Monkey Puzzle Seed Germination.
I have germinated 100’s of Monkey Puzzle seeds and have a very high success rate, the reason being is I buy fresh seeds and use a tried and tested method, here are some hints and tips and details about the method I use to germinate my Monkey Puzzle Seeds.
SeedsWhen buying seeds there are certain things to look for that will improve the germination success rate, they are:-
- Green tails – When the seeds have fallen from the mother tree the tails of the seeds will be green, naturally fading over time to brown. The greener the tails the fresher the seeds.
- Texture of tails – When the seeds are fresh the tails are slightly flexible and soft to the touch, as the seeds age the tails will become less flexible and prone to snapping.
- Time of year – Monkey Puzzle seeds normally drop from the mother tree around September/October, this year (2008) they seemed to have dropped a lot sooner, maybe due to climate change. Buying seeds at this time of year can mean that the seller has fresher seeds, its worth asking the seller when the seeds drop.
- Where to buy – this year I have bought around 500 seeds and have bought them from various eBay sellers, my favorite eBay seller is Diabigboots. These are VERY fresh seeds and come from excellent 100+ year old stock. David the seller only seems to sell these fresh which is great, I bought some from him last year and the germination rates were VERY high indeed, David (and Cleo) are highly recommended.
The germination process
When germinating Monkey Puzzle seeds here is the process that I use
Soak the seeds
Soak the seeds in luke warm water for between 24 & 48 hours. I place all of my seeds in a bucket of water, here is a picture of some Monkey Puzzle Seeds soaking in a bucket: -
I allow the Monkey Puzzle seeds to soak for a minimum of 24 hours or until they sink, any that are still floating after 48 hours are less likely to germinate but I plant them anyway.
Sowing the seeds
I fill a seed tray with John Innes Number 2 soil and then remove the seeds from the bucket of water and stick the seeds into the soil about 1cm deep, do not cover the seeds with soil, most of the seed should still be visible after planting.
Place the seed tray into a heated propagator and wait. At this stage never allow the water to dry out, keep it moist but not wet. Here is a picture of 2 trays ready to go into a propagator: -
Planting the seeds on
You need to do this anytime between 4 weeks and 2+ years after sowing the seeds, you will know when the time is right as the seeds start to ‘dance’. They start to lift themselves out of the soil, when this happens you need to pull the seeds out of the seed tray being very careful, I use a knitting needle to loosen the soil around the seed to ensure the roots are not damaged, not damaging the roots is critical.
I then fill a 9cm square plant pot with a shallow layer of stones to aide drainage and then top the pot up with John Innes Number 2 soil. My Monkey Puzzle seem to love John Innes.
Once the pot is ready I use my finger to jab a hole just deep enough to plant the seed and tap root in about the same depth as it was in the seed tray and then fill the hole in around the seed, I then water lightly. During this process take great care not to damage the root. At this stage the seed is not showing anything green and remains just a seed with a tap root.
Over the next few weeks/months one of 3 things will happen
1 – The Monkey Puzzle tree will start to grow outside of the seed and you will see the tree emerge at the side of the seed, the seed will eventually detach itself and can be thrown away.
2 – The Monkey Puzzle tree will grow inside the seed, if this happen you will need to pull the seed case off when it feels loose enough to do so.
3 – Nothing – The Monkey Puzzle seed did not survive, this is rare but does sometimes happen.
Caring for your Monkey Puzzle Tree
I leave my Monkey Puzzle in pots as I don’t have any room to plant them out, I only water them when they need it which is usually about every 2 weeks, do not allow your pots to sit in water. Monkey Puzzle trees do not like it when their roots sit in water, excellent drainage is required. I have found that if the roots do sit in water the tips of the branches go brown and the branch will die, sometimes the entire tree will die. The key to growing Monkey Puzzle trees in pots is drainage, drainage and more drainage, oh and good old John Innes number 2.
As of August 2008 I have approximately 150 Monkey Puzzle trees that are 11 months old and around 40 that are 2 years plus, I have also just started germinating ~500 more seeds. I have no idea why I have so many or what I will do with them. I have already given lots away to people who commit to growing them responsibly.
Monkey Puzzle Trees are like Marmite, you either love them or you hate them, I love them.
