Many novice gardeners are interested in how to propagate pine trees. In order for the plant to adapt normally to new conditions, it is important to choose the right method. In this case, a variety of options are possible - seed method, cuttings, grafting. In order for the culture to take root and develop well, it is important to strictly follow the rules of the procedure. High-quality care for a young plant is also of great importance.
Tree propagation in the wild
In nature, pine usually reproduces by seed.This process involves cones, which are evolved shoots. On the thin petiole there are scales that overlap. Seed ripening occurs between them. Green cones are made up of pollen, while red cones are made up of ovules.
Scots pine is considered a self-fertile variety that does not require pollinators. The tree contains male and female organs. At the same time, insects are not needed for pine propagation.
After the green cone has fully ripened, it opens. With the help of wind, the particles are dispersed into the ovules. Pine cones constantly secrete resin that coats the fertilized cone. It takes 15-18 months for the seeds to form.
Between late February and early March, pine cones fully open. As a result, the winged seeds fall to the ground. The seed material is light in weight. Therefore, the wind can move it over considerable distances. You can grow pine trees in your garden using the same method.
When is the best time to propagate pine trees?
At home, it is recommended to plant pine seeds in winter. This helps keep the process under control and care for the sprouts. In spring you can move them to open ground. However, this method has certain disadvantages - planting material is often damaged by rodents.
Propagation of pine by cuttings is considered a longer process, but it is used more often by gardeners. In this case, the branches need to be harvested from the end of June to the beginning of July. By this period, the shoots are already fully formed, they easily adapt to new conditions and can take root before the beginning of winter. This is due to the long daylight hours. Winter planting is effective only when using a sufficient amount of artificial lighting.
When propagating a culture by grafting, it is recommended to do this during active sap flow. The optimal time for such work is at the beginning of July.
Preparatory operations
Before propagating pine trees, it is necessary to perform a number of preparatory manipulations and procedures.
Land preparation
Coniferous plants grow well in sandy or sandy loam soil. In this case, the substrate should be light, fertile and sufficiently loose. To plant mountain or common pine, you need to mix the following components in equal parts:
- coarse sand;
- fallen needles;
- peat.
It is necessary to place drainage at the bottom of the planting hole. It should consist of crushed brick or expanded clay. Another important preparatory stage is the disinfection of the peat substrate. It needs to be calcined in the oven or poured with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Choosing the right tree
To grow a tree from a shoot, it is important to choose the right planting material. In this case, it is recommended to carry out cuttings, cutting off branches of the current year up to 10 centimeters in size.
Pine cones should be collected in January - by this time the seeds are already fully formed. It is possible to prepare planting material in the fall, however, the germination parameters in this case will be much lower. After collecting the cones, it is recommended to place them on a battery for several days. After which their scales will open and the seeds will fall out.
When propagating a crop using grafting, it is worth using young trees. This applies to both the rootstock and the scion. In the first case, a plant up to 5 years old is used, and in the second, a seedling younger than 1 year is used. Spring grafting should be done on last year's shoots. In the summer, this procedure is carried out on the branches of the current season.
Reproduction methods
Pine can be propagated in a variety of ways. This helps each gardener choose the most suitable option.
Cones
Under natural conditions, pine seeds undergo natural stratification by cold. To imitate this process at home, you need to place the material in damp sand and in a bag, and then put it in the freezer for 2-3 months. After which it is recommended to wash the seeds and place them in the sand again.
The sprouts must be kept in a warm place for subsequent development. It is recommended to germinate pine seeds on a well-lit windowsill, which has reliable protection from drafts. It is important to ensure that the sand is always slightly moistened. You can transplant the sprouts into open soil when two pairs of needles appear on them.
Cuttings
Pine is often propagated by cuttings. To do this, you need to carefully cut off the young shoot from the tree with a sharp and disinfected knife. The branch size should be 10-15 centimeters.
The shoot does not need to be soaked - it is permissible to immediately move the branch into the soil. In this case, to germinate the cuttings, you need to use a regular ceramic or plastic pot. It is important that the container is moderately deep. Instead of a pot, it is permissible to use a plastic tray. Place a thin layer of compost at the bottom of the container.
To make a pine cutting take root faster, it can be soaked in a growth stimulator. For this purpose, it is permissible to use different means - for example, “Kornevin”. The solution must be prepared strictly according to the instructions. The soil in the pot should be compacted, a small hole should be made in it and a pine branch should be placed there. To speed up the rooting process, you can cover the planting hole with film.
For the winter, it is recommended to move the container with the cuttings to a dry and warm room. It can be placed near a heating source. In this case, the crop needs to be sprayed with water from time to time. It is recommended to irrigate the shoot regularly within a year after planting.
Vaccination
This method is more suitable for experienced gardeners. As a rootstock it is worth using a plant 4-5 years old. The scion can be 1-3 years old. The procedure should be carried out during the spring sap flow or in mid-summer.
To propagate pine using the butt-to-cambium method, it is recommended to do the following:
- Cut off the needles and lateral buds from the rootstock. The size of the cleaned branch should be 2-3 centimeters larger than the grafted cuttings.
- Clear the 8-10 centimeter cuttings from the needles. As a result, only 8-12 bunches should remain near the top bud.
- Use a sharp blade to make an incision on the handle.It should pass through the center of the core.
- In the place of the rootstock, separate a part of the longitudinal bark. It should be the same size as the cut on the cutting. It is important that it is located along the cambium layer.
- Connect the cutting to the exposed cambium of the rootstock and tie tightly.
Young tree care
In order for the plant to adapt normally to new conditions, it needs to be properly cared for. Young crops require regular moisture. With normal rainfall, it is permissible to water the trees once a week. At the same time, 10 liters of water should be used for 1 seedling. In other cases, 30 liters of liquid are required.
Mature crops older than 7 years are recommended to be watered 3-4 times during the season. At the same time, 60-80 liters of water should be used per plant.
Pine trees respond well to irrigating their needles with a spray bottle. However, this procedure should be carried out in the evenings. Thanks to this, when the moisture evaporates, the needles will not get burned.
2-3 years after planting, the plant needs to be fed. In spring, organic products are usually used for this. Compost or rotted manure is suitable for this purpose. Before adding nutrients, the soil must be watered and loosened. For 1 square meter of tree trunk circle it is worth using 300 grams of the substance.
It is recommended to apply mineral fertilizer in dry form. It should be scattered on the ground around the trunk. An excellent option would be nitroammophoska. For 1 pine tree you should use 40 grams of the substance.
Timely cleansing of the tree trunk from weeds is of great importance. To prevent the appearance of unwanted vegetation, it is recommended to mulch the soil. To do this, you should use compost and sawdust.
After rooting, it is worth carrying out formative pruning of the pine tree. In this case, the crown can be shaped into a hemisphere, cone or pyramid. Subsequently, it will be quite simple to correct the growth by removing excess shoots.
Pine can be propagated in a variety of ways. This is done by seeds, grafting, cuttings. This allows each person to choose the most suitable option for themselves.
