Getting organized enough to propagate all the native plants I want to increase seems like a bigger challenge every year. I asked ChatGPT to create a calendar for me, and this is what was produced. I plan to follow the advice here and start collecting seeds in my own yard and in plantings around the area. Stratifying seeds in sand in the refrigerator seems like a great option to try and increase success, so I’ll try that this year as well.
King County Native Seed Calendar (Full Cycle)
| Plant | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr |
| Madrone | Collect seed | Start stratification | Maintain stratification | Maintain stratification | Sow after stratification | ||||
| Osoberry | Collect seed | Start stratification | Maintain stratification | Maintain stratification | Sow after stratification | ||||
| Western dogwood | Start stratification | Maintain stratification | Maintain stratification | ||||||
| Oceanspray | Collect seed | Collect seed; | Start stratification | Maintain stratification | Maintain stratification | Sow after stratification | |||
| Ninebark | Collect seed | Collect seed | Start stratification | Maintain stratification | Maintain stratification | Sow after stratification | |||
| Douglas aster | Collect seed | Collect seed | Direct sow | Maintain stratification | Maintain stratification | Sow indoors | Pot up seedlings | ||
| Western columbine | Collect seed | Collect seed | Direct sow | Maintain stratification | Maintain stratification | Sow indoors | ; Pot up seedlings | ||
| Puget gumweed | Direct sow | Maintain stratification | Maintain stratification | Sow indoors | Start in pots or direct sow | ||||
| Red alder | Collect seed | Collect seed; | Start stratification | Maintain stratification | Maintain stratification | Sow after stratification | Pot up seedlings | ||
| Oregon grape | Collect seed | Start stratification | Maintain stratification | Maintain stratification | Sow after stratification | ||||
| Red osier dogwood | Collect seed | Start stratification | Maintain stratification | Maintain stratification | Sow after stratification | ||||
| Fringecup | Collect seed | Collect seed | Direct sow | Start stratification | Maintain stratification | Maintain stratification | Sow indoors | Pot up seedlings | Sow after stratification |
| Geum macrophyllum | Collect seed | Collect seed | Direct sow | Start stratification | Maintain stratification | Maintain stratification | Sow indoors | Pot up seedlings | Sow after stratification |
The seed collecting began last month when I started harvesting seeds from geum, western columbine, and Douglas aster in our yard. I can be more focused with a tool like this! I’m eager to see how it enhances germination.
ChatGPT might help with a vegetative propagation calendar. I will check on that next!
