Growing Locust Trees From Seed

It is so easy and so economical to grow your own beautiful, fast-growing locust trees from seed. Locust trees are from the legume family so they fix nitrogen in the soil in addition to providing shade and attracting pollinators like honey bees to their fragrant blossoms in the spring.
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[@bvccoil8614]

I've tried your method with honey locust seeds and after 4days, 50% germinated ! I'm very happy with that coz my previous attempt was a total failure. Thank you!

[@JoryBlake]

I just planted a bunch from seed but only one sprouted so far, I will learn from this and try again. I grow several hundred oaks from acorns and they are 5' going in to the 3rd year. Thank you for the vid

[@elektrofry4937]

I was blessed with a honey locust tree in the back yard of the property i purchased. A few months ago it was damaged in a windstorm 100+ mph. I was told by a few people that since it was over a power line I should take it down immediately. It had a 42" diameter trunk at the base. I haven't counted the rings but it was estimated 60 years old. It was a sad day when it came down. They provide amazing shade and are a very beautiful tree. I would not hesitate planting one again if I had space for it. I am considering burying the power line and planting one in a different location.

[@RoseRedHomestead]

That was one big locust tree! I'm sorry it had to come down. They are so beautiful. I hope you can grow another one.

[@unsheepled]

THANK YOU ! I just bought the pink flowering locust seeds , got them in the mail today.

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Wonderful! They will be beautiful and the bees love them!

[@johncooper2258]

Great video. I tried keeping the seeds in the water for 3 days and then sprouted them as you suggested. 100 percent germination. I now have 150 black locust seedlings a foot tall and ready to plant outside here in Zine 6b as the last freeze date has now passed. 5/15. Thanks for your advice. By the way, I harvested the seeds from a tree in a local park last year and kept them dry until planting a few weeks ago. No wintering. John

[@RoseRedHomestead]

That is fabulous. The trees we planted 5 years ago are now over 20 feet tall and some of them have the most beautiful white blooms right now. We love them! I've been saving seeds from them now as well. thanks for watching!

[@jennygirl8849]

Was walking in the Ogden Parkway came upon a Black Locust in bloom near the river, gathered up a handful of seeds...I can't wait to plant at my cabin. To my surprise, my favorite teacher RoseRed has a video on this topic and preparing the seeds is definitely news to me. 😉 THANK YOU. 🌷🌿🌸

[@maylastyle5292]

Hi thank you so much 👍👍💕💕

[@RoseRedHomestead]

You are so welcome!

[@thabigshow69]

Awesome 😎

[@chantel410]

So beautiful your house reminds me of the Spanish style home we lived in living in Florida

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Thank you! Jim

[@dm5624]

Thank you for this wonderful video! I just discovered you recently and I’m so impressed by quality of your presentations 😊❤️

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Thank you so much! Most of the locust trees that we planted on the property line are now (11-12 years later) 20-30 feet high.They were seedlings that Pam grew in the green house and we transplanted them after about a year. We also have other trees scattered around the yard that are various ages and heights (some seed and some we purchased). Jim

[@charlievilla2308]

Asome vídeo thanks for share beautiful lady appreciate you good quality video ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@Jennifer-gc2tx]

Great video! I have two baby honey locust trees that I grew from seed in my backyard. They are healthy and look very good but they are growing very slowly. They are 4 years old and only 15 inches tall. Any suggestions? I water them often and occasionally use Miracle-gro. I haven't used mulch yet because I'm afraid it will be too strong. I have cedar mulch and not all plants like it so I'm afraid to use it. What do you think? I live in AZ in the mountains.

[@styx62]

Very informative glad I know more now to get started ❤

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Ours are now 20 feet tall! They grow fast.

[@styx62]

@@RoseRedHomestead wow nice

[@babshunt6242]

Thank you so much for a wonderful video. Very helpful. I can't wait to try to grow these wonderful trees. Watching from Wales, UK.🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@RoseRedHomestead]

So nice of you, thank you. They grow really fast where we are--ours are about six years old now and are over 20 feet tall! Thanks for watching.

