What to Do with Pine Cones?

By Mary (Guest Post)

I put a lot on Freecycle.org website & many Scout leaders have taken trash bags full for crafts. If you have lots thay make wonderful "trees" by making a wide base, narrowing at the top w/chicken wire. You can first put Christmas lights inside the wire, then poke p cones into wire from outside & fill to top. Beautiful with red berries or ribbons added on outside. Great in an entry sitting on decorative urn. I understand they're more closed up when cold & expand when warmer.

By

klawrence34

Pine cones are supposed to be a good mulch for roses because of their high acid content. Mulch in the fall and remove the debris in the spring.

By

melody_yesterday

dip them in recycled candle wax & in some saw dust or dryer lint to make fire starters
If they are closed - put them on a cookie sheet & I THINK they will open up !
I set a candle in a basket on my table with some colorfull leaves & a few pinecones & acorns & such for a nice fall centerpiece

coat them with peanut butter & roll in some bird seed & hang in a tree for the birds !

By

chickybiker

You could try selling them on the internet! If you have loads, you could package them up and sell them to crafters on Ebay for example. You wouldn't have to charge a lot, but I bet they'd sell.

By

lorac456

Make a Christmas tree using several pinecones - With pinecones standing on their widest end (the base), glue the "sides" of them together in the form of a circle Some of the petals can interlock w/each other to help hold it in place. Just use hot glue to secure. When you have the size of circle you need to form the base of your Christmas tree (obviously this can vary, depending on the size of tree you want), repeat that step, only making the circle smaller. Glue that circle onto the base, using the same technique as mentioned above--allow some of the petals of the base of the smaller circle to interlock with the tips of the larger circle. Keep repeating these steps until you reach the "top" of your Christmas tree. The very tip should be just one (1) pinecone, the "layer" beneath that should be three (3) pinecones, and so on--forming larger and larger layers--depending on how large you want the entire tree. Decorate then with glitter, lights, miniature garlands, ornaments, etc..

By

badwater

You could donate them to a thrift store for those shoppers looking for inexpensive craft items for the holidays. Just a thought!

By Karen (Guest Post)

I also have 50 pine trees and many pine cones, so I came up with the idea to make wreaths for any time of the year. I spray them gold for Christmas and add small ordiments and mini lights for a nice centerpiece. I also use them on the front door, by hot glueing them together, and enbelish them for the season

By

susan_a362

If you have pine cones, you probably also have pine needles. My Dad's place in the country only supported pine trees, yucca, Indian corn, and strawberries. He said that even with the severe weather situations, these berries were the last thing remaining green before the blizzards, and the first thing to enjoy the Spring. What I'm saying is that they thrive under a mulch of pine needles. You might want to explore the possibility of wild strawberries (Aspen strawberries) in addition to other fun experiments.) Have fun

By

Jackie11065

During the fall many schools use them for art projects such as glueing on some paper feathers and making it a turkey, if you have a nursing home nearby ask the activity director if he/she would be interested in taking some of them for craft projects. If you have a craft store near you they may be interested.