What is Seed Gathering Sunday all about

A.� It is part of an on going campaign to encourage more people, be they keen gardeners or children living on inner city council estates, to be more aware of trees, their value to our lives and landscape and how easy it is to plant and care for them.

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On October 14th, Seed Gathering Sunday, you are being encouraged to go for a walk, identify your favourite trees and collect seed, nuts or berries for growing on and, eventually, planting out. The event is being organised by the National Tree Council.

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A.� The National Tree Council was set up in the 1970's to not only conserve existing trees and woodland but also to improve our environment by encouraging the planting of more trees and to offer help and guidance in managing them.

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A.� We may regard ourselves as a nation of tree lovers but in fact we have less tree cover than virtually any other country in Europe. Although much of lowland Britain was originally covered in broad-leaved and deciduous woodland, hundreds of years of clearance for agriculture and the development of towns and cities meant by the turn of the last century only five per cent of Britain remained as woodland.

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A.� The first step is to sort out which seeds are viable and which aren't. If you've collected acorns or nuts of any kind, put them in a bowl of water. Any that don't sink are probably hollow and will not germinate.

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Other seeds may require different treatment. The NTC has a seed chart with all the information you need that can be downloaded from their website at www.treecouncil.org.uk

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A.� To encourage sustainability the NTC suggest you then plant the seeds in a rinsed out empty juice or milk cartons. Punch holes in the base and fill with compost, then plant the seeds to a depth of about 1cm. Keep the compost just moist and then plant the pot out in spring. The pot will gradually disintegrate allow the roots to spread. It may take a month or two for the seedlings to emerge, but within a couple of years you should have a small tree on your hands. Plant more than one, as not all seeds will germinate.

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A.� National Tree Week will run from 21st of November to 2nd December, to coincide with the traditional tree planting season. Last year saw a world record breaking 107,781 trees planted by hand over a three-day period and it is hoped to build on that success this year. For more details of events log onto the NTC website.

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They have also set up a special National Tree Week website for kids at www.nationaltreeweek.com which is full of information, games and details of tree events for youngsters.

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