- 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.
How do you propagate a Norway spruce tree?
Pre-treatment/Scarification: Norway spruce trees are normally easy to propagate by seed, but for a detailed summary on pre-treatment you can find it here. Another great method to encourage germination in dormant seeds is through scarification. Scarification is a treatment that allows water to penetrate seeds with a hard seed coat.
How do you germinate Noway spruce seeds?
Sow one Noway spruce seed in each pot at a depth of 1/4 inch. Norway spruce trees hail from a cold, dark climate, so they require much lower germination temperatures than many other trees.
Can Norway spruce grow in wet soil?
At the same time, it is one evergreen that tolerates wet soil. Plant it in marshy soil and it will thrive. You can plant Norway spruce in sun, shade or partial shade and it grows just the same. It is tolerant of poor soil but also grows in rich, fertile soils.
When do spruce trees produce seeds?
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.
How long does it take for a Norway spruce to grow from a seed?
Sprouting should take place within 21 to 28 days. Allow the seedlings to sit in direct sunlight for four or five hours per day once they have sprouted. Keep the soil moist. Fill a growing tray with soil-less growing mix and place the Norway spruce seeds on top of the soil.
Do you need to stratify Norway spruce seeds?
For germination the seeds require a period of moist pre-chilling also known as stratification before the seeds should be sown, this takes around 6 weeks in the fridge and is not difficult to do!
How do you germinate spruce seeds?
The seeds must be moist to do this. For small numbers it is easiest to do this by sowing them, and then chilling them in the pots. After that they need warmth and light to germinate, which may take several weeks. The soil must remain moist, but not wet, at all times.
How long soak spruce seeds?
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.
Do spruce seeds need light to germinate?
# 4 | Provide adequate supplemental light. Expose your seedlings to 16 or more hours of direct light per day to encourage the seedling to grow continuously. If you provide fewer than 12 hours of light per day, the seeds will become dormant within a few weeks.
How long does it take for a spruce seed to sprout?
10-14 daysIf you are sowing in plug trays, sow 2 or 3 seeds per cell. Cover the seeds with a couple of millimeters of vermiculite or failing that a fine layer of sieved compost. Follow with a gentle watering and keep them at room temperature. Germination will begin within a 10-14 days of sowing.
How do you start spruce seedlings?
To stratify indoors, mix the seed with a moistened, sterile, peat based growing medium in a container, wrap in a ventilated bag, and place it in a refrigerator for 12 to 20 weeks. In the spring plant the seed in a sheltered spot outside to grow into seedlings. Transplant to permanent site when well rooted.
How do you propagate a Norway spruce?
Spruce Tree Propagation from Cuttings Take cuttings in late summer or early fall. Choose healthy shoots and clip off each about as long as your palm. Recut the base of the cutting at an angle and strip all needles from the lower two-thirds of each one. Plant the cuttings deep into sandy loam.
How do you stratify spruce seeds?
Stratification for pine and spruce is a fairly easy process. The seeds have mild internal dormancy. Soak the seeds in room temperature water for two days (change the water after 24 hours) place in moist sand in a clean plastic bag and store at 35-40° Fahrenheit.
Should you soak seeds overnight before planting?
Overnight is usually good. Many sources recommend 8-12 hours and no more than 24 hours. Again, too much soaking and the seeds will start to decompose. If you use very hot water, the soaking time will decrease.
Is it necessary to soak seeds in water before sowing Why?
Soaking seeds before planting helps you to break down the seed's natural defenses against what it expects from Mother Nature, which then allows it to germinate faster. Another reason is that while Mother Nature actively assaults seeds, she also gave those seeds an internal gauge to help them know when they should grow.
What seeds should not be soaked before planting?
Avoid soaking small seeds such as lettuce, radish, and so on. Germination of these species often doesn't need a lot of help, and wet seeds are much more difficult to handle, leading to over-sowing and waste.
What seeds dont need stratification?
So, seeds from plants that originated in hot climates don't need stratification. Some of them may require scarification, which is basically another way to help seeds break dormancy. Some hot climate seeds may also require long periods of moist, warm treatment to stimulate germination.
How do you start a Norway spruce?
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.
What seeds should I stratify?
Common varieties that require cold stratification for spring planting:Milkweed (Asclepias)Lupine (Lupinus)St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum)Prairie Coneflower (Ratibida)Prairie Violet (Viola pedatifida)Pincushion Flower (Scabiosa)Marsh Marigold (Caltha palustris)Perennial Sunflowers (Helianthus)More items...•
What seeds should be scarified?
Nasturtium, Sweet Pea, Milkweed, Lupine, and Morning Glory seeds ready to be scarified and soaked. Although most wildflower seeds can simply be scattered on bare dirt, there are several varieties that will have a better germination (sprouting) rate with just a little extra work before planting.
What kind of soil do Norway spruce trees need?
You will need to plant the tree in moist and well-drained soil that is slightly acidic. The Norway spruce will thrive in rich and sandy soil.
How tall does Norway spruce get?
Featured Video. Picea abies as an indigen is a fast-growing coniferous evergreen that can reach 60 feet tall, and occasionally to 100 feet. In its native Europe, it typically grows ...
