Hi all,

Last year I tried growing a bunch of dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) from seed. The problem I had was I could not keep them alive for more than a year. I grew them in commercial seed starting mix (balanced beat, vermiculite blend etc) inside under lights. They grew for a while and some produced one true leaf, but then the leaves started to die or just lose vigor (they lost the lush green color and got more gray color), I did move some outside but they didn't fair any better. Eventually the seedlings lost all leaves, some would resprout a few leaves later on but those too would wild after a months or so.

I plant to grow some more from seed this winter and would like to figure out what I did wrong to not repeat it this time.

Wow, those were beautiful! FYI, it is only those first two "leaves" that are cotyledons - the ones you show in the first photo. Yes, it seems like there are two kinds of leaves after that, but they are both true leaves, one juvenile, one adult, or maybe they are both adult. Not sure.

The gray color you mention makes think of a spidermite infestation. Did you check for them using the tapping over white paper test? The mites are too small to see unless they are on the white paper. They are just tiny specks. The leaves would have stayed that color and just dried up, not turning brown.

I did not test for any pests. I did not see anything that indicated it to me, but I didn't really think about it, so I didn't check either.
The leaves just got browner (partly from led lights maybe?), and then dried up. I never say any spots or any problems with the leafs, they just sort of withered away. They didn't wilt, just slowly turned brown and dried out.

Is it possible that they needed a vernalization/cold period and I just kept them in spring/summer conditions too long?

Are you going to try again?

evelyninthegarden said: Are you going to try again?

You have amazing timing. I am indeed going to try again, and just yesterday I took the seeds out of the refrigerator for the cold stratification. So they should begin germination in a few days/weeks.

I think I'll just have to keep an eye out for pests and I might try some light fertilizer on them.


Seeds in moist vermiculite.

Found some info:

https://www.treeseedonline.com...

RJ ~ Good info!