mixture of sand and peat or other suitable growing mix. Even light potting soil will work. The peat or soil should be moist, but not soaking wet. Poke some holes in the bag so there is some air circulation, and place the bag in your refrigerator for a period of 100 days.

  After 100 days you can plant the seeds outside. If you have timed it correctly, you should be at or close to your target planting date.

  To plant the seeds just sow them on top of a bed of well drained topsoil or sterilized potting soil, and cover with approximately 3/8″ of soil. Water them thoroughly, but allow the soil to dry out completely before watering thoroughly again. If you water them frequently, not only do you stand a chance of the seeds rotting from being too wet, but you will also keep them cool, which will slow down the germination process.

  Once they start to germinate provide about 50% shade to keep the sun from burning them. Snow fence suspended about 30″ above the bed will provide about 50% shade. Japanese Maples will tolerate some shade so it isn’t too important to transplant them too quickly. Depending on how close together they are, you might be able to leave them in the same bed for one or two growing seasons. Don’t transplant until they are completely dormant.

Michael J. McGroarty is the author of this article. Visit his most interesting website, http://www.freeplants.com and sign up for his excellent gardening newsletter.  Article provided by http://gardening-articles.com



Monica

Colin asked:


If you are considering starting a lawn from seed, there is some information you need to know before making your decision.

Advantages over installing sod are that it is less costly and there are a greater variety of grasses to choose from. While there is a lot of labor involved, the beautiful results are well worth your time. This article will contain many tips to help make the process easier.

When starting a lawn from seed, be aware that it is going to take a lot of care. If you are an avid gardener, this probably won’t be a problem for you. If you are replacing a very large lawn, you may want to hire someone to help you remove old sod. Seeding results are better if you remove old grass before you begin. This can be done by removing 1 foot sections with a spade. If you are starting from scratch you will want to till the area in order to remove old root clumps or debris and rake it till you get the level you desire.

An important decision to be made is what type of grass seed you should purchase. Take your climate into consideration, consider whether the area is shady or wet and also determine what type of soil you have. This will help you make the perfect choice for your lawn. There are also ornamental grasses you may want to consider. If your soil doesn’t drain well, you will need to add some sand to the mixture before planting the grass seed. This will stop the ground becoming waterlogged. You will also want to check the pH level of your soil. Ideally, most lawns thrive with a pH level of 6.5-7.0, so if yours isn’t in this range you may need to add some amendments to attain this level.

If you have decided to start your lawn from seed, one thing you should think about is how much maintenance is required once the grass is established. Some varieties need little or no mowing, and others require mowing more often. Some also require more moisture, so watering may be necessary.

Once you have chosen yor seed it’s time to get the soil ready. The first step you should taking after preparing the site is to add a layer of organic material to your topsoil. Some people choose not to use topsoil. In this case, use peat moss, compost and manure, and make sure this is at one inch thick at a minimum. Leave the mixture loose so that the roots of the grass seed can spread.

As you can see, starting a lawn from seed does require quite a bit of work – but it is well worth the effort. You may also add fertilizer about a week before seeding. Just follow the manufacturer’s instructions for this step. After all the preparation is complete, you are ready to seed! Again, follow manufacturer’s instructions. They will tell you how much seed to use on a certain size area.

You can seed by hand or use a spreader – or both, this is completely up to you. If you have a large area it is useful to divide it into smaller sections and sow a portion of the seed into each section. To ensure you have an even spread sow the seed in two directions. After seeding, you will need to rake the seed into the soil. If birds are likely to be attracted to the area you can criss cross string about 4 inches above the soil surface.

Now, wait for your grass to grow! It should only take about 7-14 days before the seedlings appear. Keep the soil moist during this time and water preferably in the evening. Use a fine mist so as not to dislodge the seeds. Until your lawn becomes established, try to keep pets and visitors off of the grass.

Starting a lawn from seed does require effort and attention on your part. To keep you motivated during the process, just picture the lush green lawn you will have in a short time! Your neighbors will be envious.



Gilbert

Dennis Copson asked:


Have you noticed how expensive nursery – bought plants are these days? You can avoid spending your hard earned money. With a little planning and some small effort you can grow your own plants from seed. It’s simple and fun.

