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Home » Arts & Crafts » Nature

How to Grow a Tree from a Pine Cone

Published: Sep 29, 2022 · Modified: Oct 9, 2024 by Shelly · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

Overhead views of two different sprouts growing in glass containers.

How to grow a tree from a pine cone

Growing a pine tree from a pine cone has been on my list to try for a couple years. I have read several articles about it, but it took a couple of tries to get it to work!

Hopefully I can save you some time and effort and you can grow a pine tree on your first try with this "How to Grow a Tree From a Pine Cone" post.

The grandkids thought it was really cool!

Three pinecones, a green glass pot and bowl of dirt resting on plaid place mat.

Pine cone or pinecone? thus How to Grow a Tree from a Pine Cone

OK, so I looked this up and pine cone/pinecone can be spelled either way. I really don't like that about the English language. But, most of my keyword searches used pine cone so that is what I used in this post.

Harvesting and growing pine cones

I picked my pine cones up on a walk around town. They had fallen onto the sidewalk and had not sat on the ground for a long time. 

The goal is to choose pine cones that have not already opened and had the seeds drop out. 

Hand dumping handful of dirt into green glass pot with two pinecones resting on a plaid place mat.

Planting pine cones in pots

These three green glass containers were a Goodwill find. I thought they would look awesome with small pine trees growing in them. But they were such a dark green that it was hard to get a good photograph! Ah well.

It is good to use a bit of rock in the bottom of planters for drainage and then fill them up with potting soil. These containers are not ideal because they don’t have drainage holes in the bottom. That makes rock in the bottom even more important.

Hand pouring water from a small white creamer container on to pinecone resting on dirt in green pot.

How to Grow a Tree from a Pine Cone- container suggestion

Tip: I would recommend planting your seeds in regular flower pots. The decorative vases were fun but not practical.

On my first try to grow pine trees from pine cones I planted half of the pine cone directly into the potting soil and watered it. Nothing happened even after many days (yes I continued to water it). Crickets.

I did some more reading on what more to try.

Hand holding a pile of dried seeds from a pinecone resting on a plaid place mat.

How do you harvest pine nuts?

My husband had suggested putting the pine cones in the freezer and that is what I read in a couple other places. There are some seeds that take certain conditions to sprout- like fire or freezing.

The pine cones went into a marked paper sack and then into the freezer. I left them there for about 3 months. I don’t think that it is necessary for them to be there that long, that’s just how long it took me to get back to the project.

Hand placing seed in the dirt in a green glass pot.

Growing pine trees from seed

Seed of pine tree

When the pine cones came out of the freezer, I shook them in the bag for a while to get the seeds to drop out of the pine cone. It worked well. 

There were a number of seeds in the bottom of the bag!

Hand placing pinecone on dirt in green glass pot.

Planting pine cone seeds

Even though the first attempt of planting the pine cones didn’t work, it looked cool to have a pine cone in the planter, so I placed pine cones in each of the planters again and poked the seeds into the potting soil in front of them.

The pine cones made it easy to water the seeds. I added a small amount of water to the planter each day by pouring it onto the pine cone and letting it run onto the soil and seeds.

Close up view of a sprout growing in a glass green pot.

Pine tree sprout

It was so exciting to see a few seeds sprout up in a few days! The small plant pushed up through the dirt and the seed sat on top like a hat for about 24 hours! I kept sending pictures to the grands so they could see too.

Finally, the seed dropped off and the small branches of the pine stretched out. Now I can tell it is a pine tree!

When the little seedlings get bigger they will be transplanted into bigger pots for the winter. I may even try planting them directly outside this fall. 

Sprouts growing out of green glass pot sitting on plaid place mat.

More Outdoor Fall Crafts and Activities!

Either way this was a really fun project. I hope you enjoy trying it.

Fall is the time to find those pine cones so be on the look out. Let me know how it works!

Want more outdoor fall activities? Check these out!

  • Kids Quick Pinecone Bird Feeder
  • How to Grow Spring Flower Bulbs Inside
  • Treasure Hunt Nature Mobile
  • Tree Leaf Identification Journal

Check out and join the Welcome To Nanas YouTube channel if you like getting content that way. Here is the link to the YouTube version of this video!! YouTube- Growing a Pine Tree from Seed.

Three completed and sprouting trees with pinecones in green glass pots resting on plaid place mat.

Enjoy!

If you try this craft, let me know! Go ahead and leave a comment, rate it, and tag a photo with #WelcometoNanas wherever you post.

Come join the fun!

Sprouts growing out of green glass pot sitting on plaid place mat.

How to Grow a Tree from a Pine Cone

Shelly
Pick up pine cones this fall and learn How to Grow a Tree from a Pine Cone. Plant pine cones and seeds in pots and watch a pine tree sprout!
Print Pin
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Total Time 40 minutes mins
Type Nature craft/activity
Cuisine Science Project
Yield 1 tree

Equipment

  • none needed

Items Required
  

  • Pinecones 
  • Potting soil
  • Flower pots
  • Paper bag
  • Watering can

Instructions
 

  • Gather pine cones that have not already opened and had the seeds drop out. 
  • Place a bit of rock in the bottom of planters for drainage and then fill them up with potting soil.
  • Put the pine cones into a marked paper sack and then into the freezer. I left them there for about 3 months but it doesn't need to be that long a time.
  • Shake the pine cones in the bag for a while to get the seeds to drop out of the pine cones.
  • Place a pine cone in each of the planters (for looks only, optional) and poke the seeds into the potting soil in front of them.
  • Add a small amount of water to the planter each day by pouring it onto the pine cone and letting it run onto the soil and seeds.
  • Transplant the seedlings outside in the fall or spring!!

Video

Keyword family activity, how to grow a tree from a pine cone, Kid's science project, Nature Craft

Supplies for How to Grow a Tree from a Pine Cone

  • Pinecones
  • Potting soil
  • Flower pots
  • Paper bag
  • Watering can

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Comments

  1. Bern says

    September 23, 2023 at 1:32 pm

    How long do think It needs to stay in the freeze
    How can I get the seed to sprout out of the actual cone.
    Did you have it sun or would a grow light work.

    Reply
    • Shelly says

      October 06, 2023 at 7:46 am

      My pinecones were in the freezer about 3 months but I don't think it would have to be that long. I just didn't do the project until then.
      You could try putting the whole or half of the pinecone in the dirt to try sprouting it that way. I didn't have good luck with getting soil contact that way. Let me know if you are successful!!
      I had it where it received sunlight from a window- it was in the house to get it started.

      Reply
  2. Sarah says

    January 15, 2024 at 3:23 pm

    At what time of year can you find pine cones that still have seeds in them? I live in Southern Arizona and have never been able to find u opened pine cones.

    Reply

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Hello there! I'm Shelly (Nana), an artist, previously homeschooling mother of 3, and now proud grandma (Nana) of 6. I love sharing artistically inspiring, hands-on crafts for kids of all ages. Let's go have some fun!

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