Planting, tending, cutting, watering and more

Plant pine properly

In the mild climate of a wine-growing region, you can dare the experiment of planting a pine tree outdoors. The suitable candidate should be at least 5 years old and perfectly healthy. Planting time is spring so that the Mediterranean pine can take root in the ground by the first winter. Choose a container or balled specimen as bare root trees can only be planted in late fall. In a sunny, wind-protected location, dig a pit that is about twice the diameter of the root ball. Proceed as follows:

• With compost and horn shavings and some sand or lava granules enrich the excavated soil
• Drive a support stake into the planting pit before inserting the pine tree
• Only plant the umbrella pine so deep that the root ball is flush with the surface of the earth

After you have attached the trunk to the support pole with sisal or raffia, water generously.

care tips

If the selected location meets the requirements of a Mediterranean pine, the care program includes the following measures:

• Water the pine tree during summer drought
• One in April and June long-term fertilizer administer
• Only cut if necessary in late winter, never into old wood
• Transplant in the pot every 2-3 years and thin out thoroughly on this occasion

With winter just around the corner, a pine tree requires an increased level of horticultural care. In the bed and bucket, cover the soil with autumn leaves or straw. The crown and trunk wrap you in a breathable material. It is of great advantage if a pine tree in a pot can move to a bright, frost-free winter quarters.

Which location is suitable?

Native to the sun-drenched Mediterranean region, the pine tree prefers a location in full sun in the local latitudes. The umbrella pine wants to be placed warm and sheltered from the wind so that it feels at home. If you give the tree a semi-shady or shady place, the typical silhouette with an umbrella-shaped crown will not develop. The pine does not make any significant demands on the soil and arranges itself with any normal garden soil. Since the tree proves to be extremely drought-resistant, it thrives just as well in a sunny rock garden with sandy, dry soil.

The right planting distance

Since a pine tree in Germany can grow to a height of 15 meters and more, the planting distance should be generous. The distance to buildings and walls should correspond to the expected tree height. The minimum distance to the neighbor is legally stipulated in the respective country's neighborhood law and varies considerably between 2 and 8 meters. Therefore, ask the responsible regulatory office and have the stated value confirmed in writing. In all considerations, take into account the unusual expansion of the umbrella crown of these pines.

What soil does the plant need?

As long as a pine tree can soak up enough sun, it tolerates almost any soil condition. The ideal soil is humus-rich, loose and well-drained. Tolerance to pH ranges from acidic 4 to calcareous 9. Only in compacted soil with permanent waterlogging does a Mediterranean pine become limp. A location with a high water table should be avoided. Here, the shallow roots can lose their stability as a result of root rot and windthrow can become a problem.

What is the best planting time?

Mediterranean shrubs may only be planted outdoors in spring. In this regard, the pine tree is no exception. As soon as there is no longer any fear of ground frost and the soil has completely thawed, the window for planting opens. A young umbrella pine should harden off 8 to 10 days beforehand in a partially shaded, sheltered spot in the garden to spend the nights behind glass.

Cut the pine properly

Unfortunately, a pine tree does not appear to be particularly tolerant of pruning. The top priority when using the pruning shears is to avoid cutting into the old wood at all costs. How to proceed professionally:

• Prune the Mediterranean pine in late winter on a frost-free, overcast day
• Shorten the fresh, candle-like shoots by half at most
• Cut deadwood at the base and stunted branches

A pine tree only develops the decorative parasol crown after 30-40 years of its own accord. You can speed up this process by pruning the Mediterranean pine every autumn. The lower two rows of branches are opened astring removed until the desired habitus has been constituted.

pour pine

A pine tree in the bed only requires additional watering when it is dry in summer. In this case, water penetratingly to reach the deep reaching taproot. At least 30 minutes should garden hose to run. In the bucket, the water requirement is higher and should be determined every few days with a thumb test.

