Katsura Tree (Cercidiphyllum Japonicum) 15 fresh seeds Bonsai. Same Day Dispatch

Dear ebayers,Please find for sale 15 fresh Katsura seeds (Cercidiphyllum Japonicum)  - a beautiful small to medium sized tree popular both in the garden and as a bonsai specimen. Also known as Candyfloss tree, Caramel tree, and Japanese Judas treePLEASE NOTE: All orders received before 8pm (Mon-Fri) will be dispatched same daySAVE PACKAGING MATERIALS  - SEE OTHER INTERESTING & UNUSUAL SEEDS & PLANTS IN MY EBAY SHOPINSTRUCTIONS - TO SAVE PAPER I NO LONGER SEND OUT WRITTEN INSTRUCTIONS TO CUSTOMERS. INSTRUCTIONS ARE BELOW SO PLEASE BOOKMARK THIS PAGE. FEEL FREE TO MESSAGE ME WITH ANY GROWING QUESTIONS.Katsura has fabulous colour-changing, heart shaped leaves. The copper-toned green foliage turns stunning shades of yellow, orange, pink, purple and red in autumn and releases a delicious, distinctive caramel scent. As new heart shaped leaves emerge in spring, they are supplemented by small, subtle flowers.Katsura will grow on most soils, buy as with Acers, acidic soil produces the most vibrant displays. It prefers sun or light shade in a slightly sheltered position to protect from late frosts.KGermination GuideIdesia Polycarpa seeds benefit from cold stratification. Stratification is a process of simulating natural conditions that the seeds must experience before germination can occur (if a seed germinates in the middle of winter it will die). In the wild, seed dormancy is usually overcome by the seed spending time in the ground through a winter period and having its hard seed coat softened up by frost and weathering action. This cold, moist period triggers the seed's embryo; its growth and subsequent expansion eventually break through the softened seed coat in its search for sun and nutrients.Place the seeds in a water-filled bowl. Soak the seeds for several hours to determine which are viable. Remove and discard any floating seeds.Fill 9-15cm pots with a moderately moist soil mix - ideally 50% compost and 50% vermiculite or perliteFirm the mix gently, then roughen the surface with your fingertips.Sow a few seeds in each pot. Gently press them halfway into the surface of the peat mixture. Sprinkle a very thin layer of coarse sand around the seeds but do not bury them since they require light for germination.Mist the sand with a spray bottle to settle it. Cover each pot with a clear plastic bag. Place the covered pots inside the refrigerator for seven to ten days to chill (stratification)Keep the compost mixture barely moist but not wetMove the pots to a bright, sheltered area with eight to ten hours of light daily, such as indoors near a large window. Do not expose the pots to direct sunlight.Keep at around 18-25cGermination should occur in 10 to 20 days. Remove the clear plastic after sprouting. Continue to add water whenever the surface of the compost mixture dries out.Prick out the weakest looking seedlings from each pot once they reach 2 inches in height. Grow under bright, sheltered conditions during the first summer avoiding the midday sun.  +++STOP PRESS Winter 2020/21+++All my seeds that require cold stratification, including this listing have been kept in cold conditions for the last few months. As such they should not require any additional cold stratification to get good germination rates. A few extra weeks however in the fridge might however optimise germination.Olly's General Guide to Seed Sowing!I love sowing seeds and it runs in the family - dad, grandad and finally my great-grandad for whom the hobby helped him get over his experiences in the Great War. I still get a big kick when I see the first seedling poking through from a new plant that I have never sown before or been successful at. However, even the most experienced gardeners draw "blanks" from time to time. Whilst I sow all the seeds that I sell so I know that they are viable, some are trickier than others and problems can arise so here are some tips to make "blanks" few and far between:1) Don't Rush! Tempting though it is when that packet arrives in the post to simply bung the seeds in some compost!2) Google and Youtube are your friends! Take some time so see the methods other people use to germinate the seed. 3) Think Nature! What conditions do seeds face? For example a seed from a tropical plant will fall to the warm, wet and dark jungle floor. A seed from the mountains of Europe will fall to the floor in Autumn, then have to endure months of freezing temperatures before germinating in the spring. So as growers, what we are trying to do is to simulate the conditions that the seeds will naturally experience and there are plenty of tricks that can be done to short cut the processes somewhat.4) Good compost pays dividends . The best investment you can make is to purchase three bags - one of potting compost, one of vermiculite and one of horticultural sand. With these three bags I can make up whatever soil type a particular seed likes (although for most seeds I find a 50/50 mix of compost and vermiculite works just fine) 5) Rot is your enemy. The single biggest danger to seed germination is rot - either before or after "damping off" the seeds germinate. To reduce the risk, ensure you have good free draining soil mix and that it is moist but not wet. Unless the seed variety absolutely requires it I prefer NOT to cover my seeds trays with plastic bags, Whilst germination is often faster this way, it greatly increases the risk of rot. I prefer to place my seed trans inside a watertight plastic tray and water from the bottom - airflow over the surface reduces the risk.Overseas OrdersBuyers please note that they are responsible for any local customs duties or other taxes in their local country and should also ensure compliance with an biosecurity regulations. If you want international tracking, please message me before placing order as this can be expensive,Problem? Don't rush to Feedback - get in touch and I will sort it out!