AusBonsai

This year one of the Red pine seed trees produced 15 cones so I was hopeful to have some seed to grow more.
Harvested the cones when they were just starting to open, brought them inside to finish opening to release the seed.

Initially it looks good. Lots of seed wings visible. But as I have previous experience, the fact that these wings have not fallen out as the cones opened rings alarm bells. Wings that don't come free easily don't seem to have developed any seed.

In the bottom of the container I find 3 wings with fully formed seeds. Hopes soar for a moment
This is what fully developed pine seed should look like. Those are the first to shed as the cones open but only 3 of these for the whole batch. The lighter colour is not encouraging. From experience, most light coloured pine seeds are not viable. So that's it for 2023 red pine seed harvest. Total of zero seeds. Total disappointment
As an optimist, next year is sure to be better.

When did you pick the cones and what colour where they?

PS thanks for the thread, it’s not all beer and skittles

Cones were picked nearly 2 weeks ago. They were still greenish but starting to turn brown. Picked because the scales of a couple had started to open. Experience is that after that they can all open in a few hours if we get a warm, sunny day and, as mentioned the good seed is the first to drop when that happens.
I have been caught before harvesting cones later in the season. What appear to be perfectly ripe cones have no seed inside because the scales open and close according to moisture so cones that have dropped the seed can close up again and appear perfect and unopened after rain or high humidity.

Still waiting for the majority of JBP cones to show signs of opening.

Shibui, do you pick the black pines off now then wait, or wait and then pick?

Shibui, do you pick the black pines off now then wait, or wait and then pick?

The cones are probably ripe enough now but I prefer to harvest pine cones when they show signs of opening as that gives maximum time for seeds to mature inside. It also means the cones are mature and ready to open so they'll open quickly and release the seeds cleanly. A couple of the JBP cones have already been harvested. When I first checked the tree a month ago one cone was already fully open which meant I had a moment of panic but all others seemed hard so I wated. Since then 2 more have showed signs of scales opening so I picked those. The remainder are still stubbornly green and closed so I am still waiting and checking every afternoon for signs.

I guess the answer to the original question is I wait then pick then wait

A couple more JBP cones starting to open today. I picked those few that have started to open but I'll leave the others a few more days.