pine indoors?????

uzeyr · Fri Jun 05, 2009 3:57 am

hi I just wanted to know if u guys think a black pine might do well inside the house , just wondering what do you guys think , has any one tried tis before ?

bewildered_nmsu · Fri Jun 05, 2009 4:14 am

Not a good idea. Good light and a winter dormancy are critical.

uzeyr · Fri Jun 05, 2009 4:35 am

but I thought the pines never go dormant ? I thought they continue to grow throught the year

bewildered_nmsu · Fri Jun 05, 2009 5:50 am

It's true that conifers maintain some functions during the winter months, but they are so minimal that they are considered dormant. A winter rest period is crucial. If you were to keep your pine inside you probably wouldn't see anything wrong for 15 or 16 months, but there would be an inevitable decline.

kdodds · Fri Jun 05, 2009 8:21 am

Black Pines, no, absolutely not an indoor tree. In fact, most seasoned bonsai artists say that IF you bring it indoors, it should be for no more than a day to a few days at a time. However, there are subtropical and tropical pines that you might try. Currently I'm in year two of growing Monterey Pine from seedlings. So far, so good. All of the trees that germinated are still alive. Next year I'll be separating and repotting them.

uzeyr · Fri Jun 05, 2009 12:11 pm

thanx alot guys I wasnt going to risk my beautiful pines anyway

I was just curious but there are possible indoor pines ????? like which ones I would love to try my hand at them

bonsaiboy · Fri Jun 05, 2009 11:18 pm

The carribean pine is probably the best indoor pine in my opinion, able to live where the temperature never drops below 60 F.

kdodds · Mon Jun 08, 2009 11:36 am

Same with the Monterey pine, average temp is about 60Ã‚ÂºF, but it also has the advantage of having VERY low humidity in its natural range.

There's the Mexican stone pine as well.

bonsaiboy · Mon Jun 08, 2009 4:52 pm

I suppose it kind of depends on how much light you can provide it. Some tropical pines can tolerate less light than others (but even the shade tolerant ones should have a minimum of 1,000 footcandles).

kdodds · Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:01 am

Light is definitely an issue. Mine is nearest the largest (south facing) pane in a garden/greenhouse window that also receives eastern and western exposure, a lot of light for an "indoor" plant.