By seeds. Harvest the cones when they when they are freshly ripe - turning from green/red to brown - but not yet open. For most conifers, that's September or October, though a few (e.g. Monterey Pine, Stone Pine) are later, February-March. Then leave them in a warm dry spot (e.g. sunny window) to open; some pines (e.g. Monterey Pine) may need additional heat to open, best done with an electric fan heater. Then shake the seeds out; if they don't fall out easily first time, give the cones 10 minutes in cold water, leave cool and damp overnight, and re-dry; they'll open wider the second time. When you've got the seeds out, mix them with some sterilised, slightly damp sand (NOT dripping wet!), and put them in the refrigerator for the winter; ideal temeprature +1°C. If the fridge is warmer than this (above +3 or +4°C), the seeds may possibly start to germinate in it after a couple of months: check out for this regularly. Then sow in spring; indoors in pots in early spring, or outside when all risk of frost is finished. PS 'spruce' ;-)
Thank yo uso much for the info. u have no idea how excited I am to get started.... .....wow, I hardly ever spell anything wrong, my bad :)
Hi, to do new ornamental pine or spruce cultivars, the only way is grafting.... Jan http://wbgarden.com
