I Used to Get Rid of Fallen Acorns and Pinecones – Until I Found Out How Useful They Are

Fall is an abundant time in the garden. Many vegetables and fruits are ready for harvest, leaves are turning color and falling, and trees are also dropping uncountable seeds and nuts. Many gardeners end up with an abundance of acorns from oak trees and pinecones from conifers.

If your fall garden is littered with these organic riches, don’t automatically rake and dispose of them. Instead, consider some of the smart and fun ways you can use this free and abundant resource for wildlife, garden plants, and décor.

1. Create a Slug and Snail Barrier

Slugs and snails are a constant issue for many gardeners. They love to chew holes through leaves and cause a lot of damage. What they can’t do is move well over jagged surfaces, so they’ll avoid any plants surrounded by a sharp, protective barrier.

If you have plants that keep getting attacked, create a natural barrier around them using spiky acorn tops, crushed pinecones, and whole small pinecones. You can also mix in crushed eggshells to fill in the gaps. If slugs are really getting to you, you might want to try this copper tape from Amazon – people swear by it.

2. Use Pinecones for Lightweight Pot Fill

Gather up pinecones as you build your fall planters. A layer of pinecones in the bottom of a pot improves drainage and lightens the container. This is especially useful for big pots that become very heavy if you have to fill them completely with soil.

Just be sure you leave enough room for soil so that your plant roots can grow and gather nutrients and water. And, don’t assume a pinecone layer is enough for drainage. You still need good quality soil and a pot with drainage holes in the bottom. These mini whiskey barrels from Amazon are fun.

3. Build a Bug Hotel

Native and beneficial insects, including pollinators, can use your help this fall. Lacewings, solitary bees and wasps, ladybugs, and other insects need dry, safe shelter for winter hibernation. The small nooks and crannies of pinecones offer an ideal space for small critters.

To create a bug hotel, put pinecones together with other natural materials to create a bundle that provides holes and tunnels for insects: hollow stems, bark, twigs, and small pieces of untreated wood.

Stack your materials together in a box, pot, or other container that you can lay on its side, providing access to insects. The materials should fit securely inside the space, so they don’t shift. Place your bug hotel in a spot that will remain mostly sheltered from rain and wind over the winter.

4. Feed Birds and Other Critters

Help your larger native wildlife with a feeding station using acorns and pinecones. They’ll appreciate the food offered over the winter when natural resources are scarce. For acorns, simply scatter them in an area where you don’t mind wildlife congregating, such as a quiet corner in the back of the garden.

Use pinecones to create hanging homemade bird feeders. Spread them with peanut butter or suet and roll in birdseed. Hang your mini feeders from a patio, porch, balcony, shepherd's crook, or even from tree branches to feed birds and squirrels. These suet blocks from Amazon are a great deal.

5. Create Natural Mulch and Pathways

Pinecones make a great natural mulch, especially for potted plants that need less material. Break up pinecones into smaller pieces and layer them around plants in containers or small beds. You can also use them whole around container plants as both a protective mulch and seasonal décor.

Crushed pinecones, small whole pinecones, and acorns also look nice as a natural pathway or border between plants, around the edges of beds, and between stepping stones in paths. Just be aware that acorns will eventually sprout, so you might want to remove them in spring.

6. Get Crafty

Finally, why not use some of these natural materials to make autumn crafts and decorations? Try decorating with pinecones to make seasonally appropriate additions to porch displays, arranged in pots or around pumpkins and gourds.

Use both acorns and pinecones to make fall wreaths, hanging ornaments, and garlands. If you’re planning to use them indoors, bake acorns and pinecones in the oven to dry them out and kill any pests. Bake them at around 200 degrees F (93 C) for one to two hours, but check every 15 minutes to avoid burning them.

What NOT to Do with Acorns and Pinecones

There are so many good ways to use these gifts of the fall garden, but we also have some pitfalls to avoid:

• Don’t use a lot of acorns in an area you don’t want to attract wildlife or where you don’t want them sprouting.
• While you can bake acorns in the oven to sterilize them for crafting, leave them raw if you plan to use them to feed wildlife.
• Don’t use any garden material that looks diseased. If there’s any question, toss it out with your yard waste.

This fall, don’t automatically rake up and throw away all your acorns and pinecones. Use some of this natural autumn treasure for both practical and decorative uses and start building a more sustainable garden.