@@Stealth360stealth thanks for the comment. This is an old video, and in the years after I’ve increasingly improved germination success but yes 10-20% is exactly spot on. I remember I was trialing a winter germination which I don’t recommend 😂 i remember struggling with growth rate compared to doing it in the correct seasons. I have a some newer videos on the giant sequoias. Keeping them in the paper towel/zip lock bags until germination is something I adopted 2 years ago and couldn’t agree more with how useful it is! And thanks for the link! I’ve watched that video - he covers the topic very well.

Thanks mate, I really appreciate that. Will hopefully do an update on it when I go back to visit Aus in November. You should definitely do it! You’ll have a decent looking tree in 1 year!!

Thank you kind sir :)

Agreed my friend 😂😂

When I buy the seeds I get them off the websites Etsy or EBay.

Thanks! I think it would decompose pretty quick! I wouldn’t be surprised if it would work well. You could even just unfold the bottom of the toilet paper roll so there’s a hole on the bottom for the roots to grow out too!! :)

I’m editing one as we speak! Just planted a small grove of them 😎

I got decent germination success but only from the green cones that I let dry out on it’s only. Probably around 40 that lived (about maybe 60 germinated but around 20 didn’t make it past the first week or so). Only 3-4 germinated from the green comes in the oven and I don’t think I got any success from the dried cones, maybe 1 or so. I actually just went and planted 30 of my 2-3 YO sequoia and filmed it. I’m in the process of editing it so you’ll get to see some go in the ground!

@@planterbanter Thanks. I could only find dried brown cones today. Guess those won't germinate then. I'll watch your new video.

You never know - may get a few! You can buy giant sequoia seeds cheap off Etsy and they work really well 👍🏽

Thank you! Grown from seed, trained as nursery stock then transferred into a bonsai. Still a very young tree and will develop over the next decade!

Yep - couldn’t agree more with wintering pots. Something I realise that I didn’t bring up in the video. Being an Aussie with warmer winters, I remember learning that the hard way when I moved to Canada. lost a large variety of trees one year. Now to be extra safe I winter all my trees into the ground before the first frost. Wow amazing. I agree, they are a very resilient and hardy tree once established. There are 120-150 year old sequoia that can withstand Australian summers (40 degrees plus). I’ve seen plenty thrive in British Columbia (where I am currently) and everywhere in between! I think once the seedling gets through the first summer and winter, you know it’s going to do well.

I know right! Unfortunately, I took this video about 3 years ago and from memory I don’t remember it flowering. I also didnt take any extra pics :( I know that is crucial for identifying eucalyptus! It was growing in almost pure sand on a coastal Island in South Aus! Amazing tree

It really doesn’t matter if you know how and when to water. I deliberately try new things every year. I’ve used: sand/potting mix, one year I tried potting mix/pumice/compost/leca, another year only potting mix. All with similar results! This year I’m doing perlite/peat moss with mycorrhizal fungal inoculation. Each year was a success although this year is better so far with 60-70%. I haven’t posted a video on them yet. Only thing you need to know is less watering with more biological matter. So if you use pure potting mix you just have to let it dry longer and water less. If you use free draining substrate then water more! Over watering and underwater will kill your trees, not what soil you’re using if it’s quality substrate. I’d tend to recommend free draining soils like you suggest as it has better drainage, aeration and helps prevent soil compaction but I’ve had minimal to no difference in growth/success in the last 6 years if you have basic care principles. Adding something like perlite is a cheap addition to soil and works wonders for drainage and aeration. The more you fertilise (in moderation) the bigger they’ll grow. It doesn’t need to be rocket science for hobbyist growers!

Yep! All failed. But I redid it the following spring and was much more successful.

You most definitely should! And take pictures and watch your progress you won’t regret it!

Thank you kind sir!

The verdict was the green cones work best! Pick them green and let them dry out on their own. Only 3/4 germinated from the oven and 0 from the dried cones from memory. Maybe 1. Lots from the collected green cones that air dried! That’s from memory. I have to go back and look at my notes. I’ve got 2 giant sequoia videos coming out in the next few months including planting 30x giant sequoia seedlings at a property (2-3 years old).

Hey Victor! I’ve put out a newer video with a bit more details if that helps. Don’t feel bad, first time is always the least successful. There’s a whole heap of questions to ask yourself why you may have had trouble. Was it in spring? Best time of year to germinate is in spring (if you’re in the southern hemisphere it’s the wrong timing as it’s autumn!). I keep the seeds gently moist, only misting them and never letting the soil dry out. Once they germinate, make sure the soil dries slightly (but not fully)! There’s an art form to the watering that you’ll pick up over time. Never let them sit in water. That’s asking for a disaster. Ask yourself whether you watered them too much? Maybe you let them dry out? What type of soil did you use? Was it cheap garden soil or quality soil with good drainage? Did you purchase from one supplier only? How many seeds do you order? Id say a minimum of 50 seeds if you want a good 1-2 dozen trees. These are all things you have to figure out. Does this help at all? You can email me pics if you want further help ([email protected])

Hi Jaco! Because I did the float test on the acorns, I had close to 100%. I’d say that year I had a germination success rate of around 95-99%. Then maybe 2/3 died throughout the year because of disease or genetics. The rest were super strong and healthy.

@@planterbanter thank you, Do you perhaps have a way I can dm you please? or an email address? Thanks, 👁👁

Thanks for watching friend!

Thank you :)

Great to hear from you Steph, I hope all is well! You should email me some updates/ pics of all your trees!

Glad you like them! I’ll try an post a little more frequently 😅 thanks for watching

Thank you very much! Hope all is well in the UK!

Amazing - good job. The one way to fix that is take your cuttings from the apex crown of the tree (sometimes basal shoots growing in an upward manner can work also). Good luck and let me know if it works. The cuttings in this video did in fact strike!

@@planterbanter Have you done an up date of those cuttings. As, I think, all other Araucarias do not coppice, only Wollemi does. I am wondering if rooted lateral cuttings would eventually send up a vertical leader. I imagine this could take a few years. Thanks.

@@larryd6143 hey Larry, I’m currently still overseas in Canada. I had to give all of them away when I moved. However, I gave a few of the cuttings to my sister 2 years ago. I just messaged her to find out for you! Nearly all of them rooted, so it will be interesting to know if they grew a leader or if they grew as if they were a branch. I’ll get back to you when she replies, if she’s kept them alive 😂 I’m working hard to save enough to buy a property and when I do I’ll be able to continually do updates on all projects I do/trees I grow. One day!!

@@planterbanter That's great. I hope your sister kept them alive, but I know from experience, to not get my hopes up too high. Thanks for getting back to me. I think cuttings take about 6 months to root, so come July I'll try to remember to get back to you and let you know my results. Thanks again.

@larryd6143 yep i think they took me 4 months in warm temps with perlite in near 100% humidity. They didn’t have any mould either. I’d say a good 6 months is a good estimation. You should email me the results if you remember as I’d like to see pictures. You may also get apex growth from basal-shoot cuttings that are growing upward if you can’t reach the apex of the tree. When I go back to Australia I want to get plant an entire grove of Wollemi pine somewhere. I’m about to plant a grove of Giant Sequoia here in BC Canada at my friends property in the next month or so (springtime here soon). I know, my hopes don’t stay very high unless I’m taking care of my trees but who knows maybe they are alive!

Thanks mate appreciate it, and I’m organising a video in the next month or two to do just that!

@@planterbanter I got my seeds today. Going to watch this video again, bit by bit, step by step, for the beginning, and watch for more from you.

Perfect time to do it if you’re in the Northern hemisphere! A month away from spring. I’ve got more collected seeds and purchased seeds ready for spring. Will plant some older trees at a friends property and film it also. I’m actually doing a lot of species this year! How many seeds did you get and is this your first time? I also recommend using quality potting mix when you plant them 👍🏽 if you can spend the money get high quality rather than cheap stuff (it helps with the growing season and water retention). When it comes to winter, if they’re still in pots, winter them! Something I haven’t spoken about in my sequoia videos yet. You can see a good winter technique on my latest oak tree video. If you can get them through the first summer and first winter then you are well on your way and they will become exponentially stronger!

@@planterbanter Are you in Australia? Yes, I am in the Northern hemisphere. I live in zone 7 in Tennessee USA. The seeds I bought are 75 California Sequoia and 75 California Redwoods. I do not have a lot of money to spend but I will try to see if I can afford high quality seedling mix to germinate them and when they get their second set of leaves I will transplant them in a larger container with high quality potting mix. We, in Tennessee, have strange weather. Currently we just had a week of spring type weather and now we are headed toward another winter snow coming up. Our last frost day is said to be April but the last two years we still had snow in May. However, I do have the ability to do indoor growing. You have given me a lot to look for more information. Oh and yes, this is my first time attempting to grow trees of any kind. Thanks also for letting us know that when it comes to trees, not all seeds will germinate, and I will be ok with that. Thanks again! I will keep watching.

@user-qu7lk8mp1m I’m an Aussie but my wife is Canadian. Right now I’m in BC Canada. Most my videos are filmed in Aus but the last few are filmed in BC as I’ve been hear a year and a half or so. I’ve grown giant sequoia in big Aus and Canada! No worries, you can use regular potting mix and they’ll be fine! Try to avoid damaging any root when transplanting. That’s a long time for it to still be cold! You’ve got the right idea. Start them off inside and then get them out after the frost is perfect. Your first attempt will probably be your worst attempt. I found my 2nd attempt much better. I think I’m up to batch 5 or 6 now.

Some of them have grown up to 9 feet. Some are still under 1 foot. My friends have sent some update pics. When I’m back in Australia I’ll film an update video!

Oh that would be awesome I am excited to see what they look like

If you’re really keen to see them I have an email linked to my KZfaq account. Send me an email and I can send u some progress pics :) .

Oh really that would be awesome

No idea! I do want to try germinate them one day!!

Thanks, it’s a useful little trick that I do when I remember 😂 That’s amazing, have you planted any in the ground?