Posted by Tania Harland on January 31, 2003

Q: My partner is into Bonsai and has decided to try and grow a "pine tree" from seed. Is it a good idea and how long would it take if we were to try it?

A: You certainly can grow pines from seed with bonsai in mind! There are many factors to consider for how long it will take but certainly years - but it can be well worth the wait. Be sure you have stratified the seeds ( they need a cold period of around 4C for approximately 5-6 weeks) before you plant.

I too grow bonsai and have raised some of my plants from seed and find it very rewarding. If you grow your pine in the garden or in a larger-than-necessary pot, growth will be much faster than in a bonsai pot. Once you have the size you want, then transplant into a bonsai container.

There is an article on planting pine seeds in a current magazine, Bonsai Today (#83) and you may be able to pick this up at a book store where they have a good selection of magazines for sale. Look on page 55 and you'll see how they deal with Japanese Black Pine seeds. They're doing it on a larger scale than you will want to do but this should give you some help getting started. My best to you on this project

John Wiessinger ( February 3, 2003)