Pine tree, Pinus pinea: care for the pine tree

The pine tree is one of the most famous conifer species in Europe and the Middle East. Recognizable by the characteristic crown and the intense needle smell, it is a popular plant in Central European gardens. The rapid growth of the pine tree enables a state tree to be established at an early stage. When keeping the Mediterranean plant, a few points must be observed so that the plant will do well over a long period of time.

Characteristics

• Genus: Pine (Pinus)
• Family: Pine family (Pinaceae)
• Common names: Italian stone pine, Mediterranean pine, umbrella pine
• Growth height: up to 30 meters high
• Leaves: slightly twisted, green needles with a gently serrated edge and a length of up to 20 cm
• Blossom: reddish-brown (female) or yellow (male) cones
• Flowering period: late May to early July
• Origin: Northern Mediterranean from the Pyrenees Peninsula to Anatolia
• needles every four years
• Needles can be used as mulch

Location

Since the pine is a plant from the Mediterranean region, it is dependent on a specific location that does justice to the original distribution area. The pine tree can suffer too quickly from an unsuitable spot in the garden or on the terrace, which is not wanted. The following points will help you choose a location:

• Light requirement: sunny
• Midday sun desired
• warm
• severe drought over summer is tolerated
• protected

When keeping pine trees, you have to make sure that they are not completely hardy. They can withstand temperatures down to -15 ° C for a short period of time, while -10 ° C can be tolerated for longer. For this reason, the plants are mainly kept in pots that are protected over the winter or transported to a warmer location. The vineyards, southwest Germany and the area around Lake Constance are among the few areas in German-speaking countries where the pine tree does not suffer from frost damage. These areas with mild winter conditions allow them to be kept outdoors permanently.

Note: Avoid locations with little sun, otherwise the pine tree will not develop the popular umbrella crown. Even penumbra can lead to this.

floor

If you live in a region with mild winter conditions, you can support the pine tree with suitable soil in its growth. It should have the following properties:

• well permeable
• profound
• wet
• nutritious

You should also take care not to choose a location that is not too wet, as this has a negative effect on the growth of the pine tree. If the location is prone to waterlogging, choose a dry spot as a precaution, as the pine tree can cope much better with drought. Especially in winter, too wet soil can be fatal for planted specimens, even if you have a favorable climate.

Buy preferred potted plants

Pine trees are extremely robust plants and can even withstand it when 80 percent of the substrate has dried out completely over a shorter period of time. For this reason, it is rather rare to find a severely weakened plant. When buying, look for dead leaves and whether the plant looks weakened. In this case there is a compaction of the substrate. If it is still wet, waterlogging has in all probability formed, which is causing the roots to rot. Either way, check the plant to decide which one to buy. Repotting is compulsory after purchase.

Tip: Pinus pinea 'Silver Crest' has established itself as one of the best pine trees for balconies, conservatories or terraces, which is offered in many places at Christmas time as a small Christmas tree and is eye-catching due to the silvery color of the green needles falls. With good care, the dwarf tree can grow into a large potted plant that can easily reach ten meters high.

plants

Because it is bought in a bucket, it is easy to plant. You should never transplant an already established Pinus pinea, as the plants develop a taproot with robust side roots. Trying to move the plant to another location could damage the root and permanently damage the plant. Even when removing it from the bucket, be careful not to kink the taproot. However, since it remains significantly smaller in the bucket, the taproot is also not as strong. The ideal time for planting is spring, when there is no longer any risk of frost. When planting, do the following:

• Dig the planting hole
• Planting hole size: double root ball
• Loosen dense excavation with lava granulate or sand (coarse)
• Prepare the drainage layer on the floor
• use sand (coarse) or gravel for this
• Place the post to the support
• this should be sufficiently robust
• Remove the remaining substrate from the plant
• put in the planting hole
• cover with excavated earth
• press carefully
• water thoroughly

After planting, the root needs at least a year to fully establish itself. During this time you should not remove the support pole. Do not plant a specimen that is less than five years old. The young plants are too sensitive and would not survive even winter with adequate temperatures. Age therefore plays a significant role in keeping pine trees.

Substrate

A pine tree in a pot is the typical method for keeping the Mediterranean plants, as Central Europe does not always offer mild winter temperatures. Of course, a suitable substrate in which the plant can establish itself is important for keeping in pots. Fortunately, the pine is quite undemanding and gets along well with the following substrate:

• high quality soil for container plants
• structurally stable
• Compost base
• alternatively mix in compost
• Improve permeability with quartz sand, expanded clay or lava granules

Thanks to this mixture, the pine tree stands firmly in the substrate and does not suffer from waterlogging, as the water is quickly distributed thanks to its good permeability. It is important that you mix the substrate well so that the drainage elements and compost are effectively distributed.

