About Tree Seeds And Bonsai Seeds Germination Instructions

By Ahmed Hajouj.


About Basic Care of Seeds

It is important to maintain the freshness of the seeds in order to facilitate proper germination. This is why we store all of our seeds in a refrigerator dedicated for this purpose. Therefore, in order to preserve their freshness until you are ready to begin the germination process, you can store the purchased seeds in the plastic bag we have provided. You can place the seeds in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator.

About Germination Instructions

Once you are ready to germinate your seeds, you have two (2) germination methods: natural germination or forced germination.

Natural germination: Sow seeds outside in autumn. Overwintering the seeds will accomplish all the necessary natural processes seeds require to germinate. Next spring, you should have sprouted seeds.

With forced germination, you are accomplishing the germination process artificially. Therefore, you will need to follow the steps listed below. Each seed is different. However most of them require three (3) steps. Some may require more while others may require less. These steps are: the scarification, the stratification and sowing.

1 – Scarification

Each seed has a shell around the live inner part. Some are harder than others. The goal of the scarification process is to soften the shell and allow water to reach the inner part of the seed. You will scarify the seeds by placing them in water, usually a glass or a bowl, for a period of twenty four (24) to forty eight (48) hours. The norm appears to be the use of warm water. Some seeds require boiling water while others require water at room temperature. Normally, the viable seeds will drown after the twenty four (24) hour period while others will float on top. If there are still seeds floating after the forty eight (48) hour period, you can discard them as they are empty seeds. Once completed, you are ready to begin the next step ( please note that some seeds require you to proceed directly to the third step).

2 – Cold Stratification

The next step is the cold stratification period. This step is where all the magic of nature occurs. In nature, most of the seeds fall from the trees in autumn. Consequently, seeds spend the winter period under colder temperature permitting the chemical in the seeds to develop and trigger the germination process once the ideal temperature is reached in spring. In the forced germination process, you attempt to recreate the winter period. In order to accomplish this process, use the following materials:

Plastic Ziplock bag

Paper towel

Water

Fold the paper towel in two and moisten with water. It should not be dripping wet but humid. Place your seeds on the humid paper towel and fold it over the seeds. Place the paper towel with the seeds in the ziplock plastic bag and store them in your refrigerator for a period varying from thirty (30) to one hundred and twenty (120) days. We suggest that you check your seeds every thirty (30) days in order to prevent rot and allow for proper air circulation. You will also check for germinated seeds. If this is the case, take the germinated seeds and proceed to the next step. If not, wait the required period and then proceed to the next step.

3 – Sowing

Sowing can be accomplished in the ground or in a pot. You can use any soil suitable for planting and growing. Make a small opening in the soil (approximately half (1/2) an inch deep), place the seed in the opening and cover it with a few millimetres of soil. Keep the soil moist.

Extra steps for certain species

If you choose to germinate your seeds via the forced germination process, you may be required to follow this extra step. This step takes place prior to the cold stratification. All you have to do is expose the seeds to ambient room temperature for thirty (30) to ninety (90) days. This is called heat stratification and is accomplished by leaving the seeds exposed in a plate on your desk. After you have achieved this step, you resume with cold stratification.

Buying Or Building A Water Fountain Things To Consider

By Ahmed Hajouj.


A great deal about fountains has changed over the last decade. Now there are really high class ones made of copper, stainless steel, bronze, concrete, and stone, and some fairly nice ones made of resin and fiberglass. There are several things to consider, though. As a pump wholesaler, I speak with fountain owners all the time and also look at lots of samples of 

fountains at trade shows and in magazines. Before purchasing a fountain, there are quite a few questions to ask. What looks good in a store might not look good at your home or business. 

Bronze and Stainless Steel Fountains

These are at the high end of fountains, and can retail for ten to twenty thousand dollars. They are plain classy. But will one of these fit in where you want to put it? Do you have the right yard or business or location for such a classic kind of display? Also, do you like the aging process (the verdigris patina) that bronze undergoes? Can you afford one of these? If you answered yes to these questions, a bronze or stainless steel 

fountain might be right for you. It will last your lifetime, your kids’ lifetimes, their kids’ lifetimes, etc. And they are durable enough to be moved from house to house.

