Winterberry berries, Winter bury?

There are several web sites that inform readers how to plant and grow winterberry holly. There are fewer that provide guidance on growing winterberry from seed. We needed the latter since the Better Half had done a great job of stripping the berries from the branches we had collected in the wild for Christmas decorations. We had about a sandwich bag full. The instructions state:

Winterberry bushes are as easy to propagate as they are to grow. They can be grown from seed. The seed needs moist, cold stratification. The easiest way to do that is to plant the seeds 1/8 inch deep in a container with moistened soil. Then cover the container with plastic. Place the covered seeded container in your refrigerator for four weeks. The cold in the refrigerator mimics the cold weather that the seeds would experience outdoors. They need this period of cold to break dormancy. The plastic cover keeps in the moisture, preventing the soil from drying out. This mimics the seeds natural environment which is marshy and wet. You should check the soil periodically to make sure that it is not drying out. Plants grown from seed should begin to produce flowers after three years.

Of course, we've little space in our refrigerator to devote to seed stratification so we went with plan B. I'm hoping there's enough cold nights left this shoulder season to accomplish the equivalent of four weeks worth of refrigerator time at about 40 degrees. With that hope in  my heart, I donned my trusty LL Bean boots and ventured forth onto and into the highly variable depths of corn snow surrounding our back yard wet spot. Following the Better Half's suggestion, I created three clusters of seeds, separated by several feet between them. After scattering the seeds on top of the snow, I tromped it into the snow so it would be less obvious to the birds and deer (but more available to mice and voles). The ground is still frozen, we may, or may not, get more snow this "Spring," so my bet on natural stratification seems reasonable, depending on critter consumption of the seeds. In fact, as this is being written, snow showers have developed. Maybe there'll be enough to completely cover the seeds. If not, the relatively darker color of the seeds should help them melt tunnels to the bottom of what's left of our "snow pack."

roadside Winterberry berries in Autumn

Photo by J. Harrington

We'll see, maybe, if any of these seeds make it to the ground and actually germinate. The online guidance notes we can look for flowers after three years. I'm going to consider that situation, along with my perpetually growing stack of unread books, yet another reason to live a long life to a healthy old, old age. Now, if only the world's politics, public health entities, and economies would cooperate.

For Keeps

Joy Harjo - 1951-

Sun makes the day new.
Tiny green plants emerge from earth.
Birds are singing the sky into place.
There is nowhere else I want to be but here.
I lean into the rhythm of your heart to see where it will take us.
We gallop into a warm, southern wind.
I link my legs to yours and we ride together,
Toward the ancient encampment of our relatives.
Where have you been? they ask.
And what has taken you so long?
That night after eating, singing, and dancing
We lay together under the stars.
We know ourselves to be part of mystery.
It is unspeakable.
It is everlasting.
It is for keeps.
                              MARCH 4, 2013, CHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS

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