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Winter protection for young pines?
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Author:  sputnik [ 26 Aug 2015, 08:28 ]
Post subject:  Winter protection for young pines?
Not really concerned about temperature problems as I live on the south coast but after the recent rain I wondered if anyone gives their young pine trees protection from excessive rain and humidity? I have lost pines from what seemed to be fungal problems in the shoots in the past and it led to me avoiding them as species to keep.
I'm trying again and would like to give them the best chance possible this time. :think:
Author:  Artistmike [ 26 Aug 2015, 10:16 ]
Post subject:  Re: Winter protection for young pines?
For my pines, I've learned through experience to give them overhead shelter from the rain as much as possible during the winter. I have had one pine's needles go very yellow due to excessive moisture around the roots, so have learned to also keep the medium as open and free draining as possible to make sure there's no pooling around the root mass. Often when White Pines come into this country, depending on where they have been grown in Japan, they aren't in the best potting medium for our wetter winter climate, so getting that side of things right at the earliest opportunity will make a lot of difference to their future health..

It's also important to make sure though that they are exposed to the cold through the winter too, I keep them out of the worst of the wind and rain but exposed to cold air all the time and that seems to be what I find they like best.
Author:  stymie [ 26 Aug 2015, 11:05 ]
Post subject:  Re: Winter protection for young pines?
I make trunk sized holes in visqueen, which is put on the surface of the container to act as a mini brolly during the Winter sputters. No other protection is required.
Something heavy is put on top to keep them on in windy conditions.
Author:  sputnik [ 26 Aug 2015, 11:51 ]
Post subject:  Re: Winter protection for young pines?
Haven't got any white pines at the moment but all my Black, Red and Scots are in very free draining mixes.
I will try covering the soil as you recommend Don.
What about this years seedlings? Are they better under the bench where air flow is better but light not so good or in an unheated greenhouse?
Author:  Bill [ 26 Aug 2015, 15:26 ]
Post subject:  Re: Winter protection for young pines?
IMO the scots should be fine. mine are out in it all year.
the seedlings will be more delicate, you could put their pots in ziplock bags to keep the bulk of the rain off
Author:  sputnik [ 26 Aug 2015, 17:04 ]
Post subject:  Re: Winter protection for young pines?
Bill wrote:
IMO the scots should be fine. mine are out in it all year.
the seedlings will be more delicate, you could put their pots in ziplock bags to keep the bulk of the rain off


Doesn't this increase the humidity Bill?
Author:  NickB [ 26 Aug 2015, 19:23 ]
Post subject:  Re: Winter protection for young pines?
You can give a degree of protection simply by bringing them close to a house wall. We tend to get more wind and rain from the west, so by placing trees close to the east wall most rain is avoided.
Author:  Bill [ 27 Aug 2015, 16:19 ]
Post subject:  Re: Winter protection for young pines?
i meant just the pot, so you close each side of the zip towards the trunk as far as it will go and have the shoot sticking out the top. bit of tape each side too to stop the wind opening it.
Author:  sputnik [ 27 Aug 2015, 16:41 ]
Post subject:  Re: Winter protection for young pines?
Bill wrote:
i meant just the pot, so you close each side of the zip towards the trunk as far as it will go and have the shoot sticking out the top. bit of tape each side too to stop the wind opening it.


Silly me. :132doh:
Author:  paulpash [ 28 Aug 2015, 07:52 ]
Post subject:  Re: Winter protection for young pines?
You could also use your benches. Put an old tarp or shower curtain on it and secure with bricks. The shower curtain you can get at pound shops for, funnily enough, a pound :132doh: Use asda or tesco crates to keep them off the floor. Scots, white pine and mugo are very hardy, even as seedlings. There are literally thousands of Scots pine seedlings around here where I am now (Kielder forest) and they've had zero protection from frost which gets quite severe up here near the Scottish Borders. The antiseptic properties of the sphagnum moss they grow in must keep many harmful pathogens at bay.
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