Deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara) is a beautiful conifer with soft blue foliage. It makes an attractive landscape tree with its fine textured needles and spreading habit. While purchasing a cedar tree can be expensive, you can obtain a tree without investing a lot of money if you grow deodar cedar from seed.
Read on for information about propagating deodar cedar seeds, and get tips on how to collect deodar cedar seeds.
How to Collect Deodar Cedar Seeds
If you want to grow your own cedar tree, it’s time to learn about deodar cedar seed planting. Keep in mind that cedar can reach 70 feet (21 m.) tall with spreading branches and is only appropriate for large backyards.
The first step in growing one is getting the seeds. While you can find seeds available in commerce, you can also gather your own. Collect cones from a deodar cedar in autumn before they turn brown.
To remove the seeds, soak the cones for a couple of days in warm water. This loosens the scales and makes it easier to remove the seeds. When the cones dry, remove the seeds by rubbing the wings with a dry cloth.
Deodar Cedar Seed Germination
Now it is time to start propagating deodar cedar seeds. The seeds need a short period of cold stratification before they will germinate well, but this is easier than it sounds. Once you have removed them from the cones and drained off the water, place them in a plastic baggie with a little wet sand.
Put the baggie into the refrigerator. This enhances seed germination. After two weeks, start checking for deodar cedar seed germination. If you see that a seed has sprouted, remove it carefully and plant it in good quality potting compost.
You can wait for each seed to sprout or you can remove and plant all the seeds at this time. Keep the containers at room temperature in indirect light. The compost should only be slightly damp, and the humidity should be low as the seedlings develop.
Deodar cedars are tough trees when mature, but you’ll want to protect them when they are young from winter’s worst. Keep them in the containers indoors for several years. After three or four years, you can think about transplanting the young trees outside.
The first year after germination you won’t see much growth. After that, growth speeds up. When the seedlings are large and strong enough, it’s time to plant them in their permanent places in the backyard.
