When is it better to transplant spruce from the forest to the site. Tui requirements:

Many gardeners and owners of country houses do not risk planting spruce in their yard, considering that planting and caring for spruce is very difficult. This is not entirely true, since spruce, like any plant, has its own preferences for the planting site, soil, watering frequency and other sprout care procedures. But if you choose a place suitable for the tree and high-quality planting material, then the seedlings will not cause any trouble.

Preparing the substrate for growing blue spruce

The substrate for growing blue spruce from seeds was prepared in advance. It consisted of high-moor and lowland peat, river coarse-grained sand, fertilizers with a long period of action. The substrate was laid on a VLT-100 geotextile substrate of the Hungarian manufacturer of roof gardening materials DIADEM with the following parameters: water permeability coefficient (kn) 90 I m 2 / s with a density of 100 g / m 2. The thickness of the substrate for growing spruce together with the substrate was 25 cm.

Before sowing seeds of blue spruce, the soil surface in the greenhouse must be carefully leveled and tamped, after which it is necessary to mark the rows and aisles so that you can walk and work freely.

Origin story

The natural habitat of blue spruce is North America. It is this area that can be considered the birthplace of the blue spruce. In the natural environment, it grows at an altitude of 1700 - 3000 meters above sea level, mainly along mountain streams and rivers.

Due to its unpretentiousness and resistance to frost, this tree can grow everywhere. It is successfully grown in many countries and cities of Europe and Asia. Today, thanks to the efforts of breeders, about 70 varieties of blue spruce are known.

Preparing blue spruce seeds for sowing

For the experiment on growing blue spruce, it was decided to use 100 grams of seeds, which is about 18,000 pieces. Presowing seed preparation consisted of soaking them in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for 2 hours. Alexander Sergeevich did not use growth stimulants to prepare the seeds for sowing ate; instead, he introduced special fertilizers into the substrate. After processing the seeds of blue spruce with potassium permanganate, Alexander Sergeevich covered them with gauze and put them to dry in the sun. The gauze allowed to keep the seeds out of the bird's eye.

We plant and care for blue spruce

Our standard plots of 6 acres, to be honest, are completely small for all ideas. For example, the desire to plant a large-sized tree on the site sometimes remains for many only a pipe dream.
Many would like to decorate their plot with spruce. This evergreen plant is also characteristic of the Russian landscape, like the birch, so it just “asks” to land in a landscape style.

But which variety should you choose?

Common spruce is a bad idea!

The obvious idea is to dig a tree in the forest. Many do this. But, like any “simple” solution, it has a downside in the form of significant drawbacks.

Let's start with the fact that without a special permission from the forestry, such an act is illegal.

And most importantly - common spruce is completely unsuitable for a small plot! Unless you decide to make a bonsai out of it.

And here are the main reasons why it is better to leave an ordinary tree (Picea abies) in its native forest:

1. Norway spruce does not have a taproot, since in nature it grows in a group. Therefore, the tree needs protection from the wind, you cannot plant it alone.

2. For a young spruce, shading is required - otherwise the young needles will burn out in the sun, and the plant will die.

3. This seemingly unpretentious tree, in fact, requires fertile soil. After all, native forest soils are rich in a humus layer, and are also ideally moistened.

4. The beauty of ordinary spruce is very controversial.

Care of seedlings of blue spruce

On the 6th day after sowing, the first shoots appeared, but these were weeds, not spruce, so the site had to be weeded out. Spruce seedlings appeared only on the 9th day. Young greens separated from the seed and after a month its height was 3 - 4 cm, the seedlings had a rich blue color.

In more sunny areas of the greenhouse, blue spruce seedlings developed more intensively.

During the period of emergence, you should not get carried away with watering - you just need to slightly moisten the soil.

To prevent the appearance of root rot, which is almost inevitable for such young plants, Alexander Sergeevich introduced a dose of fungicide. Then, 2 times a month, the ate seedlings were treated with a solution of a wide spectrum insecticide "Enzhio", prepared at the rate of 3.6 ml of the preparation per 10 liters of water.

Pruning and shaping the crown of a blue spruce

Blue spruces do not need systematic pruning, since the crown of the tree is formed on its own. But it is worth paying attention to the plant at least several times a year, since sick and broken branches, dry and yellowed ones, which negatively affect the development and decorativeness, should be removed from the trunk!

