How to quickly grow cedar from a nut at home, choosing seeds, caring for seedlings

Coniferous trees perfectly purify the air, look quite attractive at any time of the year, these are quite important arguments in favor of planting them in a suburban area. Some summer residents prefer to buy ready-made seedlings, but those who like to experiment often wonder how to grow cedar from a nut at home, quickly and without any problems. It makes sense to consider this issue in detail, since some gardeners generally doubt whether this can be done.

Content

Which nut to grow cedar from?
How to collect and prepare seeds
Stratification procedure
How to prepare soil for a seedling
When and how to sow seeds in a pot and greenhouse
Planting a seedling in open ground
Rules of care
Growing cedar seedlings in the garden

Which nut to grow cedar from?

Practice shows what to get cedar seedling It is quite possible that watching the development of a new tree will give the amateur gardener real pleasure. Germinating a pine nut is not entirely easy; you will need to know how to choose the right planting material and study the process of caring for a growing tree.

When choosing a plant variety, you must initially determine what goal you are pursuing: obtaining a beautiful ornamental tree or the opportunity to harvest healthy nuts.In terms of decorative properties, Lebanese and Himalayan cedars are more attractive, but their fruits are not suitable for human consumption.

But from the seeds of Siberian pine you can get a tree that bears fruit with the nuts that we are used to feasting on.

Growing cedar yourself is more profitable than buying a single seedling. It is not cheap, but there is still no 100% guarantee that it will take root.

How to collect and prepare seeds

The success of the business largely depends on proper seed preparation. They are found in cones that have fallen to the ground, which can be found in the fall or early spring under cedar trees.

Let's clarify which seeds can be taken for germination:

the larger the seed, the greater the chance of its germination; if small ones sprout, they will develop more slowly;
the nuts should have an even, blemish-free, brown color,
Only fresh (last year's) seeds from a cone that has been lying around for more than a year are suitable for germination; they lose approximately 50% of their germination capacity.

Selected seeds are washed with hot water (up to 50 C) several times until the water becomes clear. Then the seeds are filled with water and left for 2-3 days; non-viable ones will float to the surface and will need to be removed. Those that settle to the bottom will gain moisture and swell a little. Next, the seeds are washed and filled with a pink solution of potassium permanganate and left for 3-3.5 hours.

Stratification procedure

Under natural conditions, approximately a third of the seeds germinate. Partly due to the strong shell on the nuts, weak sprouts simply cannot break through it. To increase the chances of obtaining seedlings, it is recommended to treat the planting material with cold, i.e. stratify.

Stratification procedure allows you to increase germination by 75%.

At home, stratification can be done in two ways. Nuts can be sown in a container with soil and refrigerated for 3 months. When inspecting seedlings, you will need to remove frozen and rotten shoots.

If the planting time has already arrived, but the seeds are not yet prepared, then you can wrap the seeds in a damp napkin, wrap them in a bag, keep them for 2-3 days at a temperature of 20 C. Then place the bag in the freezer for a day, then transfer it again to a warm room. The stress experienced by the seeds will provoke active growth and development of the shoot. Sudden changes in temperature will cause the shell to crack.

Let's watch a video about germinating cedar nuts:

How to prepare soil for a seedling

You can choose any land for sowing seeds that is intended for growing conifers. It is easy to purchase ready-made in the store. If desired, you can prepare the substrate yourself by mixing peat and river sand in equal proportions.

You can also get sprouts by planting seeds in a container filled with sawdust.

When and how to sow seeds in a pot and greenhouse

Experts express different opinions about the optimal period for planting seeds; some indicate that the procedure should be carried out in early March, others believe that in mid-May. It’s easy to come to the conclusion that the latter are right: the chances of successful development and growth will increase significantly.

The washed seedlings are planted in pots; they should be deepened into the substrate 1 cm, with the sharp tip down. Before the sprouts appear, the pot can be placed in a shaded place, but once they appear, it needs to be moved to the sun.

Although you can quickly grow cedar from a nut at home, it is still more rational to sow the seeds in a greenhouse.

The best time for planting is spring, you need to focus on the temperature, it should be above 0 C at night and during the day.

If seedlings are grown in containers, then it should be remembered that the height of the containers must be at least 8-10 cm and the volume at least 300 milliliters.

The process of growing cedar in a pot is quite long, it can take about 4 years, during which time the height of the plant should reach 18 cm.

How to plant in open ground

Since cedar seedlings experience severe stress from transplantation, a place for the tree will need to be selected immediately, fulfilling the following requirements:

the distance to the nearest buildings should be 10 m: powerful roots can damage the foundation of the structure over time;
the diameter of the crown of an adult plant reaches 6 m, the distance to other trees should be at least 5-6 m, closer planting will cause slow development of the cedar;
groundwater depth of at least 3 m.

Before planting in the ground, the seedling is hardened off by keeping it in the open air for 24 hours. The seedling should be removed from the container carefully, avoiding damage to the root system.

The procedure for planting a seedling in the ground is as follows:

a hole is dug;
to accelerate the growth of the plant’s root system, it is recommended to fill it with nutritious soil;
the roots of the seedling are straightened, it is placed in a hole and covered with the remaining soil;
to increase the efficiency of irrigation, a tree trunk circle is formed;
Then the plant is watered with settled water.

Rules of care

Watering is carried out systematically; drying out of the soil is very dangerous for a young tree. In the first year after planting, it is not recommended to allow the tree to overheat and get frostbite.

To feed young cedar, you can use fertilizers intended for conifers. A tree that receives full feeding will delight you with beautiful needles of an amazing emerald shade.

It is not recommended to replant a grown cedar, but if such a need arises, this can be done no earlier than after 2-3 years of its growth in an open-air area.

Should cedar be trimmed? The tree itself does not need pruning. Just because the owners have an idea to give the plant an unusual look.

The correct name of the tree that we used to call cedar is Siberian pine. It is easy to assume that a plant with this name easily tolerates cold and even harsh winters. In the first years of life, the tree needs shelter; it can be constructed from non-woven material, burlap, or cardboard. Before the onset of frost, the soil in the tree trunk circle should be well moistened.

Let's watch a useful video about quickly growing cedar from a nut at home:

Growing cedar seedlings in the garden

This option involves sowing seeds directly into the beds in the fall. In this case, stratification will occur naturally, because they will spend the winter under the snow. In the spring, when the snow melts, a greenhouse is built on the garden bed, it will serve as protection for tender shoots. Care will also include watering and spraying with water on hot days. One-year-old seedlings can be fed with green nettle infusion.

Replanting young cedars is allowed only at 3-4 years of age; it is not recommended to disturb them before.

Transplanting older seedlings is also quite problematic; it can only be done in the spring and with the condition that the near-root soil is preserved.

Cedars, like other conifers, are susceptible to common fungal diseases and invasion of parasitic insects. Modern fungicides and insecticides are used to treat plants.

To grow cedar from a nut at home you will need to be patient; it is unlikely to be done quickly. Of course, you can admire the decorative conifer from the moment it is planted, but cedar trees usually begin bearing fruit at the age of 30. But all the years the cedar will saturate the air on the site with phytoncides,