How to grow a pine tree from a cone for planting in a garden plot

Most evergreen pines are strong, tall trees; they are not suitable for growing in the local area. But the low-growing or decorative forms of various pines will become a real decoration of the site.

It is most convenient to purchase a ready-made five-year-old pine seedling of the species you like for planting in the garden, but sometimes, not a seedling, but a pine cone with mature seeds falls into the hands of a conifer lover. The question immediately arises: how to grow a pine tree from a cone? In addition, the technology of growing pine trees from seeds is of great importance for creating large decorative green spaces in populated areas and for restoring coniferous forests.

Content:

All pine trees produce seeds in female cones that are ovoid or cone-shaped. The cones are formed by rather dense scutes - scales, arranged in rows, one above the other. The scales are initially tightly closed, and during the ripening period they open and expose the seeds. At the same time, the pine cones fall entirely to the ground, where it is convenient to collect them to obtain seed material.

One cone contains several dozen seeds.For planting, you should free the seeds from the scales of the cone and select mature specimens of the correct shape and approximately the same size. To facilitate the release of seeds from the cone, it should be wrapped in a paper bag and placed in a well-ventilated, dry place. The bag should be shaken periodically; as the seeds dry, they will easily come out of their cells. Do not dry the buds at elevated temperatures, as this will impair germination.

Pine seeds have a fairly long dormant period, so their germination rate increases after stratification.

In order to plant seeds pine trees in spring and autumn, immediately after harvesting, they need to be soaked in water at room temperature for three days. Then mix with clean river or continental sand in a ratio of one part seeds to three parts sand.

For at least two months, boxes with pine seeds must be kept at temperatures from 0 to +5 degrees. To do this, they can be placed in a cellar or buried in a trench and covered with a layer of snow.

In spring, the seeds are ready for planting in open or protected ground.

At the end of winter, pine seeds can be planted in planting boxes at home. And when the soil thaws on a spade, you can sow directly into open ground.

Planting containers, 15 to 20 cm deep, must be filled with soil. Since young green pine shoots are easily damaged by various fungal diseases, all components of the soil must be washed and dried in a preheated oven:

When filling the planting pot with soil to the top, leave 1.5 cm - 2 cm.

Container with seeds bring them indoors, sift them from sand and plant immediately, deepening them by 2-3 cm. After sowing, water everything well and cover with a cover film or glass. The soil should be kept moist at all times; you can even place the pots in a pan of water.

After green shoots appear, remove the glass and place the pots in a well-lit place. For prevention purposes, seedlings must be sprayed several times with a fungicide solution. At the beginning of summer or early autumn, pine seedlings can be planted in open ground, but for the winter they will have to be covered with spruce branches.

For sowing pine seeds in open ground You should dig a trench one and a half to two spade bayonets deep and 20 to 25 cm wide, fill it with a mixture of one part sand and two parts turf or garden soil. Make grooves 3 cm deep. Plant the seeds to a depth of two centimeters, filling the grooves with clean sand. For the first week, you will have to moisten the trench several times a day, preventing even the slightest drying of the soil. From the eighth day, watering can be reduced.

When the shoots appear, and this happens after 14-21 days, you need to protect them from direct sunlight, creating artificial shade. Once a week, young seedlings need protection from fungi; they can be sprayed with a light pink solution of potassium permanganate or any garden fungicide.

Replant seedlings best at five years old. At this age, they already reach a height of more than half a measure. It is necessary to remember to annually cover young pines with spruce branches for the winter.

The site for planting pine cones should be protected from domestic cats and dogs, as they can destroy fragile seedlings and all seedlings will be lost. If all conditions are met, you can get healthy pine seedlings for your garden plot, even with only one or two cones.

Watch how to plant pine seeds in the video: