- 1). Collect viable seeds for most pine trees in the fall. Remove wings of seeds by rubbing them between your hands.
- 2). Stratify seeds, providing the "moist cold" that seed embryos need to mature before germination. Mix seeds with moist sphagnum moss. Place the mixture in sealed sandwich bags, and refrigerate at 41 degrees Fahrenheit for 90 days.
- 3). Fill the germination flat with a light mixture of sphagnum moss and sand. Plant the stratified pine seeds at a depth that equals their largest diameter.
- 4). Water the germination flat thoroughly, allowing all excess moisture to drain out. Place the flat in a warm room with bright light. Keep the planting medium evenly moist until the seeds germinate.
- 5). Transplant seedlings into 4-inch pots when they are 4 inches tall. Use soil-based compost, rich in organic matter, mixed with pumice or perlite to make the mix more porous. Water thoroughly, then keep the soil evenly moist.
- 6). Continue to "pot up" the tree as it grows, increasing pot size gradually. Containers should be twice the root system's width and depth. Heavy pots weather storms and wind better than lightweight plastic. Pots as wide as they are tall offer the best root insulation.
- 7). Water consistently -- watering deeply and thoroughly -- but let soil dry some between watering times. Water again when the top 2 inches of soil are dry. Never let your tree sit in drain water and get "wet feet."
- 8). Replace the top 2 inches of soil every spring, and fertilize with slow-release fertilizer. Water with water-soluble fertilizer monthly as the tree gets larger. Prune only to shape the tree and remove dead or damaged branches.
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