[@rockycolquhoun9867]

Awesome video! I appreciate your efforts, experience and follow through. I grew up in an area where Black Locusts reigned until developers came in and developed the land and cut down the black locusts with Maple trees. Nothing against maple trees, but I always loved the green tunnel of black locusts that dominated the woods around my childhood home. My Dad and Mom planted a Honey Locust which is 40 years old and it is a showcase tree in our front yard. I have a black locust and a honey locust in the yard now and wanted to use the seeds to grow more. Thanks so much for the awesome video!

[@RoseRedHomestead]

You are very welcome. So glad you liked it. Our honey locust is gorgeous this year, and our black locust tree are now over 20 feet high.

[@rockycolquhoun9867]

@@RoseRedHomestead Rose: I am having trouble with seeds rotting during the 5 days I was hoping they would be germinating. Do I have to use distilled water or do any thing differently. I am using the mason jar, towel, dowel technique but the seeds are rotting in the towel. Hmmm... I am stumped. Any advice?

[@twen7yseven]

Awesome video, thank you for sharing! I have a few growing on my property and am hoping to propagate them

[@gemaloy]

I found a really good and easy way to germinate the seeds. Is to take a pair of dog nail clippers and nip the end of the seed with ease. Then simply lay in the paper towel, mist the paper towel and put into a zip lock. Then storage away in a warm spot. The jar you use might be nice, because the root sprouts are fairly brittle.

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Yes, that works as well. I used regular toenail clippers when I did it that way. Thanks for watching!

[@kdogg071]

Works for lemon seeds!

[@femme_de_fatale]

I always wanted to try and grow an apple or apricot tree from seed. I wonder if boiling the apple seeds would produce the same results? 🤔

[@user-ic2ug8ys1z]

😀🌱🐢 Great video. Even 2yrs later you are teaching us. Thank you.

[@whommee]

Wonderful! I have never thought of growing trees from seed ! We have several black black walnut trees I'd like to try this method with those as well. Black Locust trees are a treasure here. They are a rare find where I live in northern Alabama. Now I got to find me a source for Black Locust seeds so I can start a few of these to plant . Thanks for sharing this . Enjoyed this video very much .

[@RoseRedHomestead]

They are so easy to grow once you get those stubborn seeds to sprout. And they are fast growers, plus, bees love the blooms. If you message me a PO Box or an address, I will send you some pods from last year. I just walked out and checked and I have one tree loaded with last year's pods. Most have sprung open, but there are plenty of seeds still stuck to the pod. You can message me from our Facebook page.

[@whommee]

@@RoseRedHomestead will do!,, I'll send you some black walnuts to try and grow when they get ready to drop this fall as return payment

[@mschroed99]

Such a wonderful video. Thank you young lady!

[@RoseRedHomestead]

You compliment me by calling me "young"--thank you! We are happy you enjoyed the video.

[@NathanZimmerman]

Excellent content. To the point, valuable, easy to follow

[@julia_m1308]

This is such a helpful video! Thank you so much! This is exactly what I was looking for!

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Glad it was helpful! Hope you grow fabulous trees!

[@aron8949]

In fernley Nevada some of the older neighborhoods have very old and large black locust entangled in wistyria. In the spring you can barely tell the difference between the locust and wistyria flower clusters. There are so many flowers and bees in the spring I will be planting the same combo on my property.

[@RoseRedHomestead]

That sounds so lovely--thank you for sharing. We lived in Reno for six years when I was a professor at UNR. We drove through Fernley all the time!

[@youngpek]

Fantastic and comprehensive informative video 👍 thank you just what I was looking for .

