Planting Trees from seeds. Advice
 

I hate a clutch of red maple seeds and Texas Lemon seeds (these are awesome!).

The lemon seeds are from a lemon tree that was planted as seed, so it is a natural lemon tree, not a hybrid.

The maple seeds are fresh off a drummond red maple tree in my backyard.

They have been naturally dried, and I am ready to try to sprout them.

I have bought a small plastic sprout starter that has little peat pellets. After they sprout, plan to move to small pots with new potting soil, then will move to small garden frame.

Anyone started maples or fruit trees from seeds?

Re: Planting Trees from seeds. Advice
 

Maples are generally started from seed so you should have no problem there.

Citrus seedlings are funnier and have some cross-pollination issues and complicated genetic quirks including nucellar sprouting.
The seeds are definitely worth planting, though.
Most well-grown citrus seedlings will first bear fruit after only a few years in a sunny warm climate.
Good luck.

Re: Planting Trees from seeds. Advice
 

I get zillions of "volunteer" Maple seedlings in my yard & gutters every year. They certainly seem to WANT to sprout.

Re: Planting Trees from seeds. Advice
 

As far as I know, the natural lemon trees are full of thorns and the lemons are full of seeds and very bitter, remember the old song.

I guess you could still make lemonade.

Lemon trees are used for root stock to graph other citrus trees onto, like satsuma, orange and grapefruit.

That's because lemon trees are hardier than the other citrus trees.

You probably know that citrus won't survive freezes unless protected, although natural lemons are hardier to freezes.

Citrus is is definitely not a northern tree.

Re: Planting Trees from seeds. Advice
 

Ahh, yes. Peter, Paul & Mary. Pretty song, by the way.

Re: Planting Trees from seeds. Advice
 

I live west of Houston, so deep freezes are not much of a problem. Hard freeze this year was the water in the dog bowl had a thin layer of ice in it.

Thorns are ok. I have plenty of space for it. I also have a lemon drop tree that gives VERY sweet fruit.. these are mainly for a reliable source of C.

Re: Planting Trees from seeds. Advice
 

lol, yeah I was going to say, "Just throw your seeds somewhere yo don't want them to grow."

Re: Planting Trees from seeds. Advice
 

I wish it was that easy! We have a 'tree deficit' on the property here. Unfortunately, the black clay is so hard it takes a real concerted effort to grow anything.

Re: Planting Trees from seeds. Advice
 

Hi Tech Guy,

Maple seeds are "live" seeds and can't be allowed to dry out. From the time they fall until they sprout they must be kept moist. Sorry.

I know nothing about lemon seeds though.

s

Re: Planting Trees from seeds. Advice
 

Thats ok, there are still some on the tree... Time to go pickin...

Re: Planting Trees from seeds. Advice
 

I'm now wondering about the "Johnny Appleseed" stories I read as a kid. What prompted him to do that? Some Depession stories or what?

Re: Planting Trees from seeds. Advice
 

It might have simply been a way to roam around and get consistant warm meals.

s

Re: Planting Trees from seeds. Advice
 

I get the feeling there is more to the story than what we have been told, much like "The Wizard of Oz", I'll look it up.:bear_rolleyes:

Re: Planting Trees from seeds. Advice
 

Lemon seeds, like other citrus seeds, are also short-lived if allowed to dry.
They're best kept undried or in the fruit till just before sowing.

Re: Planting Trees from seeds. Advice
 

Do you get a lot of maple syrup from the red maples?

Re: Planting Trees from seeds. Advice
 

Nope. Ornamental only.

Maple syrup usually comes from sugar maples.

Re: Planting Trees from seeds. Advice
 

For the lemon seeds if they bear fruit at all it will take 10 to 12 years. Go to Lowes an buy a Myers Lemon (around $20) you will have fruit almost year round. I live near you and have 2 Meyers in my backyard 50 or more lemons on each right now.

Re: Planting Trees from seeds. Advice
 

Meyer lemons are not true lemons but probably a very old lemon x mandarin cross.

They're popular in Texas, so it indeed may be your Texas lemon. They're productive and smallish and make great dooryard fruit trees in warm areas.