@JB
This is what I added to your original post: "They should be placed in damp sphagnum moss and kept in a plastic bag or plastic container in the refrigerator for 3 -4 months. Then plant in good quality soil (a plastic bag tent to keep the humidity up) and you should have good luck."
Storing the seeds in the refrigerator is to fool the seeds into thinking it is winter. If you were to harvest the seeds and keep them at room temperature, they would still be waiting for winter.
They need about 3 - 4 months of winter which is a dormancy period - that's nature's way of preventing the seeds from germinating too quickly. After that period of time, you can remove the seeds from the fridge, nick them or use a file or sandpaper (scarify), then soak them (optional), then plant them.
The people who live in the colder climates can skip the refrigerator part and just sew them (winter sow) outside in the cold.
How many threads are we using for this? I count 3 or 4.
