Norway Spruce

[wesdor]

We have 11 Norway spruce on our property (5 acres).  They are 15 years old and three of them have quite an abundant crop of pine cones.  Is is possible to get the seeds from the pine cones?  If so, how do I go about gathering them. 

I know that buying the seedlings is cheaper and more cost effective, but growing them from my own trees would be interesting.

Thanks for any help.

[Ron Scott]

Yes, buying the seedlings is a much easier task than collecting the seed from the cones which requires some expertise.

The following may be of some help.

http://s142412519.onlinehome.us/uw/pdfs/G1649.PDF

[wesdor]

thanks Ron.  You always hit a home run!  I like the statement in the link, that growing conifers from seed is not for the amateur (like you have already said). 

At the moment the cones are very green and I may be out of the area when they ripen, so perhaps this experiment won't happen this year.  Thanks again for the quick response and the informative link.

[JimMartin9999]

If you are finding pine cones on spruce , keep them .  You might get a Nobel Prize.