Spring is almost here – now is the time to get started. If you have children here is an excellent way to pique their interest in gardening. Kids do love learning new things and you will be cultivating a life long habit.

First, plan your garden. Determine what kind and how many of each plant you want to grow. Take into account such factors as sun, soil, and the length of the growing season in your area. Not all plants are suitable for all areas. (Most seed packs have charts to give you tips as to suitability for your region.) Plant some extras – not every seed will sprout.

Will you be growing your own vegetables this year? Consider doing so organically. Want some fresh tomatoes all summer? How about some herbs or peppers? These and others can be started now to plant in a month or so in your garden. I like to start my own tomatoes as I can pick the varieties I want to stagger the yields throughout the summer and into the fall.

I start my summer flowers now to ensure I have plenty to put in hanging baskets and in the garden; I always have a few spares in case I need to replace any plant that dies or is eaten by a wayward rabbit or voracious caterpillar.

When you purchase your seeds, don’t buy the cheapest ones as they may not be as good as those costing a few dimes more. There are good seed companies out there such as Burpee, Park, and others. Buy a reputable company’s seeds. Check the dates on the seed packs to be sure they have not expired although I have successfully grown seeds from packages I’ve kept from the past year.

To begin you will need a good quality planting mix. Most nurseries carry a seed starting mix which is ideal. The soil should be light and somewhat fine. Don’t use composted manures as they are too nitrogen rich for your seeds at this point and will burn them. I add dry worm castings to the mix to provide organic, slow release, gentle food for the seeds as they germinate.

You will need small individual pots to plant them in. You can buy these reasonably priced at nurseries or garden centers. There are even biodegradable pots made from cow manure and even worm castings which allow you to plant them directly into the ground when your seedlings have grown enough and the outdoor temperatures will allow it. However, I am forever saving little pots such as yogurt containers and the like from my own home and reusing them. See, you can recycle this way and save yourself money, too. Great lesson for your kids to observe. Not everything goes into the garbage!

When you are ready to go, soak your seeds overnight in a solution of liquid worm castings (worm tea). You might even warm the solution to just above room temperature. I use an organic product containing yucca extract because yucca is a wetting agent. It makes water ‘wetter’ and will soften the seed pods and allow the seed embryos to absorb some nutrients while still in their pod. This procedure will speed up the germination period of the seed by sometimes half. (For instance, I’ve soaked pansy seeds with a 14 – 17 day germination period; they were up in 5 days.)

Fill your planting pots about ¾ full with your planting mix moistening the soil generously but not to the point it is soggy. (Be sure your pots have ample drainage holes in them.) Tap them lightly to settle the soil removing any air pockets.

Once your seeds have soaked for at least eight hours, and not much longer, you are ready to plant them. Pay close attention to the planting instructions on the package and follow them. Don’t plant too deeply nor too shallow. You needn’t be exact to the point of worry, but try to be within a reasonable measure of what’s suggested. Plant up to three seeds per container as you can cull out the excess plants later keeping the biggest and healthiest.

After you’ve planted your seeds, cover the containers with a clear plastic baggie such as any zip lock freezer bags. Put the baggie on from the top with the opening at the bottom of the pot. You needn’t seal it as you will need to allow for some circulation. Doing this creates your own ‘green house’ for each individual pot. Moisture stays in and condenses on the baggie dripping back into the soil. Also, the temperature is warm and the air moist inside the bag.

Place the planted pots outside, if possible, into a well lit area though be careful of direct sunlight as you do not want the little ‘green house’ you have created to overheat. If you are in a cold climate and the outside temperature dips at night, keep your little ‘babies’ inside perhaps near a window for light. I like to put mine on a window sill, but not one where the exposure to sun is excessive. Some use grow lights, but this is unnecessary and defeats the purpose of saving you money.

Keep a close eye on your efforts. You will shortly see your seeds peek up from the soil – an exhilarating moment for you. You have created life! You will notice droplets of water on the inside of the baggies; this is good. If not, check the soil moisture. If it is drying, use a hand held spray bottle and spray with water until moist. I dilute a liquid worm castings solution and spray with that. It will not burn the seedlings and will give them a slight feeding at a young age.

