Greetings. I’m going to try an experiment and would like some advice. There is a small gap of space between my concrete pool deck and the fence ( I have no grass or soil, just concrete). I was thinking I would drop some Boston Ivy seeds in that gap, perhaps cover with soil, and hope they might germinate and survive. ( I”d like to have the ivy cover the fence and cannot access the property on the opposite side of the fence. ) Should I put them in a fridge first for ‘stratification’ or simply drop seeds in tehecracks? Any other thoughts? Thanks
Dan
Thank you for contacting Toronto Master Gardeners,
Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) is a fast growing, deciduous vine that grows really well in full-sun to part shade and is hardy to Zone 4. The seeds of a Boston Ivy need cold period of 60 days (stratification ); Our website has information on Growing From Seed: Growing From Seed, Toronto Master Gardener Guide. The Master Gardener guide provides how to process seeds for cold scarification, how to pot up the seedlings or direct plant the seedlings. How to harden off the seedlings before planting.
Seeds of a Boston Ivy have a hard coating and you may want to start by placing them in warm water for 24 hours before starting stratification. This will moisten the outer seed coating to allow for germination. Another great website that provides details on cold and warm scarification is Shumacker Shrubs and Tree seeds: How to start seeds
Keep a few seeds for this fall to direct sow into the available soil. Dropping the seeds and covering them with soil is a good idea for this coming fall when the seeds are placed in the ground going through a cold cycle to germinate in the spring. I cannot say how successful the germination will be as I do not have a photo of the available soil for the seeds germination, the condition of your seeds, the exact location, the seeds will also be affected by the weather, the freeze thaw of the cement, available moisture.
An Alternative to Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), would be to plant a very similar fast growing vine that would quickly fill the space our native Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). North Carolina State Extension information on Virginia Creeper: Virginia Creeper
Good luck with your experiment.