Every Douglas fir, no matter how large, once emerged from a seed. Years later, it forms many cones itself, in order to ensure the survival of the species. What can we really do with it in garden practice?
When a Douglas fir forms cones, the seeds can be used for sowing
The appearance of the seeds
The seeds of the Douglas fir hide in the cones during their ripening period and are only released after they have ripened.
- are about 5 to 6 mm long
- every seed has a wing
- this is longer than the seed itself
Harvest your own seeds
The Douglas fir needs a full 15 to 40 years before it blossoms for the first time. Even if the tree has already reached a stately size, it can only be harvested when the cones are showing. Until then, patience is required.
- the seeds are ripe around September
- then all the cones fall from the tree
- remove seeds from it
The fallen cones must be collected promptly so that the seeds do not spoil due to soil moisture. Of course, cones can also be picked directly from the tree, but as a layman it is difficult to determine the optimal time to harvest.
Buy seeds in stores
If you want to save yourself the trouble of harvesting seeds or can't find a suitable Douglas fir, you can easily order them online. The seeds are offered cheaply as an alternative to seedlings.
However, propagating the Douglas fir from seeds is a real challenge for hobby gardeners. Familiarize yourself with the sowing process before submitting your order. You should then be familiar with words like “stratify”.
Seeds are also edible
Douglas fir seeds are edible, for example, they can be roasted and used for patties. However, buying them for this purpose is very expensive. If your own Douglas firs are already in bloom, the seeds can be obtained from the cones. To get one kilogram of seeds, however, about 100 kg of cones have to be processed.