How to Grow a Subalpine Fir From Seed

Collect cones from the ground or squirrel stashes in the fall. Cones that are still on the trees have not matured yet and won't produce viable seeds. Place the cones in a warm, dry spot with a collection bag or sheet of paper below the cones to catch the seeds. If the cones don't open, increase the ambient temperature by a few degrees until the cones do open.

Put the cones in a paper bag and shake the bag until the seeds fall out of the cones. It isn't necessary to remove the papery wings that are attached to the seeds although doing so may make handling the seeds easier. Don't remove the wings if you are damaging the seeds.

Soak the seeds for 48 hours in a cup of water, rinsing and changing the water once.

Fill a plastic zip-lock bag halfway with dampened sharp sand and press the seeds into the moist medium. Place the closed bag into the refrigerator for three months.

Remove the bag from the refrigerator after the three months have passed. Mix equal parts of sharp sand, peat moss and potting soil. Add a slow-release fertilizer to the soil mix according to the manufacturer's directions.

Fill a gallon pot with the soil mixture and soak the soil allowing it to drain thoroughly before proceeding. Insert three seeds, an inch apart, in the center of the pot a half-inch below the soil surface covering the seed with the potting mix.

Treat the soil surface with a fungicide according to the manufacturer's directions. Keep the soil moist but not soggy. The seeds should germinate in three weeks although sometimes it could take up to two years. After germination, stop watering unless the middle of the soil dries out, which you can test by inserting your finger into the soil.

Transplant the fir to its final location when the roots are well-formed. Plant in a sunny, well-drained location to the same depth as it was growing in the pot. Place a protective plastic sleeve around the bottom of the transplanted sapling to protect it from rabbits and squirrels.