Open Day at the Seed Lab
Last Friday, 6th june, a new edition of the Seed Lab Open Day was held in Pitres, organized by the Semillistas Association. This annual event aims to bring science and […]
Gathering for Sierra Lújar: Weaving Connections to Care for What We Love
A few days ago, a roundtable took place in Órgiva, organized by the Semillistas Association in collaboration with the Órgiva Town Council. The aim of this first gathering was to bring together individuals, collectives, and organizations connected to Sierra Lújar—whether they work there, walk its trails, or simply appreciate and enjoy this natural space.
Research for the Future: Germination Trials and New Species
After the most intensive sowing period, our team is now refocusing on research. In this phase, we have begun studying a range of new tree and shrub species with potential for ecological restoration. Among them are willowherb (Epilobium spp.), clematis (Clematis spp.), flowering ash (Fraxinus ornus), Pistacia terebinthus, juniper (Juniperus spp.), maple (Acer spp.), wild apple (Malus spp.), mock privet (Phillyrea spp.), and stone pine (Pinus pinea), among others.
Monitoring the Development of Direct Seeding: The Case of the Carob Tree
We continue monitoring the progress of the seedlings sown approximately a year and a half ago. These young plants have already withstood their first summer, winter, and part of the spring, and are now taking advantage of the current season to continue their vegetative growth, benefiting from the remaining soil moisture.
Progress on Germination Monitoring: First Field Observations
Over the past few weeks, we have begun monitoring the germination of all the seeds sown during the winter. We are currently finalizing the protocol for organizing and systematically recording these counts, which will officially begin next week and are expected to continue for approximately two to three weeks.
Last harvest of the season: Juniperus oxycedrus
With winter coming to an end, we close the last harvest of the season before spring returns to give us new seeds. On this occasion, we have collected Juniperus oxycedrus in Sierra Lújar, a seed with which we have been experimenting for years to understand its standard germination, that is, how it germinates without any previous treatment.
Preparing seeds: the process behind every sowing
At Semillistas, every sowing starts long before the seeds are put in the ground. Behind every plant that sprouts, there is a careful and detailed process that takes place in the laboratory. Today we want to tell you a little about how we prepare the seeds to ensure that they have the best possible conditions to germinate and later grow strong in the field.
Tuning nature
Recently, we have been working with aladern seeds (Rhamnus alaternus), testing different treatments to improve their germination. In the laboratory, we use Petri dishes with sand in which we place the seeds and carefully record each piece of data. These data, little by little, allow us to construct the germination curves that guide our decisions to prepare the seeds before sowing them in Los Guájares.
Experimental plantings at Los Guájares: learning from the regenerating forest
At the beginning of February, at Semillistas, we carried out experimental sowings of orthodox seeds in Los Guájares. These sowings are part of an ongoing learning process about how plants germinate and establish themselves in a forest that is in the process of regeneration after a fire.
Sorting acorns for reforestation
At Semillistas, every small gesture counts for reforestation, and the day we shared with the European volunteers in the laboratory was a clear example of this. The main task was the sorting of acorns, an essential process before planting in Los Guájares.