Teeny Tiny Osage Stave

[duffontap]

My efforts to cultivate Osage Orange from Harold's seeds has finally paid off with my first little Osage sprout!  At least, it had better be an Osage sprout.  I planted this seed three months ago and watered it faithfully but it just appeared about two weeks ago.  I think I had planted it too deep.  At any rate, a big thanks to Harold (Hhop) for sending me these seeds.  I still have a dozen more and I hope to get some more sprouts.  I'm very happy with the progress so far but I think I'll wait another ten years or so before I snap and have to cut it down.  I might even last 20. 

               J. D. Duff

[attachment deleted by admin]

[jamie]

good luck chasing those rings

[Justin Snyder]

JD, I think you need about 100.  Then you can cut one down at 5 years one at 10 years.  Then you can cut one per year for the next 5.  By that point it should be big enough to give you can probably cut all you want. Each tree will give you quite a few staves at that point.  As long as you plant a couple each year you will have a lifetime of osage.  Now I did the hard part  and planned it out for you, all you have to do is find a chunk of land that will serve the purpose and get them planted. Oh, and don't forget to prune so they are all straight staves. 

What are you talking about Jamie, that tree is only 1 ring. It should be easy to chase.    Justin

[Hillbilly]

I would guess that the earlywood/latewood ratio isn't too good yet, either. 

[duffontap]

I do have a little room for a hedge row.  I wanted to get about ten plants going but that may end up taking up too much space.  My father-in-law is always telling me I'm not fully invested unless I've planted the trees myself.      He thinks his daughter maried a crazy man.

               J. D. Duff

[Justin Snyder]

I do have a little room for a hedge row.  I wanted to get about ten plants going but that may end up taking up too much space.  My father-in-law is always telling me I'm not fully invested unless I've planted the trees myself.      He thinks his daughter maried a crazy man.

               J. D. Duff

He is probably right. But normal people are so boring.  Justin

[Hhop]

That is great to see that one finally sprouted. Good luck with it!
Harold

[Pat B]

Just putting a seed in the ground(or a pot) doesn't necessarily mean it will sprout. Most seeds have requirements that they need to sprout. Either a dormancy that needs to be broken(stratification) or a hard seed coat that needs to open(scarification), or both. In many cases, if the seed is placed in a baggy with damp(not wet) sand and placed in the refrigerator for 3 months, that will break the dormancy and the seed will(should) germinate. To scarify(disarm the seed coating, ie. hull, shell)you can do it either mechanically(with a file or crack open the shell) or chemically(either using the acids that are in the soil naturally or a dunk into sulphuric acid) to achieve this.
   Depending on the particular seed you are dealing with,  one or both of these requirements is necessary for good germination. The fall is the best time to begin stratification so, by spring the seed is ready to go in the pot and should begin to sprout as the weather warms.    Pat

[mullet]

  JD,I've been trieing too.Here's mine,probally the only one growing this far south.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Justin Snyder]

Easy Eddie, You are going to make Pat hungry when he sees that cat lying under the truck.  It looks like you ran over it on the way in.  Justin

[mullet]

   Ahhh,Good observation,the cats name is DA,or Dumbass when my grandson isn't here.You missed the box to the right of the truck,Rigid 14" bandsaw 

[duffontap]

That's a nice start Eddie!  I'm a little jealous of the bandsaw, too.

            J. D. Duff

[duffontap]

I almost forgot--thanks for the info Pat.  I tried soaking the seeds for 48 hours to get them going but none of those seeds worked. 

           J. D. Duff

[mullet]

  JD The first time I started from seeds it took almost a month and a half for them to germinate.I had about 20 come up but the heat  or fungus killed them.I actually have two growing that size now.If you like the bandsaw you ought to here how I got it,the 13" planer,and the big shop vac for nothing.

[Justin Snyder]

JD, if you can find it there was a thread on germinating osage. I think they work better if you freeze them for a couple of weeks in the freezer.  Kind of like the pine cones that have to burn.  Justin