Stratification of Nordmann fir seeds for growing Christmas trees.

Hello rob here from the flanigan Homestead i’ve got uh thousands of Nordman fur seeds here in this bag and I’m going to start the stratification Process and show you how i do that i’ve Been doing that for the last couple Years i actually normally buy Norman for seedlings but they’re hard to Get so uh i wanted to start the process And why Am i standing in my kitchen because My wife loves it when i farm in the Kitchen And she’s yes love you honey Anyway they’ll be outside soon but uh It’s dark outside and i’m just gonna I’m gonna do the stratification process In here and it’s actually uh quite easy And uh noble fur seed Can be done uh similarly but anyway i Bought a pound of seed from silverseed Here in Roy washington not i don’t live in roy But i live in washington state there’s About seven thousand to eight thousand Uh seeds in a pound of norman fur seeds They don’t they said that they actually Needed a lot of their seed but they were Willing to part with this bag Because uh well they were honest with me They had had it for several years and Each year that they keep it in the Freezer There’s a lower percentage of seeds that

Germinate so they told me hey this has Been around a while you’re going to get A lower percentage Actually when i did this last year with These seeds it wasn’t bad it wasn’t as High of a rate as you wanted but i got a Lot of trees so But they had it for many years before They sold to me i’ve had it for several Years so these seeds have been in a Freezer For probably seven to ten years now i Don’t know exactly but i’m pretty sure It’s been at least seven years so we’ll See how well it works but um It is Mid-february right now And so i i’m going to start the process And it’s pretty simple what i’m going to Do is i’m just going to pour these in a Bucket i’m actually using a lunch pail Uh that nobody’s using right now and i’m Just going to fill this full of water And i’m going to soak this for At least 24 hours some people like to Rinse it after Maybe 12 hours there’s a chemical that Secretes off the shell Are Off the seed that some people think is Good to get rid of so i’ll probably this Is the evening probably tomorrow morning I’ll Rinse it out and put more water in there

And make sure that this is 24 hours After that We’ll put in the refrigerator i’ll show You that process in a while too but First things first simply Soak all these seeds You could do similarly with noble fur Seeds actually when i’ve done noble First seeds and i’ve had a lot of Success before is i just mix them in a Whole lot of sand and i put the Bucket of sand with the seeds mixed in It outside during the winter and it Freezes And it Thaws and it freezes and it thaws then In the spring it’s ready to plant but uh These the northern fur seeds i’m just Gonna soak these for at least a minimum Of 24 hours but no more than 48 And Anyway i’ve got enough water In the bucket now that they can all Soak up some water and get rinsed off Obviously some of the seed floats on top Of the rest so i’m just going to stir it Around and make sure these seed has a Chance to get underneath But uh Anyway You don’t need to see more of this i’m Getting the seeds wet So here’s the tag from silvaseed uh You can see on it it actually comes from

Georgia not Not the state of georgia but the country Of georgia uh on the further seat it Actually says the providence was Amber lurie taogi don’t even know how to Say it but uh From the country of georgia where the Nordman uh fur Or native are native So my seed has been soaking uh I’ve actually put it in there it’s been A little bit more than 24 hours i put it In in the evening a couple nights ago So 24 hours would have been last night But we were i had a super bowl party and Everybody was busy here and so it’s the Next morning so we’re at a little over 30 hours i’m going to go Drain this i don’t think i actually Showed you What Nordman fur seeds look like more than a Quarter inch half inch seed The Roots are going to come out of this Point Down here that i have on the lower side Anyway So I need to strain this out so i’m going To Just take a strainer out of the kitchen It’s basically a screen and pour the Water through this

Put the seed in After most of the water’s run out maybe A little bit more here Pour them out on the paper towel Let some more of the moisture come out There Got myself a gallon ziploc bag Open this up Fold this over And i’m going to shove the whole thing In the bag so i i’m going to have to do This with two gallon bags because i have So many seeds What i’ve done before i’ve been Successful with in the past is i leave The paper towel in there with it that Had soaked up some of the moisture you Don’t want Uh The seeds to get soup stay super wet and Get moldy but you do want to have Moisture in there the towel kind of Soaks up For me i feel like the towel soaks up Some of the extra moisture but then the Moisture is actually still in the bag And if it’s getting too dry in the bag The Moisture comes out of the towel and goes Back into the seed Always mark your bags on when you put it In there In this case february 14th You always think you’re going to

Remember And you never do So write it down After you’ve got everything in the bags Stick them in the refrigerator and You’re going to forget about them for a While Hopefully in a back corner where your Wife’s not going to throw them away or a Reminder that they’re important to you Not to throw them away every few weeks i Might turn and rotate them a little bit Just so they’re not piled up the same Way so you get a little error on some And moisture not all just in the same Spot kind of i think it kind of prevents Rot But so they’ll be in the refrigerator For Six to eight weeks and then you can Plant them they’ll be ready to plant uh The last few times that i did this Before we got to that time frame or just As we’re getting that time frame you can Start to see your little roots actually Coming out while they’re in the Refrigerator and uh so you know that Knew that they were ready and i’d Actually take the ones the roots are Showing and actually stick them in the Ground Or root down and uh Actually uh when i planted mine is i i Took the ones that were showing

Uh germination and root growth and stick Them in the ground and put the others Back in the refrigerator and waited Another week and then a bunch more would Have the roots starting to come out and I would plant them that way and then After a few weeks I just put all the rest in that hadn’t Shown anything and Those were the ones that a lot of those Just didn’t grow anyway because they Weren’t viable seed anymore because Remember this is actually very old seed So the percentage rate is going to be Down but uh yeah i would actually The last couple years just take them out And because i’m not doing huge Quantities and plant the ones that i saw Roots starting to sprout out So the nordman’s fur seeds are in the Refrigerator they’re going to be there For several weeks continuing their Stratification process i’m going to go Ahead and post this video now i will Have updates later on how they’re doing When the process has moved along but I just wanted to post this now because If you’re planning to do some Stratification it’s a time to get that Moving along because this need to be Stratified and the seeds need to be Ready to go in the ground in the spring So It’s time to be moving forward

Thanks for joining me on the flag and Homestead where christmas trees are my Business Teaching including horticulture is my Job and outdoor projects are my passion And these snortman seeds are part of the Christmas tree business hope to see you Again soon be blessed