You will be amazed at how fast your seedlings grow. Within weeks they will be ready to plant outside in your garden. You have done it – you are now a master gardener. Happy gardening and enjoy the money you have saved.

(More information on gardening organically and using worm castings/worm tea is available at www.naturesbigbud.com.)



Roland

Patrick Desnoyers asked:


The question we will answer in this article is: Do bonsai seeds exist? The answer is NO. There is no such thing as bonsai seeds. However, tree seeds exist. Let me explain.

You cannot plant a supposed “bonsai seed” and expect to grow a masterpiece bonsai. At most, you will get a tree in a pot, which is the equivalent of the literal translation of the Japanese term “bonsai”. Furthermore, a simple stick in a pot will not pay much hommage to the long refined Japanese art that is bonsai. Like many art forms, rules of design exist. Those rules and the techniques to apply them will keep a dwarf tree and make it appear to be a miniature tree in all of his proportion resulting in what we call a Bonsai.

Therefore, if there are no bonsai seeds, which seeds should I purchase? The answer is: any tree seeds. In fact, all seeds advertised as “bonsai seeds” are only tree seeds. If you plant them, do not utilize proper techniques and give the tree the opportunity to reach maturity, it will become a tree similar to those found on your street or at the park. With a few exceptions, such as genetic deformation in the core of the seeds and malformation in the growing process, all seeds are tree seeds.

However, some seeds will produce dwarf trees even though they are of the same species. These seeds derive from a plant affected by a type of fungus called the “Apiosporina collinsii”, which will attack the genetics of the seed. This new genetic code will be reproduced in the seed. We must inform you that these genetically modified trees rarely produce seeds, so they are pretty rare. In English, they are referred to as “Witch broom” and “Yatsubusa” in Japanese. Yatsubusa, meaning eight (8) buds, refers to the very compact growth habit of these plants. For the previously mentioned reason, the easiest method to obtain a Yatsubusa is to propagate with cuttings rather than seeds.

In conclusion, we can write of “bonsai seeds” being at most, tree seeds of species preferred by bonsai enthusiasts. Mishobonsai.com is all about providing tree seeds of the species you prefer to grow as bonsai. Should we be able to acquire seeds that produce very specific characteristics such as dwarfness, they will be sold in the Specialty buy section of the store.



Dorothy

Patrick Desnoyers asked:


About Bonsai Seeds

The question we will answer in this article is: Do bonsai seeds exist? The answer is NO. There is no such thing as bonsai seeds. However, tree seeds exist. Let me explain.

You cannot plant a supposed “bonsai seed” and expect to grow a masterpiece bonsai. At most, you will get a tree in a pot, which is the equivalent of the literal translation of the Japanese term “bonsai”. Furthermore, a simple stick in a pot will not pay much homage to the long refined Japanese art that is bonsai. Like many art forms, rules of design exist. Those rules and the techniques to apply them will keep a dwarf tree and make it appear to be a miniature tree in all of his proportion resulting in what we call a Bonsai.

Therefore, if there are no bonsai seeds, which seeds should I purchase? The answer is: any tree seeds. In fact, all seeds advertised as “bonsai seeds” are only tree seeds. If you plant them, do not utilize proper techniques and give the tree the opportunity to reach maturity, it will become a tree similar to those found on your street or at the park. With a few exceptions, such as genetic deformation in the core of the seeds and malformation in the growing process, all seeds are tree seeds.

However, some seeds will produce dwarf trees even though they are of the same species. These seeds derive from a plant affected by a type of fungus called the “Apiosporina collinsii”, which will attack the genetics of the seed. This new genetic code will be reproduced in the seed. We must inform you that these genetically modified trees rarely produce seeds, so they are pretty rare. In English, they are referred to as “Witch broom” and “Yatsubusa” in Japanese. Yatsubusa, meaning eight (8) buds, refers to the very compact growth habit of these plants. For the previously mentioned reason, the easiest method to obtain a Yatsubusa is to propagate with cuttings rather than seeds.

In conclusion, we can write of “bonsai seeds” being at most, tree seeds of species preferred by bonsai enthusiasts. http://www.mishobonsai.com is all about providing tree seeds of the species you prefer to grow as bonsai.



Jamie