Pine cones are emblematic of the cold seasons. Crossed in abundance at the foot of the conifers of the garden or staking our steps during hikes in pine forests, they constitute a very appreciable help in the garden for those who know how to use them. The most creative also like to give them a second life by exploiting their strong decorative potential to embellish their interiors. To make you want to pick them up in order to keep them preciously, we have listed 8 great ideas for using these little wooden cones.
1) Decorate the pine cones to obtain a seasonal decoration
Children enjoy long walks to collect pine cones as much as improvised creative workshops to transform them into pretty objects to add in the decoration of the house. Whether it is to decorate a candlestick or a fir tree, decorate a centerpiece or a potpourri, adorn a decorative wreath for New Year’s Eve, create a garland or even make a real miniature fir tree with pompoms, sequins, touches of paint in pop colors or white spray paint for a snowy effect, the ideas for decorative upcycling are almost endless! You can finally add them to a homemade potpourri after putting a few drops of essential oil of your choice on them. This will bring a good smell and a bit of originality to the cup.
2) Add to compost
For successful composting, brown materials should be added to the compost bin. That’s where those little cones come in that bring lots of carbon, ash, lignans and tannins in your pile, everything you need to make it richer! Note, however, that pine cones take a very long time to decompose. It is therefore advisable to pass them through the shredder to obtain very fine sawdust or at least to pass them under a mower to create small shavings to add to the pile.
3) A pinecone mulch for garden plants
Mulching helps to combat the appearance of weeds in the garden while maintaining good humidity in the soil. It also keeps certain pests and insects at bay, starting with slugs or snails. Used to make this mulch, these structures which are used to group the reproductive organs of conifers have many very significant advantages. As explained earlier, their decomposition provides essential nutrients for soil fertility. Also, pine cones are free, and resistant to mold and fungus. Be aware, however, that they are rather sour. Also, prefer to use them for plants that like acidity (cornflowers, azaleas, etc.) or on calcareous soils that they help rebalance.
4) At the foot of plants to help drain them
No more clay pebbles! Prefer to add pine cones to the bottom of your pots to help drain your green plants.