Repot

As such, the pine tree is not repotted, but potted in a tall, robust and heavy pot and then left in it. Potting should be done after purchase or as an important step in propagation when young pine trees move to their final container. The tap root of the pine does not extend very far in the bucket and for this reason the plant remains smaller in the long term than in the open field. However, it is important to know how to prepare the new container once you have a pine tree:

• Choose a pot with a drain hole
• place pottery shards on the ground
• fill with substrate mixture
• Insert the plant
• The top of the root ball should be level with the edge of the pot
• press carefully
• water well

If you own a small variety like 'Silver Crest', you can save yourself repotting in most cases. However, if you have a Pinus pinea that

care

Repotting, planting and site preparations are much more complex than the general care of the pine trees. Their unpretentiousness is also evident in the regular care measures. Even in Central Europe, they are extremely robust and can be kept on the balcony, terrace, winter garden or in the garden with little effort. Even if you're new to Mediterranean plants, a pine tree is a good choice, even if pruning the tree proves to be a little more difficult. In the following sections you will find detailed care instructions that will make your pine tree shine.

to water

Since the pine is a conifer, it doesn't necessarily need a lot of water. The water requirement depends on the attitude. If you can look forward to pine trees in the open ground, you only need to water them when the summer is very hot and there is persistent drought for weeks. Water here for at least half an hour as soon as the location is literally "bone dry". In the bucket, on the other hand, you have to regularly measure with a finger test whether it needs to be refilled. This is particularly necessary with small pine trees such as the 'Silver Crest', which have less substrate. Pour the root ball directly here.

Fertilize

A pine tree is fertilized from the beginning or mid-April to mid-July. From this point on, the plant prepares for winter and matures a little, which would be accelerated too much by additional fertilizer. This also steals strength from the plant. It is fertilized in the following way:

• liquid long-term or coniferous fertilizer: April, June
• mature compost: every four weeks

Go for one of these methods. If your soil is very nutritious on its own, you will need even less fertilizer. The fertilization is the same for pot and free range husbandry. Alternatively, you can mulch the tree grate and in this way provide nutrients and sufficient moisture without waterlogging.

Cut

The pruning measures are a tricky thing in the pine tree. If you cut incorrectly, the crop will suffer badly and will find it difficult to recover. Above all, natural growth can be severely restricted by incorrect pruning measures. The plants are cut in late winter or early spring. To do this, select a day on which there is no risk of frost. In addition, the pine tree should not be in direct sun. When keeping the bucket, select a day for cutting that falls within this time frame. For the cut, use disinfected and sharpened scissors so that the pine tree does not fall ill during the procedure. The cut at a glance:

1. Look for the fresh bud. This can be recognized by its shape, which is reminiscent of a candle. These are usually located at the tip of the shoot and are easy to recognize.
2. Shorten this by half. More should not be removed when cutting, so that you do not cut the pine into the old wood, which would be devastating.
3. If you see dead wood or weak branches with stunted growth, remove them completely. These only steal energy from the tree.
4. Dispose of the cuttings. No more is cut off.

If you are wondering when the tree will develop its characteristic crown, you will unfortunately have to wait a little longer. This only shows up from the age of about 30 years.

Overwinter

Wintering is an important step when keeping a Pinus pinea. Since the plants are not hardy, it is essential to provide winter protection. This also depends on the posture. The following winter protection is used for an open-air pine tree:

• Cover the tree slice with sticks made from needles or leaves
• must be done before the first frost
• Place garden fleece around the crown
• Wrap up with reeds or jute trunk

In this way, above all, no wind that is too cold can reach the plant and dry out the tree. When keeping a bucket, you can either use winter quarters or pack the plant accordingly:

• Wrap the bucket completely with bubble wrap
• Place the bucket on styrofoam or wood
• Spread sawdust, brushwood, straw or leaves thickly on the substrate
• Also pack the crown

As winter quarters without winter protection, bright and draft-protected rooms that are protected from frost are ideal. Garages, winter gardens or unused rooms are ideal for this. They move into winter quarters as soon as temperatures drop below 5 ° C. Watering is an important point during winter. Specimens are watered outdoors when it is frost-free. Specimens in the pot only need to be poured very rarely. You should also provide sun protection if the plant would be in the winter sun. This also dries out.

Multiply

The pine tree multiplies through sowing. Cuttings never sprout. The seeds inside the cones are required for propagation, which are best harvested yourself or purchased from specialist gardeners. Pine nuts from the supermarket are no longer capable of germination. To grow small pine trees from the seeds, follow these steps:

• Soak the seeds in water (lukewarm)
• Duration: 12 hours
• then dry off
• Fill pots with poor potting soil
• Press the seeds with the tip into the substrate
• does not need to be covered
• Germination temperature: about 20 ° C
• Germination time: two to four weeks
• The substrate must be permanently moist
• no direct sun
• bright location
• protect from drafts

After the first shoot, the small plants remain in a pot with a suitable substrate for about five years. Slowly adjust the care, making sure that the pine tree receives enough nutrients. Then it can be repotted or planted outdoors. The first cones are formed after a service life of around 20 years.

Diseases and pests

A great advantage of keeping pine trees is their high resistance to numerous diseases and pests. The only problems that can arise with a pine tree are the following:

• Waterlogging
• Snow break
• Wind break

However, this is prevented by the right location and appropriate care. If the location is protected, the plant will not suffer a wind break. If the water is not poured too often, there is no waterlogging. The bigger problem can be snow breakage. Immediately remove snow from the plant in winter, regardless of whether it is only small amounts. Above all, the snow must not accumulate, otherwise it will break quickly. Be careful here. Since it is partially hardy, a snow break would further weaken the pine tree.