How to germinate pine nuts at home

For those who have already managed to build a house, are raising or raised a son, it's time to start planting a tree, especially one that will rise fifty meters in the skies and will stand for more than one hundred years. We are talking about the ringing cedars of Russia, or rather about the Siberian cedar pine, which you can grow with your own hands from a pine nut.

Content:

• Ringing cedars of Russia
• Growing cedars
• How to germinate pine nuts
• Care features
• Next steps
• additional information

Ringing cedars of Russia

Majestic, centuries-old, evergreen pines were planted at one time by noblemen on the territory of family estates, and near monasteries - by priests. This tree differs from other varieties by its long, with a bluish bloom, dark green needles, collected in bunches, like human fingers, five pieces each. Every 5-6 years, cedars renew their outfit, and it takes a year and a half for a nut to ripen.

Pine nuts ripen in large, slightly elongated egg-shaped cones, at first purple, as they ripen, they become light brown, and then brown. It is better to pick pine nuts in late October or November, carefully removing the cones from the branches, because those that have fallen to the ground are already empty. Dried cones open and give very healthy and tasty pine nuts, from which, under certain conditions, new trees can be grown.

Growing cedars

In vivo cedar seedsfallen from the cones will lie all winter on the cold ground under a layer of snow to germinate under the spring sun. This circumstance must be taken into account and the preparation of seeds should be brought closer to natural conditions.

Not many people manage to germinate the cedar pine nut, since there are certain subtleties in its growing... If you follow them, sprouts will definitely appear. We will talk about how to sprout a pine nut.

You need to start with planting material. Naturally, the best nuts are those that are harvested by hand, because purchased ones can be in the warehouse for a long time, moreover, they can be stored incorrectly.

How to germinate pine nuts

As quickly as garden crops, pine nuts cannot germinate, since the embryo in them is still underdeveloped. Full development requires 5-7 months of rest at low temperatures and high humidity. It is these conditions that nature creates for nuts when they winter in the ground.

And for successful germination pine nuts at home, stratification is necessary: ​​soaking in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for a couple of hours. During this time, river sand is calcined in the oven, then nuts are planted in it to a depth of 1 cm, watered and placed in the refrigerator for three months, periodically moistening the soil.

Care features

After 3 months, the container with the seeds is transferred to a solar window. By the way, watering can and should be done with melt water, because in natural conditions plants feed on just such water. Sprouts sprout in 2-3 weeks.

In summer, cedar pine seedlings can be taken out into the garden, gradually accustoming them to the sun and fresh air, subsequently planting them in loose nutritious soil.

It is important to know that it is unacceptable to apply fresh organic fertilizer.

Young plants easily tolerate transplant, therefore, a small distance can be left between seedlings.

Next steps

At first, young cedar grows very slowly and needs care. He needs sufficient sunlight, but it is imperative to protect him from scorching rays. The temperature regime is not so important, because we are dealing with an indigenous inhabitant of Siberia, but the optimal level of humidity must be strictly observed, because a lack of moisture is just as destructive for a young cedar as its excess.

It is advisable to plant a tree on the site before the age of three, despite the fact that its growth barely reaches 10-15 cm. The soil around the tree does not need to be fertilized or even loosened, but it is necessary to mulch. To do this, it is recommended to collect fallen needles and spread it around the stalk or use pine nut shells for the same purpose.

Particularly caring owners water the newly planted cedar with warm water, to which an infusion of forest litter and mature mushrooms has been added, knowing about the symbiosis of trees with myceliums and their beneficial mutual influence. If you have the patience to pay attention to the small cedar for the first 10 years, then it will grow much faster further, and there it will delight you with its first fruits.

additional information

Given the fact that cedars are pollinated by the wind, it makes sense, whenever possible, to take seed from different trees growing in different places.

Despite the assertions that for better germination of a pine nut at home, it is necessary to free it from the shell, this should not be done for reasons of environmental friendliness, because no one conducts this procedure under natural conditions.

But the recommendations on saturating the seed with your mental information and your own energy make sense, especially if the cedars are grown for themselves, and not for sale. You need to envelop the grains intended for sowing with the warmth of your body and soul, help them germinate with your thoughts, drawing in your imagination their wonderful future. A tree grown in this way will preserve for many centuries the memory of the person who planted and raised it.