Pilot project producing native seed

We have many partners working to find and produce ecologically suitable seed for native ecosystem restoration.  This week, I met up with Vic Vankus of the USFS National Seed Laboratory to look at some small seed production plots at Taylor Nursery planted in 2012.  There is a lot of interest in the conservation and production of native seed and we are trying to learn as much as we can.  This was a good opportunity to share some of that knowledge.

Coreopsis linifolia sprouting up under some old flower stalks.

Liatris spicata 

Roots of Liatris spicata

Helianthus atrorubens

A particularly productive bed of Helianthus

We also got to take a peak at the sowing of improved longleaf pine seed going on right now at the nursery.  The folks at Taylor Nursery grow millions of tree seedlings every year!  We have even contracted the growing of thousands of wiregrass plugs with them for restoration plantings in recent years.

  

A time to plant...

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, a time to reap that which is planted" 

-King Solomon

I think we have babied these "babies" long enough!

We had to try out several treatments before deciding which combination of scarification and soaking would work for each of our legume species. 

Lespedeza capitata seed enduring a sanding treatment before soaking.

The first Lespedeza capitata germinants appear just days after planting.

Lespedeza seedlings almost ready for their roadtrip.

Tephrosia virginiana seeds soaking.

One of our first Tephrosia germinants just popping up in the cloud forest-like propagation room.

Examining Tephrosia leaves during a recent census of our seedlings.

We are taking these Tephrosia seedlings out next week to plant at the 3 common garden sites.