Question
I live in South Central Kansas, USDA growing zone 6a I believe.  I want to plant some sycamore tree seeds I found under a large sycamore tree from the County Courthouse lawn.  I will probably plant them directly in the ground.  Is there anything I need to do to the seeds or the soil before I plant the seeds?  And, even more importantly, when should I plant them in the ground?

Answer
Hi Tim,
Thanx for your question.  I'm from NE Kansas (KC area).  Yes, I believe you are right about Zone 6a.  You can plant your sycamore seeds in the fall in a nursery bed which is just an area you carve out of the garden or yard that is kept free of leaves.  In the past, I advised people to cold treat the seeds.  I've since learned that's not necessary.  Just plant the seeds by lightly covering them with a thin layer of soil and leave them be.  They sprout at 59?86癋.  If you plant in the fall, they most likely will not germinate until spring.  Just make sure the nursery bed is free of grass and weeds, is watered once a week if no regular rain and is protected from scratching animals and from flooding.  I hope this helps.
Tom