Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Primitive Skills => Topic started by: nugget on November 12, 2007, 08:55:43 pm

Title: Growing my own
Post by: nugget on November 12, 2007, 08:55:43 pm

Would love some advice on tryin to grow my own Osage. I have just been delivered about 8 softball sized hedge apples.I am planning on planting them and seeing if I can get them to grow.
 What do you think?

Title: Re: Growing my own
Post by: Hillbilly on November 12, 2007, 09:30:35 pm

Every one of those fruits has a pile of seeds in it, kinda scattered randomly through it. Mash the apple up and pick the seeds out. They will have to be stratified (go through a cold period) to break the seed dormancy so they'll germinate. Either put the seeds with a little moist sand in a ziplock in the fridge/freezer for a couple months and sow 'em in the spring, or sow them in flats/small pots outside about February or so to let them get some cold weather. After they start growing and get a few leaves on them, transplant them into one-gallon pots. Feed them with Osmocote or a similar slow-release fertilizer.The next year or whenever they start getting rootbound move 'em up into 3 or 5 gallon pots. After they get 3-4 feet tall or so, plant 'em in the ground. Osage grows pretty quick, you should have small bow-sized trees in ten years or so if you plant them in a good spot.

Title: Re: Growing my own
Post by: nugget on November 12, 2007, 10:20:04 pm

Awesome!!! Can't wait.  :o
Thanks a bunch

Title: Re: Growing my own
Post by: Pat B on November 13, 2007, 12:31:36 am

I've heard you can put them in a bucket of water over the winter and come spring pour the slurry in a shallow trench and cover with soil. I believe Chris Cade did it this way.     Pat

Title: Re: Growing my own
Post by: nugget on November 16, 2007, 10:40:44 pm

Well I will give it a try. I will post pics as they grow.