How to tell Norway fir from Douglas Fir?
An easy way to tell firs from spruces is the needles. Think of the first two letters of the word spruce, “SP”, and remember the word, spikey. The needles of a spr uce are pointy and sharp . The needles of a fir are soft and almost feathery.
Is Norway spruce cold hardy?
Norway spruce are extremely cold hardy, with frost tolerances to -40° and -30°F. They do not do well in warm weather.
Can you grow Norway spruce in a rock garden?
Growing a Norway spruce is relatively easy if you choose an acceptable site. Site suitability can vary wildly depending on if you choose a native Norway spruce or a cultivar. Some may need a wide open space, for others you could plant in wide open areas, as part of foundation planting, in a container, or even in a rock garden.
Can you use Norway spruce as a windbreak?
It is often used for a windbreak or screen in a landscape that demands a greater sense of scale, where normally a yew or arbor vitae might suffice. On a smaller scale, the readily available cultivars come in handy if you are interested in using a Norway spruce in your landscape, although research is still needed.
How to grow Norway spruce from seed?
Sand-based soil and a deep pot work best for growing Norway spruce seeds because a deep pots provides adequate drainage and enough room for the seedlings' long, slender tap root. Sanitize the pot with a 10-percent bleach solution to limit the chances of fungal infections, and use fresh soil.
How long does it take for Norway spruce to sprout?
Place the seeds in a sealable sandwich bag and store them in the refrigerator for three weeks to chill them, and soak them in water for 24 hours to prime, or soften, the seed coat. Any rotten or hollow seeds will float to the surface of the water, so sow only the seeds that sink to the bottom.
What zone is Norway spruce?
Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 2 to 8. It is easily propagated from seeds, which sprout readily when sown fresh.
Do Norway spruce trees need artificial warmth?
Norway spruce trees hail from a cold, dark climate, so they require much lower germination temperatures than many other trees. The seeds do not need artificial warmth or highly controlled conditions for germination in Mediterranean climates and can be placed outdoors in a lightly shaded area.
Do Norway spruce trees need water?
Norway spruce trees hail from a cold, dark climate, so they require much lower germination temperatures than many other trees. The seeds do not need artificial warmth or highly controlled conditions for germination in Mediterranean climates and can be placed outdoors in a lightly shaded area. The seeds require no supplemental water during the normally rainy winter and spring months, although they should be watered to a depth of 3 inches if no rain falls for longer than two weeks. Healthy Norway spruce seeds will germinate in one to three weeks once daytime temperatures reliably top 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
How to get Norway spruce seeds?
Collect several Norway spruce seed cones just before they become fully ripe and open, releasing their seeds. Place the cones into a paper bag. Set the bag in a safe place where mice and other rodents will not find it.
How to get seeds off Norway spruce?
Rub the papery "wing" off of each seed, using a thumb and forefinger, and place the Norway spruce seeds into a plastic bag.
How to keep Norway spruce seeds fresh?
Rub the papery "wing" off of each seed, using a thumb and forefinger, and place the Norway spruce seeds into a plastic bag. Seal the bag and place it in the vegetable crisper of a refrigerator until April or May.
How to grow a tree from seed?
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. Dig a hole in a sunny, well-drained area that is two or three times as wide as the rootball of the trees. Mix potting soil into the garden soil at a 50-50 ratio. Plant the trees at the same depth as they were growing indoors. Water to keep the soil damp .
How to get rid of floaty seeds?
Remove the seeds from the refrigerator and place them in a shallow bowl. Fill the bowl with water and allow the seeds to soak overnight. Disc ard any seeds that float.
Where does Norway spruce come from?
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.
Do Norway spruces grow well in the sun?
The trees like cold winters and warm summers, and grow well in a variety of soils. They are somewhat resistant to drought but grow best, especially when young, if the soil is kept damp. Norway spruces are used widely as Christmas trees and make excellent windbreaks or dramatic focal points for a yard or garden. They grow best in full sun. Seed cones should be collected between September and November.
How to propagate Norway spruce?
Another great method to encourage germination in dormant seeds is through scarification. Scarification is a treatment that allows water to penetrate seeds with a hard seed coat. Stratification can be done by physically or chemically altering the seed coat. The scarification should be done to the point that you can see the white part of the seed, but not to the point that it is cracked or inner parts of the seed are exposed.
What are the factors that affect a Norway spruce tree's growth?
Environmental conditions: The main factors that influence germination are water, temperature, aeration , and light. Norway spruce trees do not require warm temperatures in order to germinate. Due the the harsh climate they are accustomed to, artificial heating is not necessary for growth. Also, in normal winter and spring rainy periods, no supplemental water is required. If you reside in a warmer climate, the germination process can simply be done outside in a shaded area.
Is Norway spruce a coniferous tree?
Picea abies, also known as the Norway spruce is a large, evergreen coniferous tree. Native to Europe, and also known as the European spruce is known to be a very quickly growing tree.
Can Norway spruce be propagated from seed?
The Norway spruce can be propagated in many ways including grafting, but when it comes to propagating from seed, it can be rather simple, you must simply have a viable seed, supply appropriate environmental conditions, and overcome primary and secondary dormancy in order to have a successful propagation.
