Red Pine - All Questions

Red Pine is suitable for planting in Zones 2-6. Alabama is not included in this region.

Ordinarily, deer are not interested in Red Pine. However, if food is scarce, just about anything can be fair game. For instance, typically, deer will not touch Spruce or Eastern Red Cedar either, but they've been known to damage the young seedlings if other more favorable food isn't available. If you have a significant deer population it doesn't hurt to protect the trees.

Watering: Water during the crucial first year of growth is the most important component to ensure seedling survival. In the event your seedlings are not receiving 1” or more of rainfall each week, it will be necessary to provide supplemental watering.

Deep watering approximately once each week is more beneficial than frequent light watering. Deep watering is achieved when the soil at and around the root zone is thoroughly watered, not just the surface area. This forces roots to grow deeper in search of moisture. We suggest 1-2 gallons of water each week, per plant.

The exception to this guideline is when temperatures are warmer than 85F, the planting site is in an area with exposure to hot sun or wind or drought conditions. It is necessary to provide more frequent deep watering under any of those conditions, up to 2-3 times per week.

We recommend half the mature width of the trees for privacy. Keep in mind that Red Pine shed their lower limbs as they mature.