hey there
I need some help caring for my stone pine... Not sure what to do...
I planted seeds in the beginning of the year... I now have an 8 inch baby tree... The trunk turned hard and brown. All was good until I checked it the other day. The needles have dried out a bit. Any suggestion???
thanks
Gene
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Gnome
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You must host pictures on a third party site and then link to them.pinewald wrote:hey... thanks for getting back to me. I do have a photo but cant figure out how to post it... I just water it gets dry. not to wet and not to dry. any suggestions?
https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3724
Norm
Welcome pinewald -
The Italian Stone Pine is an outdoor evergreen and needs to be kept outside for the most part.
From what you say in your post it sounds as though it germinated early in the year in your house. It probably was OK by a bright window over the spring and summer, but as the light lessens and the house gets drier due to heating systems it needs to be put to sleep outside or in an unheated building or room.
It's needles are probably drying for the above reason. Even if you keep it alive until the weather improves (which is questionable) it will need to go dormant or it will wear itself out from lack of rest.
Ideally, if you have an unheated room, put it into that room and mist it, then move it to an unheated shed or garage by a window if possible so that it can go into full dormancy.
Pines need their rest.
The Italian Stone Pine is an outdoor evergreen and needs to be kept outside for the most part.
From what you say in your post it sounds as though it germinated early in the year in your house. It probably was OK by a bright window over the spring and summer, but as the light lessens and the house gets drier due to heating systems it needs to be put to sleep outside or in an unheated building or room.
It's needles are probably drying for the above reason. Even if you keep it alive until the weather improves (which is questionable) it will need to go dormant or it will wear itself out from lack of rest.
Ideally, if you have an unheated room, put it into that room and mist it, then move it to an unheated shed or garage by a window if possible so that it can go into full dormancy.
Pines need their rest.
thanks for the help...
I live in new york city, can I put it outside or is that too cold? how long with no light? the needles are dry and starting to fall off... I'm assuming that thats a bad sign...? if not I have a pine cone that has more seeds... also can you recommend a good book for me that will help me care for the stone pine?
I live in new york city, can I put it outside or is that too cold? how long with no light? the needles are dry and starting to fall off... I'm assuming that thats a bad sign...? if not I have a pine cone that has more seeds... also can you recommend a good book for me that will help me care for the stone pine?
Yes, dry needles is a bad sign.
Your tree was meant to be outside in the cold weather. The problem is that there is a process called 'hardening off' which takes place when they are outside and transition from the warm summer to the cool autumn to the cold winter. Since yours has been inside it has not had the opportunity to harden off and putting it out in these temps. (I live in N.Jersey so I'm familiar with what you're getting currently) would be a really heavy shock for it. That's why I suggested an out building with a window where it can get a transition before putting it out.
Do you have a friend or relative who has such a place for it? It would only be for a few weeks unless you'd be able to leave it to over-winter there.
It's an evergreen and so it should have a window to let a bit of light get to it.
Your tree was meant to be outside in the cold weather. The problem is that there is a process called 'hardening off' which takes place when they are outside and transition from the warm summer to the cool autumn to the cold winter. Since yours has been inside it has not had the opportunity to harden off and putting it out in these temps. (I live in N.Jersey so I'm familiar with what you're getting currently) would be a really heavy shock for it. That's why I suggested an out building with a window where it can get a transition before putting it out.
Do you have a friend or relative who has such a place for it? It would only be for a few weeks unless you'd be able to leave it to over-winter there.
It's an evergreen and so it should have a window to let a bit of light get to it.
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Gnome
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- Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2006 12:17 am
- Location: Western PA USDA Zone 6A
pinewald,
It won't hurt to try with the one you have now, but you will have much better luck if you wait until spring and plant the remaining seeds outside. That should be your main focus. First year is spent simply not killing them.
Pines are not one of the easier species to work with and growing from seed, with any species, is a long process.
Norm
It won't hurt to try with the one you have now, but you will have much better luck if you wait until spring and plant the remaining seeds outside. That should be your main focus. First year is spent simply not killing them.
Pines are not one of the easier species to work with and growing from seed, with any species, is a long process.Norm