Dogwood seeds germinated too early—now what?

October 7, 2020 5:00 PM

I planted some red osier dogwood seeds (well, berries) a couple weeks ago, planning to let them stratify over the winter so that they would germinate in the spring. However, they all seem to have germinated immediately (see picture). Are they doomed?

I'm in Zone 8b / 9a, so freezing temps are still a few months away, and I have a greenhouse I can keep them in to extend the season, but since it's already October, I'm worried they won't be able to grow buds and go dormant before winter arrives. Should I move them into the unheated greenhouse and hope for the best? Should I bring them inside and try to keep them growing until their first dormancy next fall? Or is it a lost cause?

posted by Dr. Send to Home & Garden (4 answers total)

I’d try some of: greenhouse, leave them in the ground but cover them with mulch at dry freezing temps, take some into the greenhouse in big pots. How many do you have, and how hard are the seeds to get?
posted by clew at 7:30 PM on October 7, 2020

Go 50/50. Put the outside plants how you want them to be, pot up some for the greenhouse. On really bad freezes votive candles can help on the inside. The dogwoods grow in very cold climates, though. Maybe even young ones have sufficient antifreeze.
posted by Oyéah at 8:14 PM on October 7, 2020

Response by poster: Thanks clew and Oyéah. I collected the berries from a nearby island but I doubt they're hard to come by if I were to order them online or something... although that would be less cool. I planted all the seeds I collected. I think I'll take your advice and split them up so I can put a few in the greenhouse and a few indoors. I hope they're hardy enough and the winter is mild enough that they'll be able to figure it out.
posted by Dr. Send at 10:18 AM on October 8, 2020

If your location is about the same climate as the island, that increases the chance they can make it on their own. Ask around about what people do for tender shrubs where you are - rose enthusiasts are likely to know - you can protect a plant a lot with any cheap fleece or heap of dry leaves overnight in freezing snaps, or during dry cold winds.

Being more aware of my climate, and microclimates, and what plants and fellow gardeners do is one of my favorite things about gardening.
posted by clew at 10:24 AM on October 8, 2020