chiggerbit wrote:Annie, and I were chatting last night, and in passing briefly touched on the idea of a seed exchange. What do you think? Too many problems? Like for instance, vigilance with regards to safety in exchanging addresses? Legal restrictions, such as the kind that states like California have on certain species? Diseases? International restrictions? Discuss. I'm going to plan on saving seeds this summer, just in case this gets going.
I could do loads of Montmorency sour cherry seeds. Also woodland wildflowers such as Dutchman's breeches for shade, a wild lobelia for sunny, wetter areas that is a drop-dead gorgeous blue a little over a foot tall. Also, shagbark hickorynuts and black walnuts.
Criminy, I thought it was a little extra-noisy outside just now, went out to look. We've had a Midwest monsoon since yesterday, and I see that one of my ponds is flowing over the top of the bank, in spite of having an over-flow tube. Hope the other pond isn't doing that--the dam may not hold if it does.
chiggerbit...
I didn't look it up, but I am fairly certain that Montmorency is a grafted tree.
That means that growing from seed will result in a tree that is a throwback to the rootstock. It may end up looking like a bush or you may end up with the next sour cherry version of the Jonathan apple.
Here is a sample of what I mean...
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 110AAuf5KRGrowing cherries from seed is a gamble. You will not know what kind of cherries to expect. They could be good or they could be hard, sour and almost inedible. Cherries require two varieties for pollination, so you will need two.
Allow the seeds to dry for a few days. They may germinate better if stored uin the coldest part of the fridge( not freezer ) for a couple of weeks. Plant in a good potting soil and keep moist. Then plant outdoors in Spring.
Charles C. is likely to be no more of an expert than I am, but this does jibe with what I understand about fruit tree production.
If you are growing the cherries for food on a subsistence level you will have to wait several years and then will likely be disappointed with the result.
Berries grown from seed will likely yield results closer to the fruit which provided them, but there is no guarantee on this either.
I have about 700 varieties of seed with 300 more on the way, as well as trees and berry bushes and am interested in being part of seed exchange movement.
In any event there are already a number of wonderful exchanges out there. Do a google search. Join an exchange, and buy some seed and you are on your way.
The Internet has been a godsend to the grow-your-own movement. Especially try youtube. Good stuff.
Good luck.
Fellow gardener,
Eddie Albert
I'm the one with the megaphone.