Topic: Mistletoe

[Froglegs]

A friend give some mistletoe berry's today thought id have a go at growing them on a apple tree that's growing  in my garden  ???..... any tips?. :)

[Amazin]

Try this site:

http://www.mistletoe.org.uk

Good luck!

[kenkew]

I've tried squashing them onto apple and oak.........nowt!
Good luck.

[Mrs Ava]

I do to, annually, have done for 5 years.....nowt.  :'(

[Froglegs]

A bit slow to get going then :o ;D

[dgillings]

In my experience it is a hard thing to get started. Make a small nick in the bark - so that you can flap it over - and squash the berry into this. Then cover it with a material bandage - something natural like cotton. Even then you only have a 30% chance of it starting off. It's a wonder it makes it in the wild! :)

Do about 5 and you should see something eventually.

[Mrs Ava]

I believe when it passes through the gut of a bird it germinates quite happily.  :-\

[dgillings]

Perhaps catch a sparrow, force feed it mistletoe berries and then squeeze it on a branch ;)

DON'T DO THIS! :)

[Mrs Ava]

Oh, you spoil all of the fun!  ;D ;) ;D

[supersprout]

There was a feature on mistletoe growing on GQT a few weeks ago - Bob F said it could take four years to germinate. Makes you wonder in what way that's survival of the fittest ???

[Robert_Brenchley]

Some plants do. They'll germinate slowly, over several years, so eventuially one hits the right conditions to thrive. Mostly it's long-lived plants that aren't reliant on producing a new generation every year.

[vee]

I remember my Grandad trying every year to get misletoe to grow on an old Bramley, but he never managed to get it to grow.
I have heard that hanging a branch of mistletoe in a tree so that the birds can eat the berries might work better as the seeds will have passed through them.