BLACK PINE

BLACK PINE (Pinus nigra)

It is a coniferous, it can have a height of up to 30 m and a diameter up to 1 m. It has permanently dark green long aciform leaves. The wood is rich in resin, with inferior technological qualities. It supports well sunny exposures. The cones are grouped by 2-4. Seed maturation is achieved in 2 years.
Regarding the seeds, approx. 1 kg equals about 50,000 peeled seeds. Cones are great  for winter decorations.

• Cylindrical cardboard packaging, reusable in the household as a container for various objects, as a “piggy bank”, or as a support for writing instruments on the desk. Being made of cardboard, it is not resistant to moisture and can swell, therefore it can be damaged. The cylinder is recyclable, and by reuse you protect NATURE.
• Clay pot. Burnt clay is a brittle material. Be careful not to drop it, as it can break very easily. Although the kit encourages you to work with children, please be careful so they do no not get harmed with any shards resulting in the unfortunate event that the pot breaks. Don’t worry, if the pot is broken, you can continue the project with any other container, provided it is about the same size and has a small excess drain hole at the base.
• Sack with soil. The soil is a mixture of peat and compost. Both components are vegetal in nature. It does not contain additives or synthetic chemicals. It is not edible. The sack is reusable after a previous wash.
• Pipette. We considered it necessary for a controlled dosage of the amount of water. It is the only plastic object. Please reuse it after completing this project for other purposes. If you still decide to throw it away, please do it selectively, with plastic waste, to be recycled.
• Seed bottle. We chose to use the bottle as a container for the seeds because they are perishable. Like the clay pot, the bottle is brittle. It can break, and shards can cause cut wounds. You can reuse it or throw it away selectively.
• The Black Pine seeds come from cones collected from the Western Eastern Carpathians, in 2020, from an altitude of 630 m. The germination percentage is 25%, which means that statistically, one in four seeds is likely to germinate and give life to a tree. The seeds of this species are not edible, but their ingestion will not require any medical intervention. They are not treated with chemicals, touching them with your hand do not cause allergies. If are not used immediately upon purchase, the seeds are stored in the refrigerator between 3-10 ̊C. Thus, it can germinate for 1-2 years.

1. What happens if the seeds reach too deep into the soil?

If the seeds reach too deep, they risk not being able to penetrate the soil layer and will perish before sprouting.

2. What happens if the seeds become too shallow?

If the seeds become too shallow, they will germinate very quickly, the plant not having enough time to form a suitable root, so the seedlings will overturn.

3. Too little water?

If it receives too little water, it will wither. At this early age, a wilted plant can rarely be restored to its original state.

If it is considered that the water added according to the guide is too little, it is up to you to adjust the quantity. In these growth stages, the plants are very sensitive to deficit of water.

4. Too much water?

If it has too much water, it risks rotting. 

If it is considered that the water added according to the guide is too little, it is up to you to adjust the quantity. In these growth stages, the plants are extremely sensitive to excess water.

5. What to do with the refrigerated seeds?

You can use any other container and flower soil to grow a new generation of seedlings. They will usually sprout more seeds, which will later become seedlings. It is not desirable to separate them at this early age. They will be able to separate at transplanting, but carefully, without shaking too much soil.

6. Should I use fertiliser?

You should not use fertiliser, artificial or natural fertilizers for as long as the seedlings are in the pot and in the soil in the kit.