Sycamore and some type of conker tree seedlings

Auti

Hi. Last September there were sycamore and some type of conker seeds on the floor next to my child‘s school. We decided to collect some and plant them in pots at home to see what would happen (it was as much to teach patience and how nature works/not works as anything else). This spring we found two conkers had started to germinate, but sadly we lost one, and now it is looking really healthy and growing well. We now don‘t know how to pot it on, which it needs, and the eventual aim is for it to be in a large tub as we have no space to plant it in the ground. We also had four sycamore seedlings grow but two look not too well and my child has bonsai trained one (not sure it likes it but it is an experiment) and the other looks good. Again we need advice on how to pot on to eventually go into a big tub. Just as an extra we have now planted acorns we found to see if they will grow next year and a different type of conker type things we found on our walk . Could anyone help us with what compost etc to plant the germinated trees in and how to feed and anything else we need to know? Thank you

twopenny

John innes no3  in a pot an inch or 2 larger each time.
Keep it watered daily in summer. Litres.
But you know how big these things grow?

You can eventually get it into a huge pot in 2 or 3yrs but it will probably give up the ghost within 6yrs.
It gives you time to try and find a permanent home for it in a park or somewhere and have visiting right

Auti

twopenny said:

John innes no3  in a pot an inch or 2 larger each time.
Keep it watered daily in summer. Litres.
But you know how big these things grow?

You can eventually get it into a huge pot in 2 or 3yrs but it will probably give up the ghost within 6yrs.
It gives you time to try and find a permanent home for it in a park or somewhere and have visiting right

Thanks I think they have done well given what you said about water! We have given them not much and on and off .Will get some no3 and I have a feeling child has plans of topiary so quick growing might not be a problem . We have some bonsai trees which started all this off.

Katiehound

Sycamore grow like weeds so I wouldn't worry too much about them- sorry

Some seeds grow better with 'stratification'. If you google it will tell you- basically give the tree seeds an artificial winter & they are more likely to germinate. I think the easy way is to layer in sand in a jar- but check it out. However judging by my friend's garden acorns seem quite adept at growing in the lawn!!

If you want to try something a bit more exotic it is possible to grow avocados and dates from the stones/pits

Auti

Katiehound said:

Sycamore grow like weeds so I wouldn't worry too much about them- sorry

Some seeds grow better with 'stratification'. If you google it will tell you- basically give the tree seeds an artificial winter & they are more likely to germinate. I think the easy way is to layer in sand in a jar- but check it out. However judging by my friend's garden acorns seem quite adept at growing in the lawn!!

If you want to try something a bit more exotic it is possible to grow avocados and dates from the stones/pits

Ooooo, now I like the sounds of growing exotic We plant and see what happens so with the acorns and other seeds from plants we just put in the soil/compost and let them get on with it - we are not very scientific but think that if they have given the effort of germinating and surviving our neglect we should be kind to them (not sure how the sycamores will like topiary though!) 

twopenny

I had 6 avacado trees growing in my compost heap from the middles of what id eaten.
They survived the beast from the east even.

But with thoughts of fresh avaos taking form i found they grow to 30ft!
They arent that big in the Aussie plantations.

Chloe_G

All the unwanted sycamore seedlings that root in my garden grow distressingly well.

Katiehound

If you want to try date palms, if I remember correctly- you put the stones in polybag somewhere warm, like airing cupboard and they may start to germinate. I have had avocados, dates, & loquats growing long ago.

Eldi_Dos

Auti said:

Katiehound said:

Sycamore grow like weeds so I wouldn't worry too much about them- sorry

Some seeds grow better with 'stratification'. If you google it will tell you- basically give the tree seeds an artificial winter & they are more likely to germinate. I think the easy way is to layer in sand in a jar- but check it out. However judging by my friend's garden acorns seem quite adept at growing in the lawn!!

If you want to try something a bit more exotic it is possible to grow avocados and dates from the stones/pits

Ooooo, now I like the sounds of growing exotic We plant and see what happens so with the acorns and other seeds from plants we just put in the soil/compost and let them get on with it - we are not very scientific but think that if they have given the effort of germinating and surviving our neglect we should be kind to them (not sure how the sycamores will like topiary though!) 

With avocado stones I have found this works.

Get a jam jar and fill with water and put a cover of clingfilm or plastic film over top so that it has a sag in the middle,pierce film several times then place stone onto film and store somewhere out of direct sunlight. The stone will send roots down into jar then develop into plant, it could be quite educational for kids to see the process. Probably too late this year but around beginning of April I have found good time to start.

If you are wanting to grow on tree seeds, dig a small trench deep enough to take three or four 12" terracotta pots, put some drainage material in bottom of trench and then put pots with seed in trench and backfill with soil or compost. Easy enough to keep watered and then in two or three seasons lift pots and take to were you want to plant them.

Crag30

Chloe_G said:

All the unwanted sycamore seedlings that root in my garden grow distressingly well.

I end up having to remove a 1000+ from my garden annually, from the self seeded trees just over our back fence. Council wontl remove them event though there's 12 trees 30ft+ high within a couple of metres of each other

ispookie666

I have a huge horse chestnut tree and boy it has 1000's of conkers. 
They just seem to grow in moist areas with lots of leaf mould.