Germinating holly berries/seeds
Thirtybyseven
Posts: 59
in Plants
I have some holly berries from my mum's garden and want to have a go at germinating them. On the net I found various methods which include putting them in the fridge for at least a few months, but some suggest removing the pulpy bit of the berry and others say to put the whole berry in the fridge.
I guess I could also just plant them in pots and leave them outside for the rest of the winter instead? I assume that's how they germinate in the wild...
If anyone has ever tried either technique or any other for that matter, please let me know!
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If you sow them untreated in the pot they can take 18 months to germinate. A lot quicker if they pass through a bird's digestive system, not that that helps, but I would suggest removing the pulp and scarifying the surface of the seed [ replicate birds gizzard] before chilling in freezer afor a few days and then sowing them.
I've never bothered with messing around. I sow them whole, in pots and leave them outside to germinate in their own time.
I'd love to have a go at this too. Carol Kline did it on one of her progs. I think that Carol put dirt in a bag with the berry and put it in the fridge first.
I think I'll try a few different methods, with and without the use of a fridge/freezer and see what happens.
My ambition increased somewhat after successfully growing an avocado plant from an avocado I got from the supermarket - it took almost a year before the first leaf came through though