Notes on sowing osmanthus

Notes on sowing osmanthus

Harvest time

Osmanthus seeds are generally mature and can be harvested in April and May. When ripe, the rind changes color from green to purple-black and falls off the tree. You can pick seeds from trees or pick them up on the ground, but you have to pick them up as they fall. Otherwise, in the dry spring climate, the seeds will easily lose water and lose their value for sowing.

Seed modulation

After harvesting osmanthus seeds, they should be prepared immediately. The outer seed coat of mature fruits is relatively soft. Rinse with water, clean the peel, remove empty grains and small seeds floating on the water surface, pick out impurities, and then place them in the shade to dry indoors. Avoid drying in the sun, as the seed coat of osmanthus seeds lacks a wax layer and they easily lose water and dry up, thus losing their physiological activity.

Seed storage

Osmanthus seeds must undergo a certain period of storage and germination before they can be sown and raised as seedlings. This is determined by its physiological after-ripening characteristics. There are two main ways to store osmanthus seeds: sand storage and water storage.

Sand storage

Cover the osmanthus seeds with layers of wet sand. Choose a cool, ventilated place to store the sand, and pile it on sandy soil.

Water storage

Put the osmanthus seeds in a breathable bag that is not easy to rot, tie the bag tightly and put it in cold water, preferably running water. Be sure to check the seeds regularly to see if they are moldy, deteriorating, or losing water. The seed bags should not be exposed to the water surface, especially in summer, the seed bags must be kept away from the high temperature water layer on the water surface to prevent the seeds from germinating and rotting due to heat.