One of the most common plants in gardens, especially to serve as a "fence" and protection from neighbors or people passing by on the street, are pine trees. Planting pine trees is done to cover walls (even letting them grow more so that they can't see you from the outside), but also decoratively.
If you are considering planting pine trees in your garden, do you know exactly when and how to do it? Do not worry, here we are going to clarify all the doubts that will arise in this regard. Go for it?
Where to plant pine trees
This question may seem silly to you. But it really is not. We know that if you are thinking of planting pine trees in the garden, it will surely be in areas to cover your eyes, as they can be fences or walls that are shared with neighbors.
But you have to know something about pine trees: They have very strong and elongated roots.. This means that, if you plant them near the house, swimming pools or a structure, over time they can destroy their foundations, and cause structural problems in them.
For this reason, when planting, it must be taken into account that the roots are capable of raise the ground and destabilize what is around you. In fact, it's not even recommended that you plant them near other trees because they could kill them off over time.
When to plant pine trees
Depending on where you live, the time to plant pine trees will be one or the other. It also influences how you are going to plant them (if with roots, cuttings, seedlings, already young plants...).
In general, we can tell you that The ideal is to plant them, either in autumn, or at the beginning of spring, when the temperatures are warmer but not cold enough to damage the seeds, seedlings...
Even so, you will depend a bit on the climate you have in your home. If it is still cold at night, it is best to wait a bit until the temperatures rise a little more.
That's not to say that pine trees can't tolerate the cold. Quite the opposite; They are plants that withstand low temperatures and even frost very well.. But when conifers are planted, they take time to adapt to their new environment and can suffer more from these changes.
How long does a pine tree take to grow?
Surely when you plant pine trees what you want is for them to grow very quickly. That is why they are usually always bought as large as possible. And you have to know that they take an average of 20 years to really become adults.
That is, for 20 years they will be developing and growing, slowly, until reaching its adult state.
After that time, they will live about 300 years if nothing happens to them. So if we make calculations, they really don't take long to grow for what they will last you.
how to plant pine trees
Now yes, we are going to talk to you about how you should plant the pines. It's not difficult, not at all. But if you take into account some important points, you will get them to take hold much faster, and also grow stronger and more vigorous.
And what are those steps to take? We tell you:
Choose a good location
You should know that pine trees are trees that need a lot of sunlight. They don't mind receiving direct sun, on the contrary, they appreciate it, so we recommend that you choose an area where they get as much sun as possible.
Of course, be careful with that are not near areas that may be damaged by pine roots.
Prepare your new "home"
In this case we refer to the hole that you will have to make to plant them. Obviously, it will depend on the type of pine you are going to plant.
For example, if it is a seedling, it is normal for it to be small and not need much. But if it is already a young specimen then you will have to dig deeper.
In general, and to give you an idea, If you are going to plant trees that are already between five and two meters tall, it is best to make holes that are 40 centimeters high, 40 long and 40 deep.
This is very important because that way you will help the tree adapt better. Now, if it is bigger, it will need more space.
In addition, we recommend that there is a separation between the pines so that they do not "fight" each other. It's okay to want to plant them together so that they cover more, but you must be careful with this since in the end it is the law of the strongest. In other words, you can be left without one of the pines. It is recommended that between pine and pine there be more or less a meter of distance. But this will also depend on the size they have when planting them.
Before planting them, compost
This is a little trick that many experts do when it comes to planting pine trees. And it is that, before putting the conifer in the hole, fill it with a little compost so that the soil retains moisture and they can have the necessary nutrients to adapt to their new home.
If you do it this way, you will be helping it to have a nutrient base to draw from until it has completely settled into the soil.
plant the pine
The following, once you have already put the fertilizer, will be introduce the pine and cover it with the earth that you have removed. We recommend that the mix with a little soil with nutrients and drainage, because that way you will help them to have a good base.
When covering it, in this case it is recommended to step on the ground to break any air pockets that may be generated (especially since when you water they will appear and it can destabilize the plant or even cause it to lack soil).
Water
The pines they do not need irrigation to be given directly to the trunk of the conifer. In fact, it is best to make a hole around the base of about 10-15 centimeters so that you can water in that area. In this way it will be able to absorb the water but it will not go directly to the trunk (which can rot like this).
Irrigation during the first week, and until you see that it puts out new leaves, must be every three days. Once it sprouts, you will know that it is established and you can water it twice in summer (more if it is very hot), and once a week in winter (more if it is very humid or cold).
Is it clear to you how to plant pine trees?