Q:
Our Norway spruce trees produced a bumper crop of
cones this year. How do you go about starting Norway spruce tree
seeds?
A: Although Norway spruce (Picea
abies) is not native to the United States, it has
naturalized and grows well in much of the country.
The cones mature from September through November, and seeds are
dispersed from September through April. Spruce seeds are found
between the scales of the cones. Once the cones have dried
thoroughly, they will fall out easily. In nature, the cones fall and
release seeds, or they are shaken out by wind, or distributed
through bird and animal activity.
Nursery grown Norway Spruce
Shake the cones and collect the seeds. Store them in an airtight
container in your refrigerator (NOT the freezer) until early spring.
They will germinate best if you soak them in water for 24 hours
prior to planting them. You can sow seeds into a flat or individual
4-inch pots that have been filled with a soilless seed starting mix.
Cover the seed very lightly with the mix; if you bury them too
deeply they may not germinate. Keep the soil evenly moist but never
sopping wet. You can place the planted containers outdoors in an
area protected from rain.
Norway Spruce branch tips
Sources I referred to for this article predict a germination rate of
80 percent. Once the seedlings are up, you should move them to
individual pots. If you have an area -- perhaps part of a vegetable
garden or flower bed -- that you can use as a nursery, you could
also plant the small seedlings there to grow until they are big
enough to be moved to their permanent location(s).
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