Dear Etsy Fans,
Please find for sale 100 fresh and pretty rare seeds for Metrosideros Excelsa better better known as New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa or Iron Tree. This iconic and stunning New Zealand shrub/tree is unfortunately increasingly rare in its home country due to human encroachment on the coastal areas where it thrives and also due to being eaten by possums.
PLEASE NOTE: All orders received before 8pm (Mon-Fri) will be dispatched same day
SAVE PACKAGING MATERIALS - SEE OTHER INTERESTING & UNUSUAL SEEDS & PLANTS IN MY SHOP
They are shrubs/trees that can reach 50 feet in height, but typically in gardens they are no bigger than 6-8 feet - around the size of a Rhodadendron.
As they are not tolerant of cold in the first few years of life (below 5c), in the UK they are best grown as greenhouse or conservatory plants. In milder climates, they look stunning trained up a south facing fall.
Germination Guide
Prepare a seed tray of well draining compost mix
Ensure moist but not wet
Sprinkle seeds over solid surface and gently press to ensure good contact
Keep in a light and warm place at circa 20-25c
Seedlings should appear after 21-40 days
Keep moist - best to place seed tray inside a waterproof container and water from the bottom
Pot on as required
Ensure not exposed to cold temperatures, at least until they are 4 years old when the stems turn more "woody" and become more hardy.
Olly's General Guide to Seed Sowing!
I love sowing seeds and it runs in the family - dad, granddad and finally my great-granddad for whom the hobby helped him get over his experiences in the Great War. I still get a big kick when I see the first seedling poking through from a new plant that I have never sown before or been successful at. However, even the most experienced gardeners draw "blanks" from time to time. Whilst I sow all the seeds that I sell so I know that they are viable, some are trickier than others and problems can arise so here are some tips to make "blanks" few and far between:
1) Don’t Rush! Tempting though it is when that packet arrives in the post to simply bung the seeds in some compost!
2) Google and YouTube are your friends! Take some time so see the methods other people use to germinate the seed.
3) Think Nature! What conditions do seeds face? For example a seed from a tropical plant will fall to the warm, wet and dark jungle floor. A seed from the mountains of Europe will fall to the floor in Autumn, then have to endure months of freezing temperatures before germinating in the spring. So as growers, what we are trying to do is to simulate the conditions that the seeds will naturally experience and there are plenty of tricks that can be done to short cut the processes somewhat.
4) Good compost pays dividends. The best investment you can make is to purchase three bags - one of potting compost, one of vermiculite and one of horticultural sand. With these three bags I can make up whatever soil type a particular seed likes (although for most seeds I find a 50/50 mix of compost and vermiculite works just fine)
5) Rot is your enemy. The single biggest danger to seed germination is rot - either before or after "damping off" the seeds germinate. To reduce the risk, ensure you have good free draining soil mix and that it is moist but not wet. Unless the seed variety absolutely requires it I prefer NOT to cover my seeds trays with plastic bags, Whilst germination is often faster this way, it greatly increases the risk of rot. I prefer to place my seed trans inside a watertight plastic tray and water from the bottom - airflow over the surface reduces the risk.
Overseas Orders
Buyers please note that they are responsible for any local customs duties or other taxes in their local country and should also ensure compliance with an biosecurity regulations.
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