How to Germinate Agathis Robusta

Collect cones from the Queensland kauri once they turn completely brown and a few begin to open. Look for cones that remain closed. Grasp a cone in one hand while holding the branch in the other. Twist the cone gently to pull it from the branch.

Place the cones in a single layer in a 9-by-13-inch cake pan. Put the pan in direct sunlight in an area with a temperature of 75 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Leave the pan to sit for two to four days to allow the cones to dry and open.

Place the open cones in a cloth bag or pillow case. Hold the bag's opening closed, and shake the bag severely to dislodge the seeds from the cones. Open the bag and turn it inside out, pouring its contents back into the pan.

Fill a bowl half full of water. Pick through the plant material in the pan, and pull out the winged seeds. Place the seeds in the water, poking down with your finger to submerge them fully. Discard the cones and debris. Leave the seeds to soak for 24 hours.

Fill a 6-inch plastic pot to 1 1/2 inch below its top with seedling potting mix. Use a pot that contains drainage holes in its bottom. Tamp the soil down to remove any large pockets of air. Fill the pot with water, and wait for it to soak down into the soil. Fill the pot with water two to three more times to ensure that the mix is thoroughly moist, but not soggy. Repeat this process to prepare one pot for each seed you wish to plant.

Poke a 1-inch-deep hole in the middle of the soil with your index finger. Remove one seed from the bowl of water. Insert the seed into the center of the hole with the pointed end at the bottom and the fan-like wing at the top. Adjust the hole's depth if needed to position the top of the wing 1/4 inch below the soil's surface. Backfill the hole with soil, and tamp it down gently. Repeat this process to plant additional seeds.

Stretch plastic wrap tightly over the pot's top. Wrap a rubber band around the pot and over the edges of the plastic to secure it in place. Set the pot in bright, indirect sunlight in a room with a constant temperature of 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the pot away from heating or cooling vents.

Remove the plastic wrap every one to two days to check the soil for moisture loss. Poke your finger 1 inch into the soil to feel for dampness. Water the seed when the top 1/4 inch of soil begins to dry. Fill the pot with water slowly to avoid displacing the seed. Fill the pot a second time with water after the first drains into the soil. Replace the plastic wrap after watering. Never let the soil dry out completely or become soggy.

Watch for germination 7 to 14 days after planting. Remove the plastic wrap when the seedling sports two leaves. Leave the pot in bright, indirect sunlight to avoid burning the seedling's leaves. Reduce watering to when the top 1 inch of soil becomes dry. Water during the morning hours to allow the seedling's foliage to dry before nightfall.

Mix 1/2 teaspoon of 10-10-10 water-soluble fertilizer with 1 gallon of water in a watering can. Fertilize the seedling when it reaches 3 to 4 inches tall or develops three to four sets of leaves. Fill the container with the solution slowly. Fertilize the seedling every 7 to 10 days.