BoO: Prepare Tree Seed Stratification Area

[smlambert]

As we learn and grow, we will try 3 approaches to handling tree seeds that require cold stratification. Here is my blurb from an email exchange on the topic:

Controlled stratification

• The Nanabush greenhouse (or any greenhouse) would not be suitable for controlled stratification, since temperatures fluctuate wildly as the sun hits it throughout the winter.
• I have had very good results stratifying seed in my basement 'fridge' (repurposed chest freezer with a temp control on it set to keep it at 6degrees).
• I believe I have mentioned that I would like to try the 'buried cache' approach in the seedling area also. I would plan to split the seeds into several groups:
  • some going to fridges of the team
  • some to a buried cache (in the event that one of the 2 approaches (fridge or buried cache) fails horribly, all is not lost). For buried cache, we will purchase animal proof metal cans and bury them. Shelley also has a small non-functioning freezer that can be buried and used as a storage container for this purpose (if needed).

We hope we might get funds for a shed, using the leftover $$ from your seedling structure CEPGP grant, and some OSF funding, in this event, we have a 3rd approach, an above ground cache that we store in the shed.

Direct sowing Requires soil prep and some amount of protection, I have some site prep of the seedling area on my TODO list for this fall. Worth doing some as a direct sow, to see how effective a method it is. I presume this can be anytime up until the ground freezes.

[Pepe-Fifi]

I would like to help with sowing or soil prep for the tree seed stratification area, Shelley (hopefully next year I will collect native seed trees from local forest sources)

[smlambert]

Before we do more work than we need, I will like to know how many seeds we have to stratify.

I have not heard whether any one has seeds that we want to directly sow this year, so I will presume not any or not many, in either case, I will not prioritize prepping more seedling area. There are still at least 2 empty rows in the seedling area which can be used this year, if there are some seeds to directly sow, so I consider the prep work done for this year.

Also, as I have not heard of any large amounts of tree seeds being collected, I do not know if we will need to bury the metal buckets as another place to store and cold stratify seeds. I will also presume not a high priority, but would not take much to dig a hole and bury a bucket.

[jodinewman]

Made some headway on this with the creation of a few air pruning beds and the procurement of a shed.

We will continue to apply for funding for more air pruning beds - leaving this issue open but not assigned to a specific timeline for now.