How to Grow Japanese black pine seed

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Japanese black pine Growing from seed is not the easiest way to make a beautiful bonsai. a variety of skills is required and it takes a long time. That said, the process of starting bonsai from scratch can be very rewarding -. If you end up with a master

work

Foundations of pine trees growing from seed are simple -. Seeds place amid planting, water, wait until seedlings appear

As bonsai enthusiasts, however, we can refine this process a bit. The first step begins with selecting the right parent tree.

Selection of pineapples for bonsai

Not all pineapples are equal. Some are large and healthy, others are small in comparison. We want the big and healthy bonsai -. smaller cones are less likely to have viable seeds within

More important is the parent tree. Do you have good crust? They are straight and dark green needles? Are compact branches? If so, you may have found a good parent tree. Take note of it and return in September or October, when it is time to harvest the cones. They should look like this.

Japanese black pine cones

Wait until the cones are brown and open color will be too late. The aim of collecting green or purple cones that have yet to open.

cone Typical pine – Japanese black pine

After bringing the cones home, give them a quick bath in a solution of lime sulfur highly diluted to kill any fungus or pests that could be living between the cones. Then set the cones to dry.

clean and dry

sieves the soil, making it large drying trays cone. Place the cones on the screen, then cover with an additional screen to keep the birds. Do not place the cones close together as it will expand when opened. Keep dry cones accelerate the time required for it to open.

Protected birds

recommend collect more cones than you think is necessary. While some produce a handful of viable seeds, others produce none. I also start many more pine trees that I want to finish with. Even when the plantlets growing a tree exceptional father is not certain that all the offspring will be as impressive as the father. From a little more than you need is a good way to hedge your bets.

collect seeds

Within a week or two of the cones become brown and open. Here it is how it looks.

Open pineapples

Now that the cones are open, it is time to get the seeds. The seeds are located at the base of each scale (bract scale) with the wing (bracts seeds) facing outward. As the scales to open – an action promoted by dry air -. These wings, not unlike maple seeds in the design, can catch the wind and help seeds travel when separated from the cone

If you look carefully, you can see the ends of the wings which bind seeds.

pine cone

pick up a cone and tap it on its end. If the cone is ripe, some seeds fall.

By touching the cone to release the seeds

Not all seeds are separated so easily. Tapped the tip of the cone can release most of the seeds inside. Several more taps can convince reluctant seeds away from the cone.

not always satisfied with what comes after touching, have dismantled more than cones to make sure you do not miss any good seeds inside. This has proven to be more work than the merits of effort. While’ve thrown good seed cones in this way, I have not found enough to make this a regular practice. Most of good seeds develop in the center of the cone – where it is thicker -. And these are the seeds that are more easily released

After forcing open the cones

How can you tell good seeds of bad seeds? The opening to see -. Usually they are light, dry and hollow

Color

sterile seeds

Viable seeds are dark brown with black dotted and. They are also heavier, although this is difficult to discern in hand. Usually Crack a few open while working to recalibrate my understanding of what to keep and which to discard when I start sorting seeds each year. After cracking some good, fast lame.

– Viable seeds Managers

Once the seeds are free from their cones and the good are separated from evil, placing them in a cool place! dark until spring, when it’s time to plant them.

Preparation of seeds for planting

Seeds, as we know, are planted in spring – somewhere between February and May, if you are in the northern hemisphere. or sinking Snow – – When the temperature rise is observed. Get the seeds out from storage

About 75 pine seeds

The next step is to soak the seeds in water for 24 hours. The idea is to “awaken the seeds,” and sacrifice any remaining rags cluster.

Some seeds will sink immediately – others will sink in the next 24 hours. If the seeds are still floating after a day, chances are sterile.

After placing the seeds in a glass of water – many are still floating

One day after – all except a few seeds have sunk to the bottom

I used the hot water for soaking in order to scarify the seeds, but I have not always found that this makes much difference. Try both approaches and see what works best.

black and red pines do, however, benefit from the brief stratification. Stratification can be achieved by cooling seeds before planting. Place the seeds in a plastic bag with a damp paper towel or some grated white moss to retain moisture.

Japanese seeds of black pine – ready for cooler

If the mists bag after a few minutes in the fridge, that’s a good sign that there is sufficient moisture in the bags.

The condensation in the bag

If you are preparing seeds from different lots or according to different protocols, it is a good idea to label the bags this point.

Planting seeds

There are two basic approaches for planting pine seeds. Both work well, but the first road takes a little longer. Let’s start with the meticulous approach.

Start by preparing a shallow pot with bonsai soil. While a number of soil for growing black pine work, I usually use my regular bonsai mix – lava, pumice, and akadama – covered with a layer of clean sand. I water meter soil and 1/4 “holes in the sand with a match.

The holes spaced just over an inch away

in each hole is a seed pine.

the placement of the seed in the hole with pliers

After placing the seeds in the holes, add an small amount of sand to fill the holes and water again. the result is no different from the starting point.

the planted and watered seeds

the alternative to meticulous approach is to fill a pot with bonsai soil, sprinkle seeds in the pot by hand, then cover the seeds with a thin layer of fine soil particles. you will find this approach can save a lot time.

See seeds germinate

Depending on the weather, the seeds can germinate in just a week or as long as a month or more. The primary root emerges from the seed and sinks into the ground so you can push the seed into the sunlight.

emerging pine seeds

The first immature needles will appear shortly after. As you get stronger, they will throw the case of seed aside.

Almost free of the seed box

Although sunlight and heat will help the seeds to germinate, keep in that the parish if dried seeds at this stage. And if you have hungry birds in the garden, it is a good idea to protect seeds with display window or anything that can let light and air, but prevent birds to catch the seeds.

A few weeks after the first signs of germination, seedling will have a full pine container.

healthy pine seedlings

Keep them in full sun. Water them just before they dry. Keep out of fertilizer until the seedlings begin to lengthen. Start with soft fertilizer at half strength and slowly build from there.

And that’s all – for now. Bonsai work can begin in just two months. Until then, enjoy the little ones when they are young -. They will grow faster than you think

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