Growing conifers from seed

cat320

Has anybody ever done this? This is something I really want to try, with sitka spruce, and scots pine. I have looked on the internet and every site says something different, I would really appreciate someone who has done this giving me the lowdown on it..

I realise this takes a long time and it would be easier to buy seedlings, but I want to do it for myself:)

Oldtree

havnt been successful with conifers (mice ate seed) but the following books may be of assistance:

I have this one and its v good:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hardy-Woody-Plants-P-D-A-McMillan-Browse/dp/0901361216

from page 134
spruce: cones mature and open in autumn and should be collected then. They need a chilling period to break dormancy so should be sown immediatly and allowed to chill over winter in a seed bed.

from page 136
scots pine: cones mature at end of second year and then open. no particular dormancy but benifits from a short 6 week period of chilling.


More recent books I dont have:

http://www.treesource.co.uk/acatalog/__Propagation___Nursery_Production.html

and this free book is worth a read too (chapter 2):

http://www.rngr.net/publications/rsah

Also important to note is the parent tree and its qualities, unless you have a particular attatchment to a particular tree (I have grown an apple tree from seed for that reason as well as had grafts done).