Also, if there is a desire to independently form the crown and control the growth of the spruce, you can do this, but preferably until the age of 7-8 years. After that, it is better to leave the blue spruce alone and let it develop further completely on its own.

Result

The germination and "survival" of the plants was, as promised by the seed producers, very high, the grade - about 90%. All the funds and efforts spent on growing blue spruce from seeds were fully justified, the result of the work done was already visible in September.

• When buying planting material, pay attention to its quality. Seedlings from varietal seeds have a blue color already at the age of one, although many argue that the real color of the needles appears only by the 4th year of the seedling's life, while selling low-quality one-year planting material to the buyer. Shades from gray to dark green needles will be constant after reaching a height of 35 cm, that is, at the age of three.
• When transplanting blue spruce seedlings, keep in mind that with a seedling height of 10 cm, the root length is at least 15 cm.
• The greatest survival rate of one-year-old spruce seedlings during transplantation is observed in November and March. A lunge within 10% is a very good indicator.
• It is better for amateur gardeners to buy two to three year old seedlings, plant them and continue to grow in a permanent place.
• If you grow a blue spruce from seeds on your own, it is better to sow the seeds in special seedling cassettes - a transplant with an earthen clod increases the percentage of plant survival up to 98%.
• For growing blue spruce from seeds, Canadian peat tablets for forest crops "Forestry" with full complex fertilizers for rapid plant development have proven themselves well (). The seedlings grown in these tablets are 3 times more in development than their annuals. Unfortunately, these pills are quite expensive, so finding them in the store is problematic. Many state-owned forests grow quality planting material in such peat pellets with a pH of 4.3, thereby ensuring the future of the forest.

As you can see, growing a blue spruce from seeds is not that difficult. True, it will take a very long time to wait for the appearance of cones on it.

Conifers do not lose popularity due to their attractive appearance; spruce trees are planted in various areas as a decoration. Needles such as blue spruce are endangered species and are listed in the Red Book, so the cost of seedlings is quite high. A special feature of this species is the color of the needles, but when grown independently, only 30% of the individuals have the desired color, the rest have a standard green color.

Many owners of country houses buy cuttings of blue spruce for further cultivation, but financially there is a more profitable option - getting plants from seeds. In addition to saving money, the gardener gets a healthy tree adapted to the surrounding conditions.

How to cover a spruce for the winter

Saplings ate several years old need protection from the cold. It is recommended to mulch the roots of plants with a layer of peat, cardboard, rotten leaves, at least 10 cm thick. The green part of the spruce is wrapped in paper, film or covering material. Cuttings growing in the ground for the first year can be covered with a plastic bottle.

To do this, a wooden frame is assembled around the tree, which will cover the spruce to the crown, and several layers of covering material are already wound around it.

Such a protection system is necessary, since the tree can break from strong winds, from a heavy mass of wet snow accumulated on the branches, and the bright sun reflected from the snow can cause burns. Despite the fact that the spruce is accustomed to harsh winters, it is better to take care of the seedlings on your own plot, groom and cherish so that after the winter frosts you do not have to start all over again.

Weak plants are often susceptible to disease. This is due to the weakened by frost or sunburned plant immunity, increased acidity of the soil or excessive watering. It is better to isolate the diseased plant from the rest and treat it with special preparations that can be bought in horticultural centers or nurseries.

A spruce growing on a personal plot has a huge number of useful properties and brings the owner not only aesthetic pleasure, but also benefit. Like all conifers, spruce perfectly cleans the air, treats respiratory and pulmonary diseases, including asthma. The air near this tree is always a little cleaner, and it is easier and more pleasant to breathe. In addition, conifer broths and infusions have natural bactericidal and antiseptic properties. Another pleasant effect of growing fir trees on the site is the absence of mosquitoes and midges.

The smell of resin does not like the blood-sucking gnat very much, so it will be much more pleasant to rest next to a coniferous plant. Because of the dense shade this plant gives, it is often planted along paths in parks and squares, and in a small garden area, just a few plants will be enough to protect from the sun.

