Have you ever experienced this: You are walking in the woods, perhaps taking a short break on a bench and suddenly you hear a cracking sound from the treetops? Shortly thereafter, small seeds fly through the air. There is a high probability that you are then in the vicinity of a pine tree that is just dropping its seeds. The opening seed cones of the conifer produce the familiar sounds. Read more about pine seeds and their uses here.

Pine seeds that you have collected yourself are also suitable for germination

Appearance of Pine Seeds

The pine seeds sit in the seed cones, which differ externally from the pollen cones. They are about three to six inches long and egg-shaped. A single pine can form up to 1,600 such cones. The seeds themselves have the following properties:

  • about 2-5 cm long
  • have small wings (about 2 cm long)
  • flat shape

distribution

Pine seeds only form after two years, since fertilization occurs in the first year. In order to offer the seeds the best germination conditions, the cones only open when the air is dry. In the event of moisture, they close again, so that the seeds are never completely shed. Some pine species even only open their cones in extreme heat, such as that caused by a forest fire. They can then thrive on the soil covered with ash. Thanks to their small wings, pine seeds can travel a distance of about two kilometers.

The full mast

Every five to ten years there is the so-called full fattening. Then the pine produces up to 1,000 seeds in a year, which is much more than usual.

Grow pine trees from seed

You want to raise a pine of your own. If you are in possession of pine seeds, this is possible without much effort.

Buy pine seeds

The best way to get pine seeds is to visit a nearby nursery or browse the internet. If you don't want to invest any money, you can also collect pine seeds in the forest. To do this, choose a dry day in spring. It is best to start your search around midday, as the humidity increases in the evening.

Instructions for sowing

How to proceed with sowing:

  1. choose a suitable location
  2. dig a small hole with the spade
  3. put the pine seeds in the ground
  4. completely close the hole with soil
  5. water the spot well

Category:

Trees