Sambucus CANADENSIS

Sowing and germination

Elderberry seeds are small, dense, several pieces in each drupe. To germinate, they need cold, wet stratification: the seeds are mixed with wet sand or peat and kept for 3-4 months at a temperature of 0-5°C. When sowing directly into the ground in autumn, stratification occurs naturally and is not required separately. Scarification is not needed. After stratification, the seeds are kept for 1-2 hours in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate, then soaked for 12-24 hours in warm water with the addition of a growth stimulator: balanced plant vitamin supplement, natural plant growth stimulant, amino-acid plant fertilizer, anti-stress adaptogen solution or root development stimulant. Then they are sown in a loose substrate to a depth of 1.5-2 cm, moistened with a spray bottle, covered with film or placed in a greenhouse and germinated in the light at a temperature of 18-22°C.