There are many plants that do not protect their seeds too much. We might think that by doing so they are having much less chance that their “offspring” can germinate, but we would be wrong since nuts can remain dormant until the rains return much better than fleshy fruitsespecially if they are surrounded by a pulp with a high water content as is the case of those produced by cacti.
But what exactly are nuts? And the most important, How are they sown?
What are they?
First of all, it is interesting to know what is a fruit. When the flower is pollinated, whether by wind, animal or insect, the genetic information of the “father” contained in the pollen grain is mixed with that of the “mother” in the ovule. Thus, in the course of a few days, weeks or even months depending on the species, the ovary is maturing until a time comes when it has been transformed into fruit.
This fruit can be meaty or dry. In the first case, it will have a thin shell and its water content will be very high; and in the second the shell will be hard and the water content low.
Types of nuts
There are many types of fruits of this type, the following being the best known:
- Almonds
- Hazelnuts
- Cashew nuts
- Chestnuts
- Macadamia nuts
- Pistachios
- Pumpkin seeds
- Sunflower seeds (pipes)
- Nuts
- Gewins
How are they sown?
To plant the nuts simply we need spring to arrive to choose a pot with a substrate that has very good drainage so that, once the seeds germinate, they can root without problems. From experience I recommend vermiculite (you can buy it here!), which also maintains a pleasant temperature for germination; although black peat with perlite can also be used in equal parts.
Then what you have to do is fill the container and place the seeds -preferably without the shell, but they can also germinate with it- on the surface, covering them with a thin layer of substrate (thin enough so that they are not directly exposed to the sun). Later, copper or sulfur is sprinkled to avoid the appearance of fungus and watered.
The first can germinate in a matter of days or weeksdepending on the species. For example: pipes will do it in 2-5 days, while chestnuts can take 2-3 months.
Has it been useful to you?