Fertilize pine properly

The nutrient requirement of an umbrella pine is at a low to medium level. Apply a slow-release fertilizer in April and June, which is more practical to apply in liquid form in the bucket. Friends of organic fertilization add compost and horn shavings to the substrate every 4 weeks. In July, the fertilizer application ends so that the pine tree can mature before winter.

hibernate

In regions of Germany with mild winters, a pine tree can be planted outdoors without hesitation if it is given the following protective measures for safe overwintering:

• the tree disc before the first frost, cover with autumn leaves and pine branches
• Wrap the crown in breathable garden fleece
• Wrap the trunk with jute ribbons or reed mats

In a large pot, a pine tree ideally moves to a frost-free, bright winter quarters. Where this plan fails due to lack of space, wrap the jar in several layers of bubble wrap and set it on wood or Styrofoam. The substrate receives a layer of leaves, straw or sawdust. Put a felt hood on the magnificent crown.

propagate pine

The pine nuts are not only tasty, but they give us the only way to propagate a pine tree. Remove the seeds from the cone, open or remove the shell and soak the seeds in a thermos flask with lukewarm water for 12 hours. Put in a pot of lean potting soil, germination starts within 2-4 weeks at a constant temperature of 20 degrees Celsius. Keep the substrate constantly moist and protect the young Mediterranean pine from the blazing sun and cold drafts. Cultivate the young tree in a large tub for the first five years. It is then mature enough to be healthy and vigorous when transplanted outdoors.

How do I plant correctly?

Since a pine tree first develops a deep taproot and later a shallow system of lateral roots, transplanting is complex and risky. In the first five years in the garden there is still a chance that the Italian pine will grow again. Here's how to do it:

• In spring the side roots are circular in a large radius with the spade cut off
• Dig a 10-20 cm wide ditch all around to fill with a mixture of soil, compost and leaves
• Maintain an ample water supply until next spring
• Include the ditch in winter protection

By next spring, numerous fine roots will have developed at the ends of the cut side roots, which is the most important criterion for growth at the new location. Now lift the pine tree out of the ground and move it to its new location. The more of the length of the taproot that is preserved, the better for the pine tree.

pine in the pot

For Mediterranean shrubs, such as the pine tree, pot culture tops free-range husbandry. As a gardener, you have more flexibility in choosing a location that is appropriately adapted to the season, thanks to the advantage of mobility. In addition, every umbrella pine should be cared for in the bucket for the first five years of its life, because only then is it ready for life outdoors. Use a high-quality, structurally stable potting soil based on compost as a substrate. Additions such as lava granules, expanded clay and quartz sand optimize permeability. Some potsherds above the water drain prevent harmful waterlogging. This is how the care program for a Mediterranean pine in a pot looks like:

• A regularly moist substrate with intermittent drying phases is ideal
• Fertilize liquid every 4 weeks from April to July
• Put them in a bright room at 0 to 5 degrees Celsius before the onset of winter
• Alternatively, wrap the pot in foil and cover the substrate with foliage
• In the open air, the crown is given a hood made of fleece or felt, and the trunk is wrapped with jute

Every 2-3 years, in early spring, repot the pine tree into a larger pot. Take this opportunity to thin out the crown. The pine is only cut back when necessary, with a cut in the old wood causing unsightly holes in the appearance.

Is pine poisonous?

The pine tree belongs to the pine genus, which already indicates to botanists that it is harmless. On the contrary, the pine nuts, which are found in the typical cones, are even a popular delicacy. The bark is well known to hobby gardeners as a valuable and decorative mulch material. Thus, the Mediterranean pine is considered an ideal family tree.

Is a pine tree in Germany hardy?

With a view to his Mediterranean origins, the question has its justification. In fact, the pine tree has a short-term frost tolerance of up to -15 degrees Celsius; albeit only at an advanced age. The Mediterranean pine is therefore only suitable for outdoor cultivation in Germany from the age of five at the earliest, limited to the wine-growing regions with mild winters. However, the tree will not survive a Central European winter without careful precautions. A layer of leaves on the tree disc and a breathable hood over the crown are therefore indispensable.