Things You'll Need:
- Cedar tree seed
- Bleach
- Cup
- Zipper sandwich bag
- Potting soil
- Paper cups
- Compost
- Shovel
- Wire fencing
- 2-foot wooden stake
- String
- Mulch
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Step 1
Soak the darkest seeds in a cup of water for 48 hours. Add a few drops of bleach to the water to prevent mold from forming on the seeds. Change the water once during the soaking period.
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Step 2
Place the seeds in a zipper sandwich back with some potting soil and a little water. The soil should be barely damp. Put them in the refrigerator for a month. Check on them once a week and if the soil has become completely dry, add a few more drops of water. This is best started in early April so the seeds are ready to be planted in May.
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Step 3
Poke a couple holes in the bottom of some paper cups and fill with a 3 parts potting soil and 1 part compost mix. Plant the seeds about 1/4 inch in the soil. Water until the soil is moist and place the cups on a tray in a sunny window.
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Step 4
Allow the seedlings to grow to at least 6 inches before planting outdoors. Dig a hole at least three times the size of the cup and mix some compost in with the soil before backfilling around the seedling. Keep the seedling at the same level it was in the cup.
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Step 5
Place a 2-foot wooden stake next to the tree and tie lightly with string. This will ensure the tree will grow straight. Place wire fencing around the tree to prevent mowing over it or animals knocking it down. Water well and then let it dry out before watering again.
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Step 6
Place compost around--but not touching-- the trunk of the tree every two weeks during spring and fall. Mulch around the tree in the fall to help keep the roots warm and the weeds from growing around the tree. Reduce watering in the winter to when the ground is dry and start watering more in the spring.