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kammateo]

This video is just amazing. Thanks for sharing, and by the way, I love your English. It's very clear, I understood everything 🙂

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kammateo]

I can call confirm: the boil water method works perfectly!!!! Thank you

[@Pepesplants]

Thank you for the great detailed video. Thumbs up. :-)

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching.

[@equiholic1ify]

What a wonderful neighbor you are!

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Thank you.

[@libraw.173]

Thanks for sharing! I’m waiting for my golden locust tree to bare seeds,can’t wait to try the experiments.

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Sounds great! I have never grown a golden locust, but just the name invokes a beautiful mental image. Best of luck. Thanks for watching.

[@rwjedi]

Awesome video, thank you for sharing

[@kenyonb]

So much solid information, thanks!

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Glad it was helpful! Jim

[@roxtar69-9mm]

THANKS! I just figured out what kind of tree I'm growing....a honey locust! I picked up bean pod, from the ground in the Walmart parking lot, and had it for a couple of years. Placed a few of the beans in water this spring...nothing. So I scuffed one lightly with sandpaper, then put it water..and it sprouted. I could tell from the size of your seeds, and the look of the seedlings, that I had a Honey Locust tree! Yay!

[@RoseRedHomestead]

That is awesome! That was great detective work!

[@elvisestevez5816]

This is truly an excellent video/tutorial. Thank you so much! I'll be trying this technique with Linden trees.

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Great! I hope it is very successful for you.

[@thepatron4663]

Beautiful trees

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@Mikeyvr.]

Very informative. Thank you very much

[@macchi205]

Very interesting video Regards from Sicily Island

[@thiempham3775]

Helpful, Thanks a lot Rose

[@kdogg071]

Some ppl say let them steep in the hot water over night. Maybe that’s why the seeds from the pods didn’t germinate. Idk I’m learning how to do this. I collected about 30 seeds from pods. I’m going to see what I can do.

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Interesting, I had not heard about steeping them. Jim

[@RoseTorn411]

Fantastic video! Also if I had those cabinets I would paint them matte black with long vertical stainless steel handles 😍

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Sounds nice!

[@LibertyGarden]

Great video. Thank you.

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Our pleasure!

[@StavrosGakos]

Thank you for this video!

[@RoseRedHomestead]

You are so welcome!

[@johnsonlong1272]

I would love to find purple robe locust seeds to grow I think it would be cool to have a different color.

[@moncher2797]

I have been trying to grow some honey locust seeds to sprout for 2 years! I’ve tried everything I can think of. I’ve soaked them in boiling water, acidified water, putting them in the fridge all winter, etcetera. Thank you for the advice. How am I going to get a bird to eat and poop in my yard? I guess I’ll go back to the boiling water. My husband has his heart set on these trees and I love growing anything that helps the bees. Thank you.

[@RoseRedHomestead]

The seeds need to be scarified to soften the coat, rather than stratified in the refrigerator. The boiling water method has worked best for me. After I have rolled them in a paper towel and kept them damp for a couple of days and there are still some that have not swollen, I take my fingernail clippers and simply snip off the tiniest little nip along one edge and that usually does the trick. I have some honeylocust trees that are now 4-5 feet tall that I grew from seed. Thanks for your comments!

[@roxtar69-9mm]

I scuffed a honey locust seed's coating with sandpaper, then put it water..and it sprouted!

[@eworksp]

chilli seeds germinate similar so try making some chamomile tea and soaking the seeds in that... the tea acts like a birds digestive system

[@terrencewildman1732]

Bean sprouts!

[@seabrookthemagnificent9580]

One person's floor is another person's ceiling. Black locust trees are excellent erosion-control trees, but those dern Honey locusts are nothing but five inch thorn producers. They cause flat tires, and hurt like the dickens when you accidentally bump into one.

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Yikes! 5-inch thorns? Ours are about an inch, and we have planted them where they are out of the way of our walkways and driveways. They also produce suckers, which are a nuisance. I loved your first sentence!

