[gardeners] Oregon Grape Propagation

barbb@velocitus.net (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Tue, 24 Jul 2001 18:38:43 -0600

About this time last year I moved my OG and killed it.  About a month ago,
I pulled some dried berries off it and planted them.  They haven't
sprouted, but I don't know if it's because they weren't mature when the
plant died, or if I'm doing something wrong.  I have the opportunity to ...
ummm ... appropriate more berries/seeds from a park here, and need to know
if I should plop the whole berry into the dirt, or scarify the seed first,
or ... ?  And how do I know if the seed is mature?  According to an unnamed
source who often posts to this list, also lives in Boise, and writes a
gardening column for the local paper, birds do a good job of "planting"
them.  Unfortunately, I don't have any pet birds.  I do have cats, but
don't know if they would process seeds in the same manner birds do.  Should
I force feed some to the kitties then send them outside?  Maybe pre-dig
holes where I want OG bushes?  I don't know what kind of OG they are, or if
that even matters, but they have kind of bright, medium green, shiny,
evergreen leaves and get about 6 or 7 feet tall.  TIA.

Barb in Idaho
Sunset 3/ USDA 6