Ozbow

Hi Guys, I have removed the seeds from some fruit an thought it might be a good idea to get members to have a go at planting some for future generations. It would also be good to document where you plant them, perhaps in a thread dedicated to the subject so they can be found in 20-30-40-years or so. Let me know if you want some and have a think about where you could plant them that is legal etc.
Perhaps archery clubs would be a start, private property. I know of one member that planted a hedgerow 2 years ago and it is already approaching 6' high.
Steve

Steve,

That sound like a great idea mate...! I will grab a seed or two and give it a go...!

Cheers Guy..

Intersting Steve but I don't have anywhere to plant them.

Jeff

Steve, PM sent thanks...........Bill

Steve Count me in , been trying to get some seeds for some time

David

Send me your details and I will get them off in the next week once they dry.

Steve Count me in , been trying to get some seeds for some time

David

I saw your post in another thread and it gave me the idea .

Intersting Steve but I don't have anywhere to plant them.

Jeff

I dont have anywhere either Jeff, thats why I am sending them around the country. I know Steven Jawerth needs a new hedgerow to keep the sheep in and Brumbies country could use some in Yass as it gets windy there . Steve

Like the Parable of the Mustard Seed.
I used to work as a nursery hand we planted mainly citrus.I forgotten how .I suppose i could look it up on the web .but I imagine planting the seeds in a seedling pot waiting till they grow a bit then transferring them to single pots till they are about a meter high and then planting them out there .

this is a good incentive If youre planing to live a long life .then you can tell generations ahead where you got youre wood from .

Steve, message received thanks, please don't forget you details..........Bill

I'd be interested trying to grow these and I might know some places to plant them too around Ballarat.

I also heard that there were a few Osage hedges grown in south western vic in dairy country but not sure exactly

Also plenty of info about growing them from seeds on the web. Some suggest cold treatment prior to sowing and some suggest soaking in warm water for a few days before growing so try both and see what works I suppose!!

Simon

I could probably get away with planting one or two hundred here, don't no how well they'd grow but it would be worth trying.
Cheers,
Mike

I've got 5 acres here and want to fill any open spaces up with trees of different sorts so space isn't a problem for me either

David

Steve

I have some spots where these could be planted.

longbow steve wrote:Send me your details and I will get them off in the next week once they dry.

Steve Count me in , been trying to get some seeds for some time

David

I saw your post in another thread and it gave me the idea .

Intersting Steve but I don't have anywhere to plant them.

Jeff

I dont have anywhere either Jeff, thats why I am sending them around the country. I know Steven Jawerth needs a new hedgerow to keep the sheep in and Brumbies country could use some in Yass as it gets windy there . Steve

Thanks Steve

Right on both counts. It gets windy here and I could use some . Would have to plant them out of reach of Dorper sheep who have a uniquely South African predisposition to push themselves where no other sheep (or man) would go, but there are places on the 30 acres that are inaccesssable even to them.


Simon

Hi Simon, I think the Dorper sheep will meet their match in an Osage Hedge .

Need some mailing address' , send me a PM. Steve

Found this on the net, could be usefull... Roscoe

Steve,

As you say, I could do with a new hedge row . I would be happy to plant 1000's if I could get something to grow. The problem is in maintaining and achieving a good growth rate so they are worth something in the future.

I have some seed but had a very poor germination and from the 80 trees I started only one is surviving in the ground. The drought (which seems to be broken in Feb this year) really stopped much surviving in the last 5 years. Maybe this year is the time to give some more a chance.

Apparently there are heaps of trees growing in the local area down by the Bega river. I don't know how good they are for bow building though.

Steve

That was interesting Roscoe, I am also interested in who brought the Osage seeds to Australia. I imagine it was Americans who came out for the Goldrush or came to settle on the land? I will do some research.
Steven I will send you some seeds if you want some, Graeme has his Hedgerow established but lives in more favourable conditions. You should suss out the Osage by the river, I am sure you could get some bow worthy timber out of it, even if it is a 50" plains Indian bow? Steve

Steve, from what I've read the Osage has a seed dormancy that needs breaking. You could try a number of ways of breaking that. One is cold stratification (simulate frosty situation), or use giberelic acid (its a hormone that helps improve germ of species with dormancy issues), fermentation (allow it to ferment in its pulp and simulates being put through the gut of an animal. It may be that the seed was collected while it was on the tree rather than being allowed to fall off the tree (seen this mentioned a few times). Failing all this maybe try taking cuttings and striking those...