[@pappafritto]

This seems to be Gleditsia triacanthos (three-thorned), it does indeed has these clusters of long thorns, not black locust

[@maureenodonnell9600]

Hello Rose, I started 25 honey locust trees from seed here in Colorado zone 5b April 1 of this year. Did you mix equal parts sand and coconut core? How tall are your trees when you plant outside? My seedlings went from 6 packs to 4 inch pots and appear to be static, no more growth. Should I feed them some fish emulsion or manure tea? This is all new to me. Thank you so much for this great video!

[@vikkisoderquist6013]

I have never heard of locust trees. Do you know if they grow in cental texas? They are attractive trees, and shade is really needed here. Tfs! Please stay safe and sending hugs to you both 💜🙏🤗

[@keelapermaculturefarm]

hi, I love your method with the paper towels. i am going to try that today. thanks for sharing! i grew some last season but i didn't get so many to germinate as i didn't do the paper towel method. i think i will put them directly in the bigger pots straight away. now i am wondering what other seeds i can do this with?

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Thanks for your comments and I am glad you like the paper towel method of sprouting seeds. I actually use this method for starting lots of garden seeds as well and then transplant them into start flats. I think the method is very versatile.

[@MrChickadee]

could you help me with a question Ma'am? Ive had terrible luck with germination. I tried putting black and honey locust seeds in cups and adding boiling water, but only had a few seeds germinate. Next time I tried putting seeds into a larger pot full of boiling water and wrapped it in a towel to sit overnight. Even less germinated that time. I feel I may have overcooked them perhaps? Have you any idea if that could be possible if the water was too hot, or if the hot water volume to seed ratio was too large, hence too much heat perhaps? Ive ordered more seed but really want to make this work this time!

[@RoseRedHomestead]

The locust seed coats need to be roughed up a bit so the new leaf and root can break through. Hot water is one way. Another way is to take a fingernail clipper and clip off the tiniest bit of the seed coat on the top edge or bottom edge of the seed--just enough so that water can get in there and start it swelling up. Sometimes I drop them into boiling water and then the ones that don't swell within 24 hours get a snip with the fingernail clippers!

[@victorzapata5327]

What a wonderful video,tutorial,what a nice looking lady,so pleasant

[@joebatch3281]

Where did you get those white tubes that you planted the young seedling in?

[@sarah.rackers]

i have a honey locust that has shed some starters in my yard that i am going to transplant elsewhere. i really admire the work that you've done. do you have any specific tips on pruning? my starts are all about 2-3 feet right now.

[@RoseRedHomestead]

I prune off the bottom branches up to about 3 feet. You can go higher if you wish. And they do produce suckers, for sure. Then I just watch for balance and overall appearance and prune off anything that doesn't fit with that.

[@cindyskillman544]

That was very helpful. I just got some black locust seeds from someone on Etsy, so I'm very grateful for your wonderful tutorial! Thanks! 🥰🥰🥰. Do you know whether the pods are dangerous to sheep? I'm debating getting a couple of dairy ewelings.

[@RoseRedHomestead]

I know black locust is not good for horses or cows, but I do not know for sure about sheep. Thanks for your comments.

[@makeitkate3240]

I’ve read that black locust is actually excellent “tree hay” for cows!

[@RoseRedHomestead]

I am not sure about that--we don't have cows. Just be sure they don't eat the seed pods!

[@makeitkate3240]

@@RoseRedHomestead We don’t have livestock yet so I’ll be sure to plant away from where we’ll keep them in the future. Thanks for the heads up and the video! It’s working like a charm for me!

[@madelynstellpflug1906]

I have one that I planted back in May and I feel like it has stopped getting taller, but looks healthy otherwise. What are some things that I can do to encourage growth?