Many summer residents and gardeners completely in vain avoid planting a spruce on their site, since planting and caring for this tree, in their opinion, is very difficult, like the process of growing spruce from seeds. In fact, the Christmas tree growing on the site does not cause any trouble, but on the contrary, heals and saves from mosquitoes. To do this, it is not at all necessary to plant a huge blue spruce, dwarf decorative varieties look no worse than a forest giant, but take up much less space.

Methods of obtaining

Ate can be propagated in three ways:

• vaccination;
• cuttings;
• seeds.

The simplest way is grafting - specimens are rooted in a greenhouse, open ground adversely affects small needles. In order to plant a blue spruce, experts recommend using winter cuttings, they will give results 3-4 times faster.They take root when the buds swell, it is important to maintain optimal conditions of humidity and temperature. After 5-6 years, the growth of the spruce reaches 1 meter, then it is transplanted to a permanent place.

Reproduction methods

Ate is propagated by both seedlings and seeds. Also experienced gardeners graft a cutting on a frost-resistant stock another coniferous tree.
When sowing seeds, it is necessary to take freshly harvested seeds, since during the year their ability to germinate is lost. It can be extended up to 15 years if the seeds are stored at a temperature of 0 to +5 ° C in an airtight place. When sowing in spring, an acceptable temperature is 3-5 ° C. Before direct sowing into the ground, the seeds are mixed with a wet substrate 1: 3 and infused for 1-3 months.

Blue spruce is very popular among gardeners. Planting and caring for it, however, requires some knowledge, and you also need to make an effort and be patient in this difficult matter.

Painstaking work

Getting needles from seeds is a rather lengthy process, in which it is important to adhere to all recommendations and initially choose the right material.

Seed collection

To grow a blue spruce on your own, you need planting material - the seeds are taken out of the cones. The best time for harvesting cones is February; the middle of the month will be ideal. The cones are folded into a cloth bag and placed near the heating device to open them. So after a few weeks, the seeds can be easily retrieved without damage. Then they are cleaned of lionfish, gently rubbed together in a bag, and to remove essential oils, they are washed with running water and dried.

To protect against bacteria, the seeds are washed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate and wiped with a cloth. For storage, they are put in a clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and placed in the refrigerator until mid-March. Natural storage in the cold of seeds before sowing should be carried out in natural conditions, that is, with the help of snow. But you don't always have to count on a long snowy period, so they replace it with a reliable home refrigerator. You can buy seeds already processed and ready to plant on the market, but you need to know a good producer.

Soil preparation

For the correct growth of sown specimens, the soil must be prepared, conifers die when they are placed on the planting sites of vegetable crops. The best option is considered to be the soil after the lawn grass, mixed with the soil from under the needles. It is imperative to add peat fertilizer to the soil. In greenhouses, two planting methods are used:

• directly into the ground;
• using additional containers.

In the case of planting seeds in a pot, a mixture of peat, limestone flour and ammophos is prepared in advance (for 6 kg, 35 g and 20 g of substances, respectively) are used. This mixture is poured into containers, which will be buried deep in the ground in a greenhouse. If you do not use containers, then you will need an additional top layer consisting of coniferous sawdust and peat.

Landing

Planting of blue spruce is carried out at an ambient temperature of + 15 ° C, it is important to accurately determine the sowing date. Because after the temperature change, the chilled seeds are stored for no more than 50 hours. Before planting, they are taken out of the jar and treated with foundation, for this a solution is prepared (20 g of substance is used for 10 liters of water).

The soil must be well moistened, therefore, before starting work, it is moistened. In containers, the seeds are buried up to 1.5 cm, and covered with foil on top. And in open ground, needles are not sown, at first they are thoroughly rammed. Seeds are placed on top, covered with a mixture of peat and sawdust with a layer of 1 cm.The distance between individual seeds should be 3-5 cm.

First results

The first shoots appear in 10-15 days, with a frequent arrangement of blue spruce seedlings, it is worth thinning out the plants.Only strong specimens are left, the distance between them should be 6-7 cm.At this time, it is important to maintain optimal conditions of detention:

• watering is not carried out, but only the seedlings are sprayed 2 times a day;
• the temperature should not be lower than + 13̊С, but not higher than 15̊С;
• night frosts and direct sunlight have a detrimental effect on young plants.

Within a month, seedlings with blue needles 3-4 cm high can be observed. It is worth noting that sunlight has a positive effect on the growth rate of specimens. To prevent damage to plants from root rot, a fungicide is first introduced, then the plants are directly treated with an insecticide solution.

