“how to build a pine cone bonsai” is trendy on social media because growing pine cones in pots is a warm and adorable notion. However, let us be honest and admit it is about as helpful as throwing an unopened packet of seeds into a flower pot.
On the other hand, the “bonsai tree pine cones” contain seeds that may be planted and grown into bonsai. Although the cone itself is not used, you may think of this as one method of growing pine cone bonsai.
Pinecones in bonsai
Pine cones have a certain aesthetic of their own. Conifers produce little pine cones that begin to develop on the branches and stand upright like Christmas tree candles or hang down like ornaments as they age. When they finally hit the earth, they scatter their seeds.
This last step is crucial since it is how conifers reproduce as a species. They create seeds, and those seeds sprout new trees. In the cones are capsules containing the seeds. But before the cone and seeds can sprout and develop into seedlings, they must both dry up and part ways.
Extracting Seeds from Pine Cones
Pine seeds in the wild develop, dry up, and eventually release the seeds that were once within. You and the squirrels can first dig into the cones to remove the seeds. Gather pine cones in the fall and let them swell in a dry, sunny location. To get the seeds off, shake them.
Stratifying seeds frequently results in speedier germination. There is no drawback since it is fast and free. 48 hours of lukewarm water soaking is followed by 48 hours in a plastic bag filled with moist sand. Keep the bag at around 35 degrees F for 30 days.
Planting the Pine Seeds
You may imagine a bonsai as a little tree that has undergone careful pruning to remain that size. But others claim it refers to a plant in a container. In any case, it is the first way to look at it, as bonsai pruning labor does not begin until months after a seedling first emerges.
Prepare a planting container after the pine seeds have been removed and stratified. You may save a lot of time by using bonsai soil, but you can also make your own by combining lava, pumice, or akadama and covering it with fine sand.
Pine seeds should be sown a few inches below the soil’s surface, at least 1 inch apart. While keeping the soil moist, place the container in a sunny area to avoid the seeds dying. The pine seeds should germinate quite rapidly, usually between a week and a month, if the soil is wet.
Keep the soil wet when the seedlings emerge and let them develop until it is ready to begin bonsai-shaping them. To ensure you are pruning in the optimal method to maintain the health of the pine tree bonsai, if this is your first time doing bonsai, think about taking a class and working with a bonsai club.