If you pay attention to the seeds, some apple seeds will sprout without stratification. I’ve have a dozen or so, some of which had started to sprout within the apple, but although they grew well, none of them could survive a prairie winter. They grew well the first year inside with minimal heat but once outside for winter they gave up, even with a heavy mulch in a somewhat protected area.

They might have worked really well for someone in a much milder climate…-35 plus windchill is a lot to ask of a tree.

Something I’ve tried this year for the first time is sprouting chestnut trees from the grocery store and they work well, I’ve had 4 out of 5 sprout so far. I’d read somewhere that you had to plant the chestnuts immediately once they fell from the tree or they’d dry up and lose viability; I’m here to tell you that’s nonsense. Who knows how long those chestnuts had been away from their parent tree? I didn’t stratify either.

One tip about chestnuts..where the sprout comes out of the pointed end is the ventricle and should be planted pointing down.. the first one I planted upside down and the thing had to curl up and over itself to get back into the business of being a root. I’ve got these things growing in Big Gulp cups (only thing I could think of that was tall and had lots of room for a vigorous baby tree to send out roots that didn’t cost a fortune…50 cents each) with slashes cut around the bottom of the sides and the bottom, sitting in 2 quart milk containers, they fit fine. When I transferred them to the containers, the one that was planted upside down had a long tap root already with secondary roots so it may get a bit root bound before I’ll be able to plant it outside. Next ones, I’ll run chopsticks down the sides to see if that helps direct the roots downward to help avoid that, thanks for that tip in the video!

I’ve also started berry seeds.. strawberries, goji and haskaps, from seed. The haskap handles being frozen just fine, in fact may need that degree of cold, they come from the north. So far, not a lot of luck with blueberries. I used the goji from dried fruit and didn’t stratify that either and it sprouted and grew, but was another which didn’t cope with the winter here.

It may be that anything which doesn’t need to be stratified won’t be able to cope with a severe winter such as ours, but when using seeds from the grocery list all it costs to try is a little time and potting soil, and the ones which work will save a TON of money. It’s also highly satisfying to see these suckers sprout and come up.

Now if only I could get rid of the wildlife – moles and gophers and rabbits – that has moved onto the property and is munching on everything I plant – . I would be a happy camper.
No problem sharing but they don’t just eat one plant, they chomp bits out of all of them. Suggestions would be nice.. I know moles aerate the compacted soil but they are really doing a lot of damage to the garden, everything from raspberries to potatoes (both of which were doing just fine, compacted soil or not!)

That’s one area that I haven’t seen addressed at all by permaculture so far; it isn’t the same thing as bugs or blight, these beasts are delighted to feast on perfectly healthy plants.

Anyway, nice video, you are a great source of information and your willingness to share is very much appreciated. Thank you.

I’ve got crabapple seeds in the fridge right now from my property.
Didn’t think about leaving them in the paper towel with some heat on them (around 70 degrees). That’s a really good idea.

I should do that with other seedlings as well… (rather than planting them and seeing later if they germinated).

I found that pear seeds will germinate in the fridge faster than apple seeds. I had baby pear trees (first true leaves) in 42 days from seed. 34 days in the fridge until germination and 8 days planted with the help of a heat pad. The trees are about 4 inches tall now.