Transfer

Getting a beautiful blue spruce is impossible without transplanting annual plants, which is carried out in early spring. After the seedlings have reached a certain level, it is necessary to plant the existing specimens, it is important not to lose the plants during this period.

Pits for seedlings are preliminarily prepared, soil from under the needles is added to them for further development. Small trees are dug out of the soil and the roots of individual plants are separated, they work quickly and carefully so as not to damage or dry out the specimens. Next, the roots are treated with a clay mash and planted in a garden bed.

Subsequently, standard care is required, by the third year, as a rule, only half of the seedlings remain. Then the transplant is carried out again - it is needed to provide sufficient space for the spruce root system. Then the specimens are seated at a distance of 1 m.

When choosing a blue spruce for planting, you should pay attention to the color of small specimens, annuals already have their own characteristic features. At the same time, unscrupulous sellers can argue about the appearance of blue needles only at the age of three.

When determining the quality of a seedling, they look at its root system - a sample 10 cm high should have roots of at least 15 cm.High survival rates of specimens are noted in March and November, in other months, experts do not recommend transplant manipulations. It is better to transplant from special containers immediately with a clod of earth, so the integrity of the root system is not violated. There are potting mixes on the market that make growing spruce a simple task.

Getting strong and beautiful plants from seeds is painstaking work, but with proper care, the results will exceed expectations. A photo of a blue spruce can serve as a good incentive to start the process, then small trees will delight with their growth.

Blue spruces differ from ordinary ones not only in the color of the needles, but also in their structure. They are often used for the aesthetic design of a suburban or suburban area. The main advantage of using fir trees for these purposes is the independence of these plants from the season. They will delight the eye all year round with fluffy needles with a blue tint. It is difficult and time-consuming to grow this plant from seeds on your own, but after a few years, the result on the site will really please you.

Types of root system and its size

As already mentioned, before the age of five, the spruce root system has a core structure. Closer to the age of ten, the root shaft completely atrophies, more precisely, it transforms, overgrowing with the tree bark of first-order roots. So, from about the age of 6 years, the root system becomes a fibrous type. Vertical shoots penetrate into the ground to a depth of 1.5–1.6 m.

Did you know? Norway spruce is quite capable of living for 3-4 centuries. Its growth by that time can reach 35–45 m.

But the system reaches such an indicator closer to 15-16 years old, when the main root is no longer there. Although the roots in their density exceed the crowns by almost 100%, this has little effect on the radius of the system. The roots do not just grow horizontally, but begin to branch and intertwine profusely, creating a kind of tangle.

In width, they also grow, but mainly, they develop inside this very ball. Growth in width, especially in the upper layers of the soil, where there is good aeration, continues throughout the life of the tree. By the age of 20, the radius of the root system can reach 2 m or more.

How to get and prepare seeds

You can get enough seeds to grow blue spruce trees for free. To do this, you will have to put in a little effort. First of all, you need to wait for February to harvest the cones. By this month, the seeds in them will be fully formed and suitable for sowing.

1. Find a blue spruce and remove some cones from the branches.
2. Place the collected cones on a radiator or Russian stove to dry and open.
3. It is best to place newspapers under the buds, as after a while the seeds will begin to separate from them. You can find out the material for sowing by the characteristic wings, which allow the spruce to reproduce in nature.
4. The seeds should be left to warm up further.
5. After they are completely dry, remove the wings.
6. Rinse the seeds to remove essential oils from the surface. If you skip this stage of preparation, germination will be slowed down.
7. Dry the seedling material again to prevent fungal infections.

After preparing the seeds, you can start germinating them. There is also no need to rush to do everything according to the rules and raise strong young growth. First, it is necessary to treat the seeds with a weak solution of potassium permanganate in order to remove pathogenic microorganisms from the surface of the seeds. For this, the planting material is placed in a cup with diluted potassium permanganate for several minutes and then dried. After the seeds are completely dry, transfer them to a clean bowl and close the lid. Place the dishes in the refrigerator for about two months.

Pests and diseases of the coniferous plant

Hermes

Hermes. The larvae of this pest are located on the shoots and represent a thickening. For a speedy cure, the affected branches are removed. In this case, the tree should be treated with chemicals (insecticides) to destroy harmful insects. Also, these drugs are applicable for the defeat of the spruce by the sawfly. The pest damages the bark, and therefore protruding resin is visible on it with the naked eye.

Blue spruce is also susceptible to fungal infections. In case of fungal infection, the affected spruce must be destroyed, this will preserve the rest of the trees. However, when there is only one tree on the site, treatment is carried out by a different method. The soil around the spruce is treated with phytosporin and gamair preparations.

Is it possible to sow blue spruce at home

Experienced gardeners suggest sowing spruce at home, since indoors it will be easier for you to create good conditions for growing seedlings. Weather permitting, the boxes in which you will grow seedlings can be placed in a greenhouse. Otherwise, a window sill will do.

For sowing, you need to soak the seeds in a solution of trace elements that increase germination for 10 hours. After the end of soaking, do not forget about the preparation for planting, since it is impossible to allow the seeds to be left without soil (after cold) for more than 50 hours.

Dissolve 20 grams of foundationol in a ten-liter bucket of water and treat the seeds with it after soaking. This will allow you to grow blue spruce more resistant to various diseases.

Prepare the mixture into which you will sow the spruce. It should consist of peat (5 kilograms), to which ammophoska (20 grams) and limestone flour (30 grams) are added. Place it in pots or seedling boxes. Spruce loves warmth, so install containers in a warm place - on a windowsill or in a greenhouse. Next, sow the seeds as follows:

• make holes in the ground 1.5 cm deep;
• put a seed in each;
• sprinkle the grooves with soil mixture;
• Tighten the pots with plain cling film.

If you will be sowing seeds in a greenhouse in the ground, then you must first tamp it. The seeds are placed at a distance of 5 centimeters from each other on the surface layer of the soil. Sprinkle the seeds with a mixture of peat and sawdust of coniferous trees.

Planting fir trees

Many people wonder if it is possible to plant conifers on their site, as well as how to grow a spruce. The blue herringbone planting method does not differ from other decorative forms of seedlings. the main condition is to preserve the root system from drying out, since open roots die within 15-20 minutes. You should also protect them from exposure to wind and sun. The roots of the seedling must be wrapped or placed in a container.
They also prefer light, loose soils and loams; stagnant water is contraindicated for them. In this regard, the soil must be well drained.

Landing features:

• large spruces must be planted in winter;
• the pit should be 50 to 70 cm deep;
• the distance between tall trees should be at least 2-3 meters;
• around the trunk, the soil should be sufficiently loose, and in its composition there should be soddy deciduous soil, as well as sand and peat;
• the drainage system should be about 20 cm in thickness, it is possible to use fine gravel and sand;
• the introduction of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizers after planting has a beneficial effect on the development of the plant. Also, when planting in a hole, it is recommended to add a layer of earth along with spruce needles from the place where the spruce grew.

When planting young seedlings of this beautiful tree, you must also observe some prerequisites:

1. Choose a well-lit place for planting. Although spruce is a shade-tolerant tree, blue spruce requires sunlight, because in the shade their color becomes less bright, and the crown is loose.
2. Suitable for planting are specimens that have grown in a container for at least the last six months, and their root system is strong and ready for transplantation.
3. It is preferable to choose a seedling at the age of 3-5 years, since the tree is already strong enough, it is easier to adapt to the surrounding conditions and is ready to decorate the site with itself.
4. There should be no weeds at the planting site, and the planting hole should be dug a little more than the volume of the tree's root system. This is due to the fact that it will be easier for young roots to make their way in the soft ground.
5. After removing the seedling from the container, you need to pour a little soil from it to the bottom of the pit.
6. It is necessary to place the seedling in the hole so that the ground levels coincide. With excessive deepening or, conversely, planting above the level, the root system suffers, and the tree may die.
7. The place around the seedling is sprinkled with earth and carefully tamped in order to avoid air access to the roots.
8. Immediately after planting, the spruce must be watered well, then it will be easier for the roots to penetrate the soil.

If the tree is not transplanted from a container, then it is better to carry out this process in early spring, until the plant begins to actively grow. After frost and thawing of the earth, the seedling is dug up together with a lump of soil and transplanted. As already mentioned, it is important not to dry out the roots, which is why spruce seedlings are always sold with closed roots. They are wrapped with the earth or placed in a container.

How to care for seedlings

The spruce should rise three weeks after sowing. As soon as the first shoots appear, it is necessary to thin them out. It is important to remove all weak and damaged seedlings. Leave only smooth and beautiful sprouts. In addition, it is necessary to maintain a distance of 7 centimeters between shoots.

Interestingly, there is no need to water the spruce at this stage. It is enough just to spray them and the soil twice a day. The soil should not dry out, and the needles should be moistened moderately. If you spray it too abundantly, you can easily damage the shoots. In this case, it will not work to grow strong seedlings.

After the appearance of young growth, it is necessary to change the temperature regime. Spruce grows well at a temperature of about 15 degrees above zero. It is important to protect seedlings from direct sunlight. It is worth carefully monitoring the temperature, young plants do not tolerate frost.

How to transplant a tree from a forest to a pot. How to plant a Christmas tree from the forest

It is not always possible to buy a spruce, sometimes it is dug up in the forest, however, in order for such a tree to grow on the site, it is important to choose the right plant. So the trees on the outskirts of the forest, which reach a height of one and a half meters, will be optimal.

In order for the tree to grow and develop normally, the transplanting process must obey a number of rules. If they are observed, problems will be minimized.

So it is recommended:

• Under the selected tree, dig a circle along the diameter of the lower branches to a depth of half a meter.
• After that, you need to start carefully digging up the roots. At the same time, be sure to mark with ribbons where the tree had the north and where the south side.
• The latter is especially important when planting, helping to reduce stress on the tree;
• After the tree has been dug out, fill the bag with the native soil of the spruce;
• When it is delivered to the site, start preparing the pit, which should correspond in size to the land coma;
• At the bottom of the pit, be sure to pour the forest soil native to the tree;
• Carefully place the roots in the dug hole, make sure that the roots do not curl or break, if this happens - expand the edges of the hole;
• Make sure that the location of the branches corresponds to the south and north. Sprinkle the roots with the rest of the forest soil, moisten with fertilizer and water abundantly.

The main care for a young seedling is regular and abundant watering. The earth should not dry up, this can lead to his death.

When and how seedlings are transplanted

In the spring, before the beginning of the stage of active growth, it is worth starting to transplant the seedlings to a new place in the open ground. They should already be well grown. If you do this work incorrectly, you can damage the young growth, and it will be difficult to grow a beautiful tree. Most likely, it will be of an irregular shape. In the worst case, the seedlings may die completely.

1. Dig out the seedlings carefully, taking care not to damage the roots. Separate the branches, being careful not to break them.
2. Plant roots are treated with dissolved clay.
3. Collect coniferous soil in the forest. You will need it to fill the holes with young seedlings.
4. Make small holes a little apart from each other.
5. Place young seedlings in them and sprinkle with prepared soil.

At this point, the blue spruce will need to be left for three years, then the transplant procedure is carried out again. Be prepared for the fact that it will not be possible to grow spruce from all young growth. This is a very capricious tree; in the first years in the open field, most of the plants die. It is also worth noting the slow growth of fir trees, so please be patient.

There are plants that many of us would like to acquire. And one such crop is the common spruce, a traditional New Year tree that is most commonly found in forests. In fact, each person, if desired, can grow it on their own, having only a certain amount of knowledge about the requirements of such a plant. You may well get your own small Christmas tree in a pot, and eventually plant it in an open space. Let's figure out how to grow a spruce from a cone seed and a twig?

How to grow spruce from seeds?

To do this, of course, you need some cones. You can collect several options for planting material, from different trees.

In order to make the grains easier to get, the cone should be dried a little. You can place it for this on a radiator or near a gas stove.

The resulting seeds should be dipped for about half an hour in a 0.5% solution of potassium permanganate, this will help eliminate a variety of aggressive particles from them. Then rinse the planting material with running water and leave to lie in the water for about a day for full swelling. Next, place the seeds in nylon bags with wet soil (sand) and refrigerate for two to three months. This process is called stratification.

After the prepared material can be used for planting. You can sow seeds in special greenhouses, or you can use ordinary pots or boxes. The best soil option will be soil brought from a spruce forest. Do not bury the seeds in the ground, just scatter them over the surface, and grind them about one centimeter with the soil on top. It is advisable to cover the box with a covering material that can scatter direct sunlight.

