Seed cleaning

Seed cleaning time at The Forktree Project - one of the many preparatory tasks as we get ready for propagating season in the nursery.

On the table today are Acacia melanoxylon (Blackwood) seeds. Like many acacias, melanoxylon has a symbiotic relationship with ants that ensures that the seeds end up in the right place in the soil: the red aril surrounding the seed is nutrient-rich, attracting ants which drag the seed into the ground in order to feast on the aril. The rest of the seed is of no interest to the ants so gets left, conveniently, buried just below the surface. Amazing.

No need for ants for this particular batch of seeds, however - once cleaned (extracted from the pods), they will be sown in the Forktree nursery in preparation for planting next winter. Thank you, Fleur and Ida, for getting stuck in!