November 19, 2023
How to Clean and Cure Pine Cones
This is an outdoor DIY task.
Plan to clean and cure at least 2-3 dozen pine cones if you are going to take the time and make the effort to do this DIY. If you only need a small number of pine cones, then it makes more sense to buy what you need.
Supplies:
-Pine cones
-White Vinegar
-Large bucket or pail
-Water
-Baking trays or pans (old ones no longer used in baking are recommended). Otherwise, use foil to line the trays.
-Oven
- Gently tap pine cones on hard flat surface, like a sidewalk, driveway or deck. Knock out the loose debris as much as possible.
- Fill bucket with 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water. Add pinecones
- Soak pine cones for 30 minutes. They will close up when wet.
- Remove pine cones from water and allow to air dry 10 minutes to remove some of the water.
- Tap pine cones again on hard surface to remove any other debris.
- Line cookie trays with foil. This is very important as the pine cones may release a gooey resin when they bake.
- Line up the pinecones on cookie trays. Allow just a little space between them for air movement.
- Place trays with pinecones in oven at 200-230 degrees. Check them after 2 hours to see if they are opening up. Remove from oven when pine cones are completely open OR remove from oven when partially open and allow to sit at room temperature until they finish opening. It may take a day or 2 depending on how large the pine cones are.
- Pine cones will be ready to use in your own DIY home décor projects.
- If you want to flock your own pine cones, watch the YouTube video on our Heartland Wreath Shop.channel.