How to Grow Scotch Pine From Seed
Often grown for saw logs and pulpwood, the main purpose of the Scotch pine tree in the United States is for use as a Christmas tree or ornamental landscape tree. Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris), also commonly called Scots pine, grows from cone-bearing seeds or commercially purchased seeds. The best time to collect the cones is from September through October, when they start to crack and open. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Tray
- Paper plate
- Small container
- Small plastic bag
- Sand
- Planter pots
- Compost
Instructions
-
-
1
Collect several recently fallen Scotch pine cones that haven’t dried and opened yet. Place the cones on a tray in a warm, sunny location for drying. The cones will open as they dry, releasing the delicate seeds from within.
-
2
Shake the cones over a paper plate to get out the seeds. Remove the wings from the seeds.
-
-
3
Place the seeds in a container with tepid water and soak them for 24 hours. Change the water and wait another 24 hours.
-
4
Put the seeds in a small plastic bag and cover with damp sand. Place the bag holding the Scotch pine seeds in the refrigerator for one to two months to stratify the seeds, which is preserving seeds in layers of moisture-laden peat, soil or sand. Check the sand and water as needed to maintain moisture. Don't allow the seeds to get soaked.
-
5
Fill small pots with compost. Place one or two Scotch pine seeds on top of the compost in each pot, then cover the seeds with a thin layer of sand.
-
6
Water the sand and compost to add moisture, then place the pots in a warm, sunny location. As the seedlings emerge and grow, the soil needs to remain moist, not wet.
-
7
Repot the Scotch pine trees into medium-sized pots in the fall. Grow them in the pots for the following season until they are large and strong enough for transplanting into the landscape.
-
1
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
