skip to main content

Midwest Gardening Fruit & Orchards garden

Blackraspberry Seed Stratification/Scarification Before Planting?

3 years ago

Hi,

So I'm very new to gardening and wanted to grow some black raspberries in my back yard. We've actually had wild black raspberry bushes growing by our backyard but I was interested in getting some started for myself in a little garden area and I had some questions about their germination process. From what I've seen online it seems like they require either a stratification or scarification process and I was wondering if a) that was indeed the case, b) if they do, should I start one process over the other, or are both done before germination can begin? Also if it helps I live in a 6a hardiness zone. For the stratification I heard that you use spaghum moss with the seeds while they are being refrigerated/cooled. Is the moss required or is there a possible alternative like moist paper towel? And I don't know much about the scarification save that it involves acidification of some sort. I just got the seeds but am not sure if I need to start one of these processes before getting them started in some soil.

I have some room indoors to get the seeds going a bit before moving them outside if need be. Also let me know if there's any equipment/things you recommend I use to grow my berries. Any suggestions are welcome!

Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
3 years ago
As with your question about currants I'll say again that you'll get far superior crops if you use cuttings or divisions from named cultivars. Growing from seed will probably lead to disappointment and could well be more expensive in the end that just buying a plant. Certainly it will take a lot more of your time.
Rashane Thapa
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks for the additional advice on currants, floral_UK. Do you have any advice for what I should do with my black raspberry seeds to prepare them for sowing?
Related Discussions
American Persimmon Scarification/Stratification
Q
Comments (1)
Good info to have. You might want to post it over on the Orchard and Fruit Trees forum too. Dave
...See More
Chemical for scarification of seeds
Q
Comments (17)
I'm not a chemist, and don't play one on TV(though I did take enough chemistry courses in college to qualify as having a 'minor' in chemistry). Denatured alcohol generally contains 10% methanol. Methanol is poisonous to mammals, but I see no reason, from a chemical or physiologic standpoint that a 90%ethanol/10%methanol mix would have any adverse effects on seeds that might benefit from an alcohol treatment to enhance germination; I presume that the effect is due to the solvent properties affecting some of the resins on the outer surface of the cone/seed, allowing penetration of water to stimulate 'revival' of the dormant embryo. Plants don't utilize alcohols as an energy source, and don't have alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme systems; hence the utilization of an alcohol in this instance is strictly (I presume) for its solvent properties. For that matter, I suspect that 70% isopropyl(rubbing) alcohol, readily available at any grocery/megastore with a 'health' section, would probably suffice. I'd have to get really tired of manually scarifying seeds before I'd risk fooling around with concentrated sulfuric acid. The sandpaper in a can/jar looks good to me.
...See More
Scarification and Sewing Of Cycas revoluta Seed
Q
Comments (10)
It's definitely time to sew palm seeds. I planted my first Medjool Date Seeds about this time a year ago and they started sprouting in January and February. Now I've got Medjools in 5 Gallon pots with 6 spikes on some of them. I've got something like 40 Medjool seedlings in everything from 2 liter soda bottles to those 5 gallon pots. My jungle is in its infancy, but definitely going strong. :)
...See More
milkweed seed stratification
Q
Comments (4)
I am in SC. Go ahead and plant now ( do not plant if you just had a hard frost ) and I normally wait until it rained so the soil is nice and moist. Milkweed will start peeking in late March, early April depending on where you are in NC. If you want to control where your plants are going to grow, you can also plant them in pots and leave the pots outside and transplant them later in the Spring. Good luck! Enjoy the beautiful Monarchs. I always get Monarchs laying on tiny sprouts of milkweed in early April!
...See More
Rashane Thapa
Original Author
3 years ago
Also, when actually planting the black raspberry seeds, how many should I put in one pellet/plot? Do I just put one seed in a single pellet/area or do I put more together?

Related Stories

WINTER GARDENING Your Essential Seed-Starting Glossary

By Curtis Adams

Before starting plants from seed indoors, learn these common horticulture terms

NATIVE PLANTS How to Grow a Garden From Seed

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Planting grasses and flowers from seed is economical, minimizes garden maintenance and benefits local wildlife

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Vernonia Noveboracensis

By Curtis Adams

Stately New York ironweed attracts pollinators with its blooms at the end of summer and birds with its seeds in fall

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Pseudognaphalium Obtusifolium, or Rabbit Tobacco

By Curtis Adams

This late-blooming native annual, also known as sweet everlasting, adds spontaneity to landscapes in the eastern United States

FALL GARDENING Why You Should Let Your Garden Go to Seed

By Oakley Gardens

Take a moment to appreciate spent flower stalks in your late-summer garden and the benefits they provide

GARDENING GUIDES Plant Native Annual Flowers for a Garden Surprise Every Year

By Curtis Adams

These 15 well-adapted native annuals can add spontaneity to gardens around the country

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Wild Lupine Dresses Up Rocky Gardens

By Pollination Press LLC

Spiky blue flowers and a high tolerance for poor soil make this plant ideal for tough sites

FRONT YARD IDEAS Before and After: Front Lawn to Prairie Garden

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

How they did it: Homeowners create a plan, stick to it and keep the neighbors (and wildlife) in mind

GARDENING FOR BUTTERFLIES Great Design Plant: Virginia Mountain Mint

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Watch a world of insects dine on this Midwest native, an easy bloomer that washes the garden (and your skin) in scents of cool mint

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Hibiscus Moscheutos

By Falon Mihalic

Crimsoneyed rosemallow is an ideal flowering perennial for wet sites and is ready to propagate now

Sponsored

1 Review

Industry Leading General Contractors in Columbus

More Discussions

garlic coming up through mulch

6

Roses for shade and pots Zone 6a

3

Earth Song vs. Carefree Beauty?

10

Growing sweet corn problem

1