It's that time of year when people decorate pine trees. Many opt for a cut tree, but having a live one can be a great option for someone who wants a tree that keeps living and can be brought in year after year.
California has both native pine trees and ones that have come from similar climates like Australia and Asia. All together, there are over a 115 varieties of pine trees!
They are part of the conifer, cone-bearer, family, and are also evergreens, retaining their needles year round. Height wise they can range from a 4ft dwarf Mugo to an over 100 ft white pine. Besides height, pine trees can vary in their shape, needles, texture, and cones. They are easy to care for and can even live indoors.
Pine trees need lots of sunlight and rich, moist soil. If you have one in a pot, rotate it regularly and have it in a sunny spot. Pine trees in pots require more water to make sure it does not dry out. Good drainage is important whether it's in a pot or in the ground.
Can you grow a pine tree from a pine cone seed?
One has to have patience to grow a pine tree from a seed. Growing seeds from pine cones harvested from local pine trees will mean your tree will most likely do well in your climate. Seeds can be gathered from pine cones that are still closed, and if properly stratified, the process of natural or recreated natural conditions to insure germination will occur, a tree can grow!
Take pine cones that have not opened from pine tree in early fall and place in paper bag in warm spot. Shake the bag every few days. When the cone opens, the seeds will drop into the bag.
Place seeds in freezer for 2-3 months to mimic winter.
Thaw out to room temperature and then put in glass bowl with lukewarm water for 1 to 2 days.
Drain and put still moist seeds in ziplock baggie in fridge for 2-3 months
Now they are ready to plant in mixture of 3 parts potting soil, 1 part peat moss, 1 part sand (without salt), and 1 part pine bark. Plant one seed per 4" pot 1/4" deep and make sure there is good drainage.
Do not let soil get dry or be too wet. Replant when seedlings are 8 to 12" tall.
Sometimes a pine cone can sprout seedlings (pictured above) from seeds that did not fully release. If you happen to find one, plant in half dirt (do not cover pine cone fully), it might make it into a tree!
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah from all of us at Pacific Vista Landscape Services!
Change can be good! Many people in Southern California are have a hard time giving up their lawn and going natural with native trees and plants. This can not only save water and money, the native landscape is more interesting and varied. It also takes less care overall and less water once the roots are established.
It takes a multi-pronged approach to maximize water utilization and conservation with landscaping. Removing turf grass is one of the most water conscious adjustments a property owner can make to reduce their water usage. Also, there are rebates available to help mitigate the cost, and the new landscape will save you water and money going forward.
Converting irrigation systems to drip, hand-watering or installing water efficient micro-spray systems or rotating nozzles ensures that landscape watering is as efficient as possible.
Finally, the addition of a sustainable approach in the new landscape works to reduce or prevent wasteful runoff through the use of a rainwater capture or filtration system.
There are many great native trees and plants that do well in our climate. Here are some good contenders from BeWaterWise.com for your native garden.
Are you ready to switch to a native garden? Contact us! At Pacific Vista Landscape Service, we can help you through the rebate process and are experts in all the essential elements, from turf removal to smart irrigation systems, it takes to create an efficient native garden.
A Great Addition to Your California Landscape
Mulberry trees are native to the midwest and China, but do well in California too! There are fruitless and fruit-bearing mulberry trees, all of which are fast growing and do well in drought conditions.
Mulberry trees love lots of sun and can grow well from a cutting. It is a deciduous tree that starts to produce fruit at a young age and can live over 75 years. The fruitless variety is used to feed silk worms. They can get very large and can be as wide as they are tall. This makes them a great shade tree!
The fruit-bearing trees are special. Mulberries are high in antioxidants, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Iron, Fiber, Riboflavin, Magnesium, and Potassium. Dr. Oz calls the mulberries a “super-food” that also provides protein. The juicy berries can be white, red, and very dark purple, and look similar to blackberries. They are also great for attracting birds to your garden.
Keep in mind that since they are fast growing, they can damage hardscapes, like walkways, with their roots. Also, the fruit can be messy during the spring to summer yield, so another reason to plant them away from walkways.
At Pacific Vista Landscape Services, our professionals are experts not only with soft and hard landscapes, but trees of all kinds. We offer a tree maintenance program to keep your trees healthy for years!
Call us today at 1-661-222-7525
