The cedar is a very beautiful evergreen plant. It is a great purifier, even in heavily polluted air, which is why many people dream of owning a cedar tree. Of course, you can always buy ready-made saplings, but it's more fun to plant your own tree. Let's talk to bubgo.com about how to grow a cedar tree from a Pinecone. A cedar tree grew from an open Pinecone.
The first thing to do is to select seeds and prepare them for sowing. The best seeds to sow are your own Pinecone from the cones. you can also buy them in the market, but if so, try to ask the seller about the age of the Pinecone and whether it is too dry.
When it comes to cones, don't pick them off the tree. Pick buds that are already lying on the ground. Pinecones can be picked in the fall and spring.
Tip: Choose the largest possible Pinecone for sowing. Smaller seeds are more likely to fail to germinate or produce seedlings that lag far behind their counterparts. When selecting the Pinecone to be sown, pay attention to its uniform brown color: there should not be any spots on it.
After selecting the right seeds, be sure to rinse them thoroughly in water heated to 140 °F (60 °C). The water will stain after washing: replace it and wash the Pinecone with it until it remains clear.
Then soak these Pinecones in the water for a few days. During this time, they usually swell and sink to the bottom of the container.
Cedar seeds that are still floating on the surface after a few days should be collected and discarded: they will not do any good. Pinecones that have sunk to the bottom should be removed and washed in a pink manganese solution (or soaked in it for a few hours).
The next stage of preparation is the stratification of the seeds. Pine nuts are necessary because their shell is very hard and durable. It is very difficult for a new shoot to break through it. For this reason, only one-third of the seeds germinate, the rest, even if they are conditioned, do not germinate.
By stratification, the number of germinated seeds can be increased from 3 per dozen to 7/8 per dozen.
There are two ways to perform stratification.
1. Pinecone should be placed in moist sand for three months and stored in the refrigerator. Check the seeds regularly, moisten the sand, and do not let them dry out too much. After a while, the seeds are ready to be sown.
2. Place the seeds on a damp cloth. Place the cloth in a plastic bag. Leave it in the living area for a few days, on any flat surface, then put it in the refrigerator for a day and move it back to the room: we recommend repeating this procedure 5-6 times.
For Pinecone, the change of temperature is an imitation of winter and summer. It causes cracks in the shell, which makes the seedlings germinate faster and more easily. During the stratification process, the plant seeds are placed in moist cotton wool or cloth.
The soil for growing cedar at home may vary. For example, the tree can be grown in ordinary soil from a garden or even a vegetable garden, or in ordinary sawdust. Among the soils you buy, it is best to give preference to the choice used for growing conifers.
If you do not want to spend money or do not trust the purchased soil, you can prepare your own soil suitable for growing cedar. Mix river sand and peat in equal proportions. The seeds can now be sown in this soil.
Tip: In extreme cases, the seeds are planted in common sawdust sold in pet stores.
First, look for a small pot of pinecones. Since the root system of cedar is quite strong and deep, a pot with a depth of at least 0.2 inches (0.5 cm) should be chosen. Any pot width will do: ideally, the pot should be as deep as it is.
Plastic containers should not be used for seeding. Ideally, pinecones should be planted in a clay container. Make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom of the pot. If not, it is better not to use this pot (or try to make one yourself). It is important that the pot has a drainage hole at the bottom.
Once you have chosen a container and prepared the soil, you should start sowing the seeds. First, sterilize the pot with a warm solution of pink manganese and then rinse it with water.
Place a drainage device at the bottom of the container. This can be a crushed brick no more than 0.4 inches (1 cm) in diameter, plain pebbles, or expanded clay.
A 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick pebble or brick is recommended. The pots should be filled with 2 inches (5 cm) thick expanded clay: it is highly permeable and ideal for growing cedar.
Tip: The soil should not be poured into the pot and pressed too tightly: it should always remain loose. Cedar Pinecone germinates best in loose soil.
Do not place the soil flush with the edges of the container. When watering, water can run off and wash away the soil, which is bad for the seedlings and can simply contaminate the room. To prevent the soil from being washed away when watering, leave a space of about 0.4 inches (1 cm) from the rim of the pot.
Next, moisten the soil well. It is best to spray it with a sprayer so that it does not become muddy due to thorough saturation. Check the moisture in the soil with your finger. If the soil is moistened to a depth of about 1 inch (2.5 cm), it is time to sow Pinecones.
After moistening the soil in the pot, dig one or more hollows in the pot, the number depends on the size of the container.
1. In a large pot, there is enough space for 3-4 seeds.
2. In a small one, one nut will be enough.
Once you have planted several seeds in the same container, be prepared to replant them later. This will be done within a week of the seedlings emerging. Be sure to transplant the germinated seedlings with a soil block.
Tip: Cedar Pinecone is sunk 0.4 inches (1 cm) into the ground with the sharp end facing down, every gardener should know this.
Once you have finished sowing the seeds, place the container in a cool place. The plants will grow calmly at standard room temperature.
It usually takes about two months from the time the Pinecone is sown until the seedlings emerge from the ground. The rate of seedling development depends on the readiness of the seeds. In any case, at this stage, moisten the soil regularly and keep an eye on the soil conditions. As soon as you notice the first seedlings, move the pot to a brighter place.
Pinecone cedar grown at home requires steady care. Watering is done when the soil is comatose and dry. You don't need to let the soil get too dry, but you shouldn't fill it up either.
Tip: It is best to use a sprayer for watering. When wetting the soil, be careful not to get the plant itself. After spraying, gently loosen the soil.
Young seedlings need plenty of light. For the first three months after emergence, get at least nine hours of light per day; thereafter, just place the container with the plants on a windowsill to provide normal light.
Windows facing southeast and southwest are best for houseplants. On windowsills that are too far south, plants need shade at midday. Fertilize plants one month after germination. Repeat fertilization every 50 days. The ideal fertilizer for pine nuts is one gram of ammonium nitro phosphate dissolved in water.
Cedar is not particularly susceptible to disease, but sometimes rust can develop on the tree. It can be treated with a fungicide by exposing the plant outside or on a ventilated balcony.
That's how you can grow cedar at home with Pinecone and get a nice seedling.
Have you tried growing cedar at home? Share your experience in the comments!
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