The first thing you need to do is to buy the seeds or harvest them at the appropriate time. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! Please do not send attachments to emails - we do not open them for security reasons. Harvesting seeds takes more time but less money than purchasing spruce seeds. Quality seeds, hand packed in the UK since 2002. Other propagation methods for spruce include rooting cuttings. How to propagate a spruce tree from seeds? Seal the bag and place it in the vegetable crisper of a refrigerator until April or May. If you are interested in learning about propagation methods for spruce trees, and how to start growing new spruce trees, read on. Larry Parr has been a full-time professional freelance writer for more than 30 years. They are somewhat resistant to drought but grow best, especially when young, if the soil is kept damp. Recut the base of the cutting at an angle and strip all needles from the lower two-thirds of each one. Note: Germination can be very erratic, so sow thinly and prick out the seedlings as they become large enough to handle disturbing the rest of the compost as little as possible.An alternative method is to sow in pots as above during late summer to early winter then place in a cold frame and let nature take its course as the seasons change with the seedlings emerging the next spring. Fill a growing tray with soil-less growing mix and place the Norway spruce seeds on top of the soil. Allow the seedlings to sit in direct sunlight for four or five hours per day once they have sprouted. Spruce tree propagation refers to the different ways that spruce trees reproduce. Watch for the seeds to sprout. Rub the papery "wing" off of each seed, using a thumb and forefinger, and place the Norway spruce seeds into a plastic bag. The trees will need water and light. The methods include growing spruce tree seeds and cuttings. While Norway spruce is not native to the U.S. (it comes from Europe), but it grows very well throughout USDA hardiness zones 3 through 7. [If sowing a large quantity, mix seeds with the compost/vermiculite and place in a resealable bag in the fridge, then sow into trays or directly outdoors in a nursery bed] After this, move to a propagator or other warm place and maintain an optimum temperature of 13-15C. Spruce Needle Rust Control How To Treat Spruce Needle Rust, Conifer Needles Turning Color: Why Does My Tree Have Discolored Needles, Blue Spruce Is Turning Green Tips On Keeping A Blue Spruce Tree Blue, Annuals And Perennials For Shade That Bloom All Summer, Flowering Shrubs That Like Full Sun And Heat, Watermelon Mosaic Virus: Treating Watermelon Plants With Mosaic Virus, Lima Bean Diseases: Learn How to Treat Sick Butter Bean Plants, Outdoor Clivia Lily Care: Learn About Growing Clivia Lilies Outdoors, Choosing Vegetables High In Vitamin K: Which Vegetables Have High Vitamin K. Suitable for container growing, it should survive a spell indoors over the festive season if kept moist.

Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. Keep the soil moist. You can dip each cut end in rooting hormone before planting if desired, although its not required. In the wild, spruce tree propagation involves spruce seeds falling from the parent tree and beginning to grow in the soil. Sowing Instructions: Sow at any time of the year.

Collect seeds in mid-fall from a tree in your own yard or in a neighboring location with permission. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. The birds do it, the bees do it, and spruce trees do it too. They grow best in full sun. You may, but do not need to, treat the seeds in some way to help them to germinate, like scarification. Discard any seeds that float. Depending on your climate, rain can take care of the need for irrigation. Fill a growing tray with soil-less growing mix and place the Norway spruce seeds on top of the soil. Begin setting the seeds outside in a protected area for several hours each day to prepare them for planting to the outdoors when they reach 6 to 7 inches tall. Place the cones into a paper bag. Germination should take place in 1-2 months. Dig a hole in a sunny, well-drained area that is two or three times as wide as the rootball of the trees. While Norway spruce is not native to the U.S. (it comes from Europe), but it grows very well throughout USDA hardiness zones 3 through 7. Spruce seeds grow in cones, and it is these you want to collect. Choose healthy shoots and clip off each about as long as your palm.

Today Parr train dogs and write articles on a variety of topics for websites worldwide. Growing Instructions: Transplant seedlings when large enough to handle into 7.5cm pots and grow on in a cold frame or nursery bed for a year or two then plant in their final position in semi-shade. All Rights Reserved. For 25 years he wrote cartoons for television, everything from "Smurfs" to "Spider-Man." Plant the trees at the same depth as they were growing indoors. Shake and strike the cones against the palm of your hand to release the seeds from between the leaves. Water to keep the soil damp. Plant the cuttings deep into sandy loam. Open the paper bag after a few weeks to see if the cones have begun to dry out and open up. Collect several Norway spruce seed cones just before they become fully ripe and open, releasing their seeds. Press gently, no more than 1/4 inch into the soil, and dust a little soil lightly on top of the seeds. Plant the trees outdoors in late autumn or early spring. Allow the seedlings to sit in direct sunlight for four or five hours per day once they have sprouted. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! If you want to start growing new spruce trees, planting seeds is a common method of propagation. Keep the soil moist and watch for roots to form. Plan the perfect garden with our interactive tool , Do It Yourself: Growing a Spruce Tree From Seeds. Place the growing tray in a well-lit area but not in direct sunlight. Fill the bowl with water and allow the seeds to soak overnight. Powered by Shopify. John Innes, with vermiculite, perlite or horticultural grit and water until just moist. Sign up for our newsletter. Remove the seeds from the refrigerator and place them in a shallow bowl. Set the bag in a safe place where mice and other rodents will not find it. They are somewhat resistant to drought but grow best, especially when young, if the soil is kept damp. Let the cones dry out until they open and spill out the seeds. How to propagate a spruce tree? Take cuttings in late summer or early fall. Sow seeds very thinly on the surface, then just cover them with a layer of vermiculite, perlite or grit.

Grow your own traditional Christmas Tree! Mix equal parts of good quality seed compost, eg. Youll need to extract the seeds from the cones. Open the paper bag after a few weeks to see if the cones have begun to dry out and open up. We will notify you when this product becomes available. Mix potting soil into the garden soil at a 50-50 ratio. Norway spruces are used widely as Christmas trees and make excellent windbreaks or dramatic focal points for a yard or garden. Rub the papery "wing" off of each seed, using a thumb and forefinger, and place the Norway spruce seeds into a plastic bag. Count on this taking about two weeks. Propagating spruce tree seeds and cuttings both produce viable plants. Copyright 2022, RP Seeds.

Water to keep the soil damp. Sprouting should take place within 21 to 28 days. The Norway Spruce is our best loved and most widely-bought Christmas Tree and also makes a good Bonsai subject. The trees like cold winters and warm summers, and grow well in a variety of soils. Pick them while they are young and before they are ripe. Seal inside a polythene bag and place in the fridge for 6 weeks, checking them weekly to ensure the compost is still moist. Seed cones should be collected between September and November.