Copper Fountains

Like bronze 

fountains, these too tend to be classy, especially the name brand ones like Water Wonders, which mix copper with glass and slate. These make especially nice Wall fountainswall fountains. There are certain things to think about, though. Are you locating the fountain in a room with good acoustics? Some rooms make the pump noise really echo, especially small rooms with walls that are close together. Do you know someone or can you hire an electrician to hide the cord in the wall? These fountains are a bit too expensive to buy if you’re going to let the cord run outside the wall for everyone to see. Finally, it is a good idea to go listen to them run at a store before purchasing. Some of them make little water noise and some make a lot. To increase water sound you might have to turn up the pump to the point of there being slight splash.

Concrete Fountains

These still provide the most bang for the buck, primarily because concrete is so inexpensive. In fact, a huge part of the cost of concrete fountains is in transporting them to stores for sale and in the labor of painting them. The concrete itself is the least expensive part of the fountains’ manufacture. Most concrete companies (though not all) reinforce their fountains with steel. This makes them strong but also means the concrete must be sealed. If not painted (as most fountains from Mexico are not), then they do need to have a clear sealant put on them. Otherwise the water will seep through to the steel, which will rust. Eventually, the fountain is likely to crack. One final word of advice on concrete, beware of “cute.” Cute 

fountains (mama dogs with baby dogs, boys peeing) sometimes don’t look so cute over time. Ask yourself if you’ll still think the fountain is cute years later. Remember, concrete fountains can last hundreds of years. And they are difficult to move so pick something that will stay put. The traditional Italian 3-tier fountain is always a safe bet.

Resin and Fiberglass

Fountains

The quality of these has gotten a lot better, and they have the clear advantage of being more easily handled than concrete ones. Some do look like concrete and stone, though they tend to look much more realistic at first glance than they do after a week has passed. Then it is pretty clear that they are faux. These are also a lot easier on employees who work in tores, as they don’t have to worry as much about their backs. We would sell these at our store but just don’t like their looks as well as the real thing.

Stone Fountains

These look incredibly good or mediocre. The handcrafted stone fountains out of Mexico and many of the large ones out of China are beautiful. But there are also mass-produced stone 

fountains, which use crushed stone mixed with resin. These just don’t look like real stone to us even though they are.

Making Your Own 

Water Fountain

There are lots of ways to make your own 

fountains. The easiest way, perhaps, is to place a pump in a small tub or on some liner. Then place a wire or plastic grate on top of the tub or the liner, and layer pebbles, rocks, etc. over the wire or plastic grate. Your pump and plumbing will be hidden! No one will no where your water is coming from. You can then connect black PVC piping to the pump (black sprinkler pipe is incredibly inexpensive yet professional looking) and let the water rise up seemingly out of rocks in your yard. You won’t have to worry much about pets as the water source is covered with stones. Likewise, you won’t have to worry about kids drowning. You can also build a little 

waterfall over such a pit if you want, just throwing in boulders to hide your electric and tubing, etc. Some people use bamboo for spouts. You can also drill holes through slate (we’ve found it’s really easy if you soak the slate for a day first). Slate is so porous, however, you ought to seal it once you’re done drilling. You can also find rocks in nature that already have holes in them.


How Big of a Pump do I need? 

Basically, if you buy a 

fountain at a store you should have instructions on the best size pump for that particular piece of garden art. If you are making your own fountain, here is a rule of thumb: for every inch of width you need to pump 100 gallons per hour. But note that a100 gallon per hour pump is not pumping the same volume at one foot head (elevation above the pump), two feet head, three feet, and so forth. If you are making your own 

fountain, it is likely you will have to guess which size to buy, and you might be wrong the first time you build one. Most pumps are adjustable but often can be adjusted down only a bit. However, magnetic-driven pumps, the most common kind, are inexpensive and durable.