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Madelyn: Give it more water and trim the lower leaves/branches. Jim

[@EasyAim1]

Great video. I just bought a three acre lot in North Texas. We have horrible soil (limestone rocks and clay) but one of the few native trees that have no problem are hackberry and locust trees. However mine have HUGE thorns. The adult trees have thorns up to 4" long. My sister says I should not propagate them due to their danger to children but I really like the tree. You don't mention thorns on your trees at all. Are we talking about the same "locust" trees?

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Yes we are, but our thorns are not Texas size! They are about 2 inches. Since the pods are poisonous for cattle, we take care not to plant them too close to neighbors who have cows or horses.

[@lauragrady5969]

What time of year should I begin the process. I got some seeds from a neighbor last summer and thought that I could wait until this spring, but you did it in the fall... does it matter? I live in Colorado.

[@RoseRedHomestead]

You are welcome! Jim

[@JesseCosta1]

Is the process the same for purple robe locust?

[@joeraver7145]

Does anyone no how soon after scarafying do the seeds need to be germinated?

[@mima4392]

Do these trees spout from their root system too? I have a tree that looks like this, I think and I'm thinking of cutting it down as it seems invasive to me. It's still kind of young so I can cut it down. I see big roots next to the trunk above the ground then gradually go down. It's next to my vegetable garden and I guess I cut a root pretty far away with the rototiller. Now I noticed this root with a little green growing from it and it looks like the same little shoots coming up from the base of the tree. My gut tells me to cut it down and poison it. But it is a beautiful tree.

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Yes they do, and that can be annoying. But the wood is very hard--used as fence posts by early settlers. And their blossoms are great for bees, which is the main reason we planted so many of them. We just mow the suckers down with the lawn mower!

[@mima4392]

@@RoseRedHomestead How old do they need to be before they bloom. The suckers are coming up in my vegetable garden. I can't mow it.

[@didigreen8403]

I have done all this, got several seedlings, took them outside and repotted them in individual pots, but the leaves’ color is not green, they’re kind of whitish… why? What’s wrong with them? Thank you

[@lucianafitch]

Hi! My daughter planted 5 seeds of honey locus and they all sprouted together in the same pot. They are growing beautifully but all together. How can I separate without hurting them? Thanks in advance

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Congratulations! That is a great accomplishment. Each of the little trees has a separate root system, so you can gently invert the pot and remove each one for the soil and replant it in a separate pot. I have done this many times without damaging the seedlings and they thrive and grow just fine. Thanks for your question.

[@EonVendetta]

Great video, thank you very much for sharing. I have one small question, do you water the plant while they are growing in the plastic cones? If so, how many times week? Thank you again :)

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Yes I do! The frequency depends upon how quickly the soil dries out. I like to keep them moist at all times during the sprouting and early growing stages.

[@kellycollins8853]

I was hoping you would show how to grow the Purple Robe…🙁

[@olson7156]

Do you sell the seeds?

[@RoseRedHomestead]

No, we do not. You can look on Google and find a see dealer. Jim

[@LibertyGarden]

I have never seen purple robe locust, just white. Would you mind selling me a packet of seeds? I would to to plant some on my property.

[@RoseRedHomestead]

I would do that in a heartbeat if they produced seeds, but the flowers are apparently sterile. They produce pods with seed indentations, but no seeds. I have been working on figuring out how to propsagate them with cuttings as well. If I can get that to work, I will send you some cuttings. They are gorgeous! If I am successful, I will do a video and you can get back in touch with me so I can send cuttings.

[@LibertyGarden]

@@RoseRedHomestead Thank you so much. I'll sub to your channel to follow the progress. However, now that you say the pods are toxic to cattle I may reconsider planting black locust because I have cows. I know some permaculturist use them a fodder for sheep and goats. Maybe they avoid the pods. I have lots of honey locust and cows like to eat them in spring.

[@LibertyGarden]

I was not aware that the pods were toxic to cows.

[@RoseRedHomestead]

Horses too, from what I understand. We have neither, but I do want to be mindful of our neighbors animals.