How to Overwinter Catalpa Pods
- 1). Leave the catalpa pods on the tree, as they usually overwinter there and drop the seeds come spring. If you want to overwinter the pods on your own, pick the pods when they are dry and brown. The pods dry and turn brown in the fall.
- 2). Place the catalpa seedpods in a box and sprinkle a layer of sand over the pods about ½ inch deep.
- 3). Store the catalpa seedpods in a dry cool area, such as a basement or an unheated garage for the duration of the winter. The pods can handle weather between -25 and 20 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter. Keep the seedpods cold all winter long between -25 and 40 F for proper germination in the spring.
- 4). Remove the box from the garage in March or April when the temperature warms up to between 55 to 65 F. Break open the seedpods with your fingers.
- 5). Sprinkle the seeds on lightly tilled bare soil where you want to grow new catalpa trees. Sprinkle one to three seeds for every 3 square feet of soil.
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