How to Plant and Grow Pine

Pines (Pinus spp.) are landscape workhorses. They are a top choice for screening a view, wrapping a patio with lovely green privacy, providing interest along a foundation, or as an eye-catching focal point in the landscape. These hardworking evergreens are particular about their growing environment. Plant them in a location where they will thrive, and you’ll enjoy decades of year-round color while creating a valuable habitat for wildlife.

Where to Plant Pine

More than 100 species of pine trees and shrubs range from 3-foot-tall, shearable foundation specimens to lofty trees that stand 100 feet tall at maturity. Select a species native to your region. For example, an eastern white pine that is native to the northeastern United States and Canada would languish in central Georgia. A longleaf pine is native to the South and thrives in the heat there. Check with your local extension service or garden center to learn more about pines native to your area.

Plant your tree in a sunny spot with well-draining soil. Pay attention to spacing requirements for your variety if you are planting several for a windbreak.

How and When to Plant Pine

Plant bare-root or container-grown pines in spring. Dig a hole twice as wide and slightly deeper than the rootball of the pine. Loosen the soil in the bottom of the hole and amend it with compost. Gently spread the roots of a bare-root pine or remove a container-grown pine from its container and position the plant in the hole so it sits at the same depth it was growing relative to the soil line. Backfill the hole with amended soil, pressing down to remove air pockets as you work. Water thoroughly and spread a 2-inch-thick layer of mulch around the plant to prevent soil moisture loss.

Pine Care Tips

Easy-care pines thrive when their basic needs are met.

Light

Most pines grow best when they receive unfiltered, full sun for at least six hours a day. When planted in a shady area, they struggle.

Soil and Water

Pines need well-drained, moderately fertile soil. These conifers prefer acidic soil with a pH between 4 and 7, depending on the species.

Water newly planted pines every couple of days for the first month, then gradually reduce the frequency to once a week or more frequently during periods of drought.

Temperature and Humidity

Moderate summer weather produces a healthy tree that can fend off many diseases and insects. Some pine species have adapted well to high heat and humidity, while others are better at tolerating cold. Check with your local garden center for information on pines that grow well in your climate.

Fertilizer

Pines don’t require frequent fertilizer. Sprinkle a slow-release, granular fertilizer around the base of the pine twice a year, following the product instructions.

Pruning

Although it is seldom needed, the best time for pruning pines is in spring. However, you can prune at any time to remove dead or broken branches.

Pests and Problems

Pines are susceptible to several problems. Blights and rusts are the main diseases affecting pines. Difficult-to-treat blights and rusts are often fatal over time. Insect problems include pine weevils, bark beetles, pine sawflies, scale, and aphids. Many pine diseases and insect problems can be avoided by planting the tree in its preferred growing environment.

How to Propagate Pine

The easiest way to propagate pines is by stem cuttings. In midsummer, select 6-inch softwood stems and cut just below a leaf bud. Remove all the leaves from the bottom half of each cutting and make small, verticle slits at the cut end to encourage rooting.

Dip the cut ends into rooting hormone powder and insert two or three cuttings into a small pot filled with compost or potting soil mixed with perlite. Place the pots in a sheltered place away from direct sunlight, keeping the soil moist but not wet.

After a month (it might take longer depending on variety), check a cutting by gently tugging on it to see if it resists, indicating it has rooted. You may also see roots at the bottom of the pot. At this point, each cutting should be moved to an individual larger pot, where it can grow for a season or two before being transplanted to the landscape.

New Innovations

Plant breeders are continuously introducing new dwarf pines for small landscapes. These valuable plants often reach a mature size of less than 10 feet tall and wide. They also tolerate pruning well and can be sheared to a desired shape. You’ll find varieties with deep green needles, icy blue needles, and bright chartreuse needles—have fun with the color diversity of pines. Look for dwarf varieties of pine at your local garden center.

Types of Pine

Virginia Pine

Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana) is a small tree that can reach 40 feet tall in the landscape. When young, it is pyramid-shaped, and the crown flattens out as it ages. It is hardier than many Pinus species and attracts moths, birds, and butterflies. It is native to the eastern half of the United States. It is also known as scrub pine and Jersey pine. Zones 4–8

Eastern White Pine

The Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) is known for its fast growth and beauty. It needs a spacious landscape because it matures at 80 feet tall and 40 feet wide. This impressive conifer is the state tree of Maine and Michigan. Zones 3–8

Dwarf Mugo Pine

Dwarf mugo pine (Pinus mugo), also known as Swiss mountain pine, is a bushy, multi-stemmed pine that is rounded and spreads outward rather than upward. This slow grower reaches a mature height of 2 to 5 feet tall in about 10 years. It is typically used in foundation plantings. Zones 2-7

Pine Companion Plants

Although pines grow alongside each other to create a dense, evergreen screen, they also pair well with many plants to create a texture-rich privacy screen or attractive perennial beds and foundation plantings.

Shrub Rose

Although many roses have a reputation for being difficult to care for, shrub roses create color blocks of bloom almost all season and require almost no care. Most shrub roses have naturally attractive growth that doesn’t have to be shaped or fussed over to look good, and they mix well with other types of shrubs, perennials, annuals, and small trees.

Arborvitae

Arborvitae are rugged evergreen trees with an upright structural shape that can reach as tall as 60 feet or be shaped into interesting topiary garden art. Plant several in a row or combine them with other tall trees to create a living wall or frame a walkway.

Panicle Hydrangea

While many hydrangeas prefer shady areas, panicle hydrangeas thrive in full sun. They are usually larger than other hydrangeas, and their blooms are cone-shaped rather than round. Most panicle hydrangeas blooms are white, but as the weather cools, they turn pink.

Garden Plan for Pine

Foundation Garden Plan

This foundation garden plan is a colorful alternative to the standard all-green row of shrubs along the front of your house. It mixes shrubs with flowering perennials and a structural tree for a lovely welcome to your home.