As for survival: plant in the wetter parts of the month in SE Aus (wet Autumn or wet spring) and guard from those pesky wabbits. Could use wate crystals to help during the summer or water them a little (if possible...).

As for poor form: form prune the lower branches to encourage strong straight growth and good deep soil may also help and selecting seed from trees with existing good form.

Simon

Simon,

Your advice is sound. With an Honours Agriculture Degree behind me you would think that I would be able to grow a couple of plants I think my problem is that there are no short cuts in gardening and the project probably requires a greater share of my attention than I result in giving to it.

I have no idea at what stage the fruit was picked as it was sent to me by a friend. I did however keep it in the fridge for 4 weeks then allowed it to rot to a messy pulp before collecting the seeds. I even scarified the seed coat lightly between sheets of sand paper. Maybe a bit of determination would not go astray here. I'll try again in the spring time with the remaining seeds.

Cuttings are a good idea. Now is a good time to hunt down a tree, ready for cuttings before bud burst.

I have a whole bunch of oak trees growing in the vege garden at the moment. I started them there because it is the only place that gets the attention needed. I was thinking of running a poly line in the paddock and inserting a dripper before I plant these out. I might just leave some space for the Osage too.

Wabbits - don't have too many of those

Steve

Thanks for the link Rosco. It is a good resource to save for later.

Steve

Hey no worries, I have an interest in growing osage myself. I have a good spot for them on my block, red soil, irrigatation etc. I do have someone collecting some seeds for me in victoria when they get back from their holidays and of course when the trees fruit. Thanks for the comments above i think its a good idea to collect fruit that has matured & fallen to the ground and selected from straight healthy trees. There was this bloke once i was talking to and he could only germinate this seed by dropping them into boiling water first, cant remember what tree species it was. I also heard that you can feed seeds to your chooks and that works. I havent tried any of these and cant verify if that would work, but its all interesting anyway and worth ago....Roscoe

These seeds came from fruit off the ground, from quality trees and the fruit was just on the turn. I hadnt considered these things however .
50 Seeds each in the mail today for those that have sent their address, I have about 200 seeds remaining for any others that want to try to grow some. Steve

Steve

PM sent

Chaps

These two links may also help

http://www.ehow.com/how_5611111_propaga ... trees.html

http://www.acs.edu.au/info/gardening-ne ... lants.aspx

Thanks looseplucker, i have just got the seeds from steve (thanks steve) and i will let everyone know how i go with germinating them etc.... roscoe

No worries Roscoe. I'm going try and get some started indoors for transplanting in spring.

Steve J just been reading 'The Bent Stick' and there is a reference to Osage growing by creeks and rivers to generally be growing pretty straight - certainly straighter than further away from the water. So maybe the ones on the river would be pretty good.

Thanks for the seeds Steve. I've sorted out a couple of places to plant. One is down at Towamba on the property of a transplanted American (who's son shoots my first shooter that I made). Billb has kindly agreed to take some seedlings and I'll plant a few at my place and the rest in a couple of other spots. All will be gps referenced.

Steve
Thanks , just got home last night and the seeds were waiting for me

David

Well They cant say bowhunters are not doing there part for carbon reduction, hell we might even claim carbon credits. That will make a good name for a pet selfbow "carbon credit" ...Roscoe

The Greenoids will complain we're translocating a feral species for our own benefit

I started off about 30 seeds on the weekend in seed starter. Now is the time to be doing it according the horticulturalist I spoke to on the weekend ready for transplanting in spring. I am going to try to keep a diary etc

My seedlings are now about 2" high , just transplanted them into single pots today , 23 of them come up , looking good so far

David