Lebanon Cedar (Cedrus Libani) 25 fresh seeds | Bonsai | Same Day Dispatch

Dear ebayers,Please find for sale 25+ FRESH seeds for Lebanon Cedar (Cedrus Libani). PLEASE 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.Lebanon Cedar is a member of the pine family originally native to the mountains of the Eastern Mediterranean basin. It is a large evergreen conifer that has great religious and historical significance in the cultures of the Middle East  and is referenced many times in the literature of ancient civilizations. It is of course the national emblem on the flag of Lebanon and is widely used as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens. Their mountain origins should make Lebanon Cedars fully hardy in most parts of the UK.Lebanon Cedars are of course also hugely popular and readily workable bonsai specimens.Sowing Guide for Optimum GerminationCedar seeds require a modest amount of "stratification" to make for maximum germination. In a nutshell stratification is a technique used by gardeners to trick seeds into thinking winter has passed and its time to sprout! Most tree seeds from the Northern Hemisphere require this  - if an acorn was to sprout in October, it would be killed by the frost in winter.1) Soak seeds in tepid water for 24 hours, then drain2) Mix the seed with a little clean, damp sand or damp vermiculite (not wet!) and place freezer bag3) Place bag inside a small tupperware box or clean takeaway carton with a lid and place in the bottom area of the fridge for 2-4 weeks.4) Alternatively put the box in a cold shed for a few weeks - ideally 3-10 degrees5) After 2 weeks, check the seed every few days for signs of germination. Gently remove germinated seeds from the bag and plant them in a small pot containing a good quality potting compost. 6) At this stage you may sow all of the seed, even those that have not begun to germinate. Keep them at room temperature – around 20 Celsius7) Ensure compost remains moist but not wet - easiest to ensure this by having the pots in a watertight tray and watering from the bottom 8) Once the seedlings appear above the compost give them plenty of light, but not full sun.Alternatively..... the seeds can be planted in pots outside during winter and nature will take its course, the seeds germinating in spring. However this method is slower, and has an increased chance of rot and birds, squirrels etc eating them.+++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, granddad and finally my great-granddad 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) Dont 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 bio security regulations. If you want international tracking, please message me before placing order as this can be expensive.Any problems? Don't rush to review - message us first and we will get it sorted quickly!