3.12.23
Tried the wet paper towel method to start germinating them. Yes, that is the midwestern compost bucket in the background.
3.19.23 <-- Fail! Don't do this!
They were not sprouting like I had seen on YouTube videos, but they still looked promising. Tried clipping the corners and planted them in these planters. It will take 6-8 weeks before I know if this has been successful. Hopefully, I will see something before May 1st.
They moved!!
4.13.23 - The trees were moved from harm's way! I was so happy to hear it. Here they are in their happy new home. This was amazing news because the seeds that I have been trying to start have not spouted. May 1st, I will know for sure, but I have seen nothing yet. ☹️ I continue to water the containers and keep a light on them, but with each passing day, I have less hope.
5.21.23 - This! This is the only persimmon I have after trying ~240 seeds.
AND IT DIED 😢
Everything below is a good way to make sure that you don't end up with healthy persimmons. These are things that I tried and all failed miserably.
If you love a native Indiana specimen...
DO NOT bring it indoors for cultivation.
Persimmon Endeavors
I happen to love persimmons. I am trying to grow them from seed. We have a few trees nearby that the fruit/seeds were gathered from. The trees are going to be cut down soon to make way for a warehouse in our area, and I wish I had a few thousand dollars to move them onto my property. Since I do not, I collected persimmons and saved the seeds from last year. I hope this works. 🤞
Persimmons from seed...outdoors is the way to go!
Sowed these seeds in October 2023. I have so much success that I need to thin them out soon! The best success with tree seeds... plant it where you want it. Plant more than you need... and there will be success!!
The starts need to be thinned.
picture taken 6.28.24
The hopeful future...
One day soon. We will will have persimmon pie from our own trees. Yes, I know that this will take 8- 10 years, but time passes anyways so, why not try?
Another angle for the persimmons. 6.17.23 - My next-door neighbor came to talk with us while working in the back, trying to kill Poison Ivy and Honeysuckle around those Pine trees. We got to discussing the plants. I showed him the Nightshade (I found more), and we talked. He said that he had a bunch of persimmon trees on his property. I can't believe that I didn't notice! He showed me his lawn with all kinds of persimmon volunteers. To say I was excited was an understatement. He helped me dig up some starts, and now I have them in those pots (shown below). I am watering them, giving them love, and hoping to get them strong before moving them to their forever home this fall.
THERE WILL BE PERSIMMONS. 🤓
Great piece of advice for life/your native plant adventure. Talk to your neighbors! We can help each other so much!
6.20.23 - My neighbor on the other side reached out. They have persimmons too! She said they don't use them, and we can pick hers up too. WoW! We humans are more blessed than we realize. We just have to look around to see it. 🤓
