How to Grow Scotch Pines
- 1). Remove weeds from within a 3-foot radius of the Scotch pine tree. If there are any other landscape plants or turf within this radius, consider digging them up and moving them.
- 2). Water the Scotch pine only during times of extreme drought. When you do water, use a soaker hose and run it for at least five hours.
- 3). Fertilize the pine every two years. Use a 15-5-10 fertilizer at the rate listed on the fertilizer bag for the size of your tree. Scatter it on the soil at the tree's dripline and water to a depth of 10 inches after the application.
- 4). Check the Scotch pine periodically for signs of pine wilt nematode, a parasite carried to the tree by a beetle. The first symptom is a yellowing branch. The infestation then takes over the entire tree, which turns yellow, then brown within three to four months. There is no cure; the tree must be cut down and destroyed.
