Pinus sylvestris (Scots Pine) seeds

Popular, native Pine tree with a conical form and strong, densely packed branches. The needles are a lovely blue-green colour with a subtle aroma and the bark is an attractive reddish shade.  Makes a lovely tree trained as a Bonsai and is a popular choice for Christmas trees due to its excellent needle retention. 

Hardy Tree
Height: 3m (10 yrs), 25m when mature
Position: Sun or semi-shade & moist, well-drained soil

GROWING GUIDE

Sowing Instructions: Sow at any time of the year. Mix equal parts of good quality seed compost, eg. John Innes, with vermiculite, perlite or horticultural grit and water until just moist. Sow seeds very thinly on the surface, then just cover them with a layer of vermiculite, perlite or grit. Seal inside a polythene bag and place in the fridge for 6 weeks, checking them weekly to ensure the compost is still moist. [ If sowing a large quantity, mix seeds with the compost/vermiculite and place in a resealable bag in the fridge, then sow into trays or directly outdoors in a nursery bed.] After this, move to a propagator or other warm place and maintain an optimum temperature of 13-15C. Germination should take place in 1-2 months. Note: Germination can be very erratic, so sow thinly and prick out the seedlings as they become large enough to handle disturbing the rest of the compost as little as possible.

An alternative method is to sow in pots as above during late summer to early winter then place in a cold frame and let nature take its course as the seasons change with the seedlings emerging the next spring.

Growing Instructions: Transplant seedlings when large enough to handle into 7.5cm pots and grow on in a cold frame or nursery bed for a year or two then plant in their final position in a sunny or semi-shaded position.