Business of Bees

A PICTORIAL STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO

GROWING MANUKA TREES FROM SEEDS
COLLECTING SEEDS

Collect seeds off a variety of different manuka trees.

Choose trees that look different to each other and that

are in different areas - ours are from regions 100km
apart.

This way you will ensure you have diversity, both in

terms of individual plant characteristics and in
flowering season time.

It seems that genetics determines flowering time more

than just the local microclimate.

LOOK FOR RIPE SEEDS

You want to pick the seed pods when they are ripe.

Ripe means they are starting to open.

On any branch there will be ripe ones and not so ripe

ones, so my rule of thumb is: if some have already
opened then they are ready.

If none are open yet, try a different branch or different

tree. Each tree will be slightly different.

DRYING THE SEEDS

You’ll have a big collection of seed pods, some nearly

fully open, some still closed.

Store them somewhere warm and dryish, and the

unripe pods will open up with time.

I put them on a little dish on the windowsill in the

kitchen so I can keep my eye on them.

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Or when I have picked a lot of seeds, the roasting

dish comes into play.

Once they are dry, and you can shake them and the
fine seed falls out, store them in a container that will
keep most of the moisture out (and the cat from
spilling them all), but is not too air tight, just in case
they still have some moisture. A cardboard box is
about right.

SOWING SEEDS

Initially we painstakingly put one seed per tiny pot.

This would have worked well, except the wind caught

the lot and blew them all over the show.

If you have a sheltered spot, you could try this though.

SOWING SEEDS TAKE 2

Or you could use seed trays,

Fill the seed tray with seed raising mix.

Sprinkle the fine manuka seeds over the top and pat
down a bit.

Keep moist.

WHEN TO SOW

It doesn’t seem to matter much just when you sow.

Mostly the seeds will germinate in spring, although if

you do it in early autumn they will sprout up then too.
And this gives you a bit of a head start on the next
year.

I figure, do it when you have time, and leave them to

it.

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POTTING UP

Once the seedlings start to shoot up and are about 5

– 10 cm tall you need to pot them on.

I’ve tried left over plant centre pots, compostable pots

and plastic bags. The plastic bags work the best,
easier to repot later.

These ones are PB 3/4s, about the size of a baked

bean can.

So, take your baked bean can

Scoop a can’s worth of compost or potting mix (more

expensive) and put into your PB ¾.

Slightly firm down.

Use a fork to prise out a seedling.

And firm in to the mix.

Top up around the seedling to near the top of the bag,

and firm down again.

WATER

Keep your seedlings moist.

Put them in a place you will notice them and

remember to water frequently.

Our deck furniture became very useful, initially.

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Then production increased so much the sunny patio

was called into play.

Spot all our seed trays along the top of the wall.

I found that not all seedlings in the trays were ready to

plant out at the same time, it was a matter of picking
out the big ones and potting those, and revisiting
every few weeks as the rest grew.

This is where the fork was so useful, to dig them out

carefully.

SEEDLINGS JUST POTTED

These ones are just getting going.

You can see a variety of sizes, sometimes it’s not

possible to leave the tiny ones in the tray.

READY TO POT UP TO A BIGGER POT

When they look like they are growing vigorously, and if

you are not ready to plant out, or it is the wrong time of
year, then it is time to pot up.

Another thing to check is if the roots are spreading out

the bottom holes of the bag – also ready to go up a
size.

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POTTING UP

The ones at the back of the row have just been potted
into PB 2s.

I stop at PB 2s, although you could just keep going

bigger and bigger, as they grow.

But then it is a very big hole to dig later, to plant them

all.

WATER WATER WATER

Once they start to get quite large, they will need at

least daily watering.

SHADE IS GOOD

I moved them into dappled shade in the peak of

summer, to reduce the stress on the plants from too
much heat, and on me from having to water them
twice a day.

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READY TO PLANT

This one is definitely ready to plant out.

PLANTING

Nothing special here, dig a hole, put a bit of compost

in the bottom, add plant, firm down, and water.

FULLY MATURE

And before you know it, a forest!

It takes about 1 – 3 years to start flowering, and 6

years to floral maturity.

Check out www.businessofbees.com for more information.

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