Try a technique called scarification...breaking or softening the outer coat. Rub the seeds with sandpaper to scuff them up. Then place them in continually damp potting soil or between moist paper towels don't let them dry out. I am not sure on the germination time. Some shrubs will sprout out in a few weeks others can take up to a year. This would have worked better in the winter because you should put them somewhere cool, so if you have a fridge with some space. I don't have any experience doing this with sumac so thats all I can tell you. I do know that sumac grows from the sprout or shoot of another, so in time they are all hooked together. Have you thought of buying a few from a nursery or finding some that you can split from the others that you collected the seeds from and planting those?

 

I stored these seeds in my garage all winter so they have been froze for a while, I don't know if that is what you are saying, I will try to scarification and see what happens. I will resort to buying some plants but for now I am trying to save a little money and use seeds I have harvested. I am planting these plants on top of an old landfill that has very little soil for cover so I am leary of investing alot of money in trees and shrubs that might not grow.

 

I understand...have you thought of transplanting and dividing them from where you got the seeds?

 

If you are looking for cover have you considered switch grass?

 

I picked the seed pods while walking in a park, I'm sure I was wrong for doing that so I'm sure they will be mad at me if I take a shovel out and start digging.

I don't know much about switchgrass. How tall and thick will it grow? does is spread?

What I have is a big mound that is an old landfill that has been closed since the early seventies. When it was closed it was covered with soil and let go. There are some grasses growing now that are about knee to waist high depending on the rain we have. Some trees have grown in little pods here and there and I am going to relocate a bunch of cedar trees on this hill.

I am limited in what I can do for soil preparation due to the amount on garbage that is close to the surface. Im sure dragging a no till drill over the hill would damage the drill from the garbage sticking up and the terain is very uneven from setteling. Most of the work will have to be done by hand.

This is the only spot I have to hunt so I am trying to do what I can to make it better for the deer. They hang around this hill untill the grass starts to lay down in the late fall then they disappear untill the next summer.

I appreciate the help!!!

 

We are planting about 20 acres of switch grass this year for cover. It should get to about 6 ft tall within about 2 -3 years. It is semi aggressive and will take over any other native warm season grasses, that's why we are planting straight switch grass. It is supposed to get very thick and the deer love it for bedding, fawning and hiding from preditors. It also grows well on marginal soils and is good for erosion control. It is expensive if bought from a dealer...about 6 lbs / acre @ $7.00 - $8.00 per lb. But if you check out different programs through your DNR, Pheasants Forever, National Turkey Federation or some others you can come across alot of seed for free. It might be to late this year for any of those programs but they may have some left over, never know! Switch grass seed can be broadcast on prepaired soil bed free of any weeds. Check it out it would be faster than growing shrubs from seed.

 

Sumac is a super great deer habitat. Grows to 15 feet or so. Gives shade and bucks really like to rub on it. I would drive the country side and find some in a ditch and get a few small plants. It will spread nicely on its own.