Picea

Plant out container grown plants in mid to late Autumn. Choose a partially shady, or full sun, site in acid soil

Collect cones from a spruce tree, and leave to dry in a paper bag until the seeds fall out. Store the seeds in a plastic bag in your freezer until mid Spring, when you should take them out of the freezer and soak the seeds in water for 24 hrs., then wrap the seeds in some kitchen paper and refrigerate them for 6 weeks. After this, germinate the seeds by placing them on wet kitchen paper, cover them with plastic, and check daily to make sure the kitchen towel is wet. The seeds should germinate within 3 weeks. Transfer the germinated seeds carefully (using tweezers to handle them) into CLEAN pots 3/4 filled with potting compost (preferably ericaceous). Place the seedlings on top of the compost and then carefully cover them with sand.Place the pt in indirect sunlight, keep the soil moist - not wet - until the seedlings are big enough to plant outside. Harden them off by putting the pot outdoors daily for a few days to acclimatise them.