Pine ∗ The 10 best care and planting tips

Plant pine properly

In the mild climate of a wine-growing region, you can dare to experiment to plant a pine tree in the open air. The suitable candidate should be at least 5 years old and in perfect health. The planting time is spring, so that the Mediterranean pine takes root in the ground until the first winter. Choose a specimen in a container or as a bale, as bare-root trees can only be planted in late autumn. In the sunny, sheltered location, create a pit that is about twice as large in diameter as the root ball. How to proceed:

With compost and Horn shavings(€ 32.93 at Amazon *) as well as some sand or Lava granules enrich the excavated earth
Drive a support post into the planting pit so that the pine tree can only then be inserted

Plant the umbrella pine just deep enough so that the root ball is flush with the surface of the earth

Care tips

If the chosen location meets the requirements of a Mediterranean pine, the maintenance program includes the following measures:

Watering the pine tree in summer drought
One in April and June Slow release fertilizer administer
Only cut if necessary in late winter, never in old wood
Transplant in the pot every 2-3 years and thin out thoroughly on this occasion

If winter is just around the corner, a pine tree requires a greater degree of horticultural care. Cover the earth in beds and buckets with autumn leaves or straw. You cover the crown and the trunk with a breathable material. It is a great advantage if a potted pine tree can move to a light, frost-free winter area.

Which location is suitable?

At home in the sun-drenched Mediterranean region, the pine tree favors a fully sunny location 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 assign the tree a partially shaded or shady place, the typical silhouette with an umbrella-shaped crown will not develop. The pine makes no significant demands on the soil and can be used with any normal garden soil. Since the wood turns out to be extremely drought-resistant, it thrives just as well in the sunny rock garden with sandy-dry soil.

The correct planting distance

Since a pine tree in Germany can grow to heights of 15 meters or more, the planting distance should be generously dimensioned. The distance to buildings and walls should correspond to the expected tree height. The minimum distance to the neighbor is stipulated by law in the respective country's neighborhood law and varies considerably between 2 and 8 meters. You should therefore ask the responsible regulatory office and have the stated value confirmed in writing. In all considerations, take into account the unusual extension of the umbrella crown of this jaw.

What soil does the plant need?

As long as a pine tree can only get enough sun, it will tolerate almost any type of soil. The ideal soil is humus, loose and well-drained. The tolerance to pH ranges from acidic 4 to lime-rich 9. Only in compacted soil with permanent waterlogging does a Mediterranean pine go limp. A location with a high water table should be avoided. Here the shallow root can lose stability due to root rot and windthrow can become a problem.

What is the best time to plant?

Southern woody plants 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 frost and the soil has completely thawed, the time window for planting opens. A young umbrella pine should harden 8 to 10 days beforehand in a partially shaded, sheltered place in the garden in order to spend the nights behind glass.

Cut the pine properly

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

Cut the Mediterranean pine on a frost-free, overcast day in late winter
Shorten the fresh, candle-like shoots by a maximum of half
Cut off dead wood at the base as well as poorly growing branches

A pine tree only develops the decorative umbrella crown after 30-40 years of its own accord. You can speed up this process by opening the Mediterranean pine trees every fall. The lower two rows of branches are opened Astring removed until the desired habitus has been established.

Water the pine

A pine tree in the bed requires additional watering only in summer drought. In this case, pour penetrating water to reach the deep taproot as well. The Garden hose to run. The water requirement in the bucket proves to be higher and should be determined every few days with a thumb test.

Fertilize pine properly

The nutritional requirements of an umbrella pine are on a low to medium level. Apply a slow release fertilizer in April and June, which is more practical to apply in the bucket in liquid form. Friends of organic fertilization give compost and every 4 weeks Horn shavings(€ 32.93 at Amazon *) into the substrate. The application of fertilizer ends in July so that the pine tree can mature before winter.

Overwinter

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

the Tree grate Cover with autumn leaves and coniferous twigs before the first frost
Wrap the crown in breathable garden fleece
Wrap the trunk with jute ribbons or reed mats

In the large bucket, a pine tree ideally moves to a frost-free, light winter quarters. Where this plan fails due to insufficient space, wrap the vessel with several layers of bubble wrap and place it on wood or styrofoam. The substrate is given a layer of leaves, straw or Sawdust. Put a felt cap on the magnificent crown.

Propagate pine

In addition to being tasty, the pine nuts are the only way we can propagate a pine tree. Take the seeds out of the cone, open or remove the shell and soak the seeds for 12 hours in the lukewarm water of a thermo jug. Put in a saucepan of lean Potting soil, germination starts at a constant 20 degrees Celsius within 2-4 weeks. Keep the substrate constantly moist and protect the young Mediterranean pine from blazing sun and cold drafts. Cultivate the young tree in the large tub for the first five years. Then it is mature enough to cope with planting outdoors in a healthy and vital way.

How do I transplant properly?

Since a pine tree initially produces a deep taproot and later a shallow system of side roots, transplanting is costly and risky. In the first five years of standing in the garden, there is still a chance that the Italian pine will grow again. This is how you do it:

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

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

Pine in a pot

For Mediterranean trees, such as the pine tree, pot culture tops free-range farming. As a gardener, you have more flexibility in choosing the location, which is appropriately adapted to the season, thanks to the advantageous mobility. In addition, every umbrella pine should be cared for in the bucket for the first five years of life, because only then is it ripe for life in the field. Use a high-quality, structurally stable compost-based potted plant soil as the substrate. Additions, such as lava granulate, Expanded clay(€ 16.36 at Amazon *) and quartz sand optimize the permeability. A few pottery shards over the water drain prevent damaging waterlogging. This is how the care program for a Mediterranean pine in a pot is designed:

A substrate of variable moisture with intermittent drying phases is ideal
Apply liquid fertilizer every 4 weeks from April to July
Put in a bright room at 0 to 5 degrees Celsius before the onset of winter
Alternatively, wrap the pot with foil and cover the substrate with leaves
In the open air, the crown is given a hood made of fleece or felt and the trunk is wrapped in 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 only receives a cut back when necessary, whereby a cut in the old wood causes unsightly holes in its appearance.

Is pine poisonous?

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

Is a pine tree hardy in Germany?

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