After planting, it is worth systematically moistening the soil, preventing it from drying out and waiting for seedlings. Please note that the soil should not be too wet, as the spruce simply will not grow under such conditions. After the seeds germinate, wait a little and thin them out, leaving the most viable ones. In the first year of life, seedlings need a one-time feeding; for this purpose, a mullein solution (1: 5) can be used.

The transplant is carried out in the second or third year of the plant's life, in such a place the spruce will grow for about four more years. Young seedlings should be systematically watered, weeded and fertilized.

How to grow a spruce from a twig?

A spruce can be grown from a branch - a stem cuttings. Planting material can be harvested at different times of the year. If you cut the twig at the end of April, it may well take root in the year of planting.

The material collected in June (during the intensive growth of shoots) forms a callus in the first year, and takes root in the second. You can also cut the stalk in August, at this stage, the growth of the shoots has already stopped, and the process of their lignification starts.

It is believed that it is the August branches that are best used for growing fir trees. It is also quite possible to cut a branch in the fall (from September to November), such planting material will be lignified or winter.

The planting of summer and spring branches is carried out right there, and those cuttings that are already lignified should be placed in a fairly cool place (about one to five degrees) with a high degree of humidity and stored until spring.

The branches of young plants, whose age ranges from four to eight years, are distinguished by the best survival rate. For cultivation, it is worth cutting off only annual shoots. In the lower part of such material (by two to six centimeters), you need to carefully remove the needles. Most often, the length of the spruce cutting is ten to twenty-five centimeters.

Shoots located on the upper half of the crown will be an excellent choice for cuttings. The planting of branches is carried out in a greenhouse, while preference is given to special structures with heating and a fogging installation. However, a cold greenhouse is also quite suitable, which every amateur can easily build. Drainage from small pebbles four to five centimeters thick is placed on the bottom, then it is worth pouring sod soil (ten to twelve centimeters) and washed river sand (about five to six centimeters).

Further, such a section is covered with a film so that the interval between it and the sand is about thirty centimeters. To provide shading, burlap is placed over the film. In such a greenhouse, a temperature of about twenty one to twenty seven degrees should be maintained, while the ambient temperature will be five to seven degrees lower. For heating, you can use manure, which will reheat and create the necessary heat.

Immediately before planting, dip the cutting halfway into a non-concentrated solution of potassium permanganate or into a solution of a root growth stimulator. The planting is carried out in the sand at an angle of thirty degrees, deepening the twig by two to six centimeters. After this, abundant watering is carried out.

After the cutting, it is worth watering using a watering can with small holes, such a manipulation is carried out once a day, and more often in summer (up to four times a day). After the roots appear, watering is reduced to daily, and shading is removed. For the winter, a rooted plant should be covered with sawdust or dry foliage. The transplant is carried out in April next year.

We talked about how to grow a fir tree from a cone or from a branch. This is quite feasible. Thus, even a novice gardener can grow a spruce on his own.

Blue spruce - with a noble color. The plant is necessarily planted in European squares and near private cottages. They planted the "noble" and near our office buildings.

Not everyone can afford to buy a ready-made one - this species of coniferous tree is referred to as endangered species

... The price for a one-meter copy ranges from 4 to 7 thousand rubles, a two-meter one costs four times more. Skillful summer residents manage to grow a blue spruce from seeds from mature cones found in the park at the end of winter.

Important!
The shade of the sown spruce ranges from bright blue to bluish green and green. It takes a lot of effort to grow a real blue Christmas tree. 2/3 of the seedlings turn green instead of the noble blue color.

Transplanting large pine trees. Transplant of coniferous large-sized

Planting even the smallest seedling requires maximum effort and knowledge, and even when transplanting a large coniferous tree (spruce, pine, cypress), professional help is needed, since this work is very hard, requiring significant physical effort, great knowledge in gardening, digging and preparing for moving and landing. Of course, replanting old trees is not recommended, since their survival rate is minimal, and the stress during digging and moving will be significant. Choose coniferous trees no more than 15-20 years old for transplanting.
About one year before transplanting a large coniferous tree, prepare the tree. Earlier in the spring, before the onset of the growing season, dig a hole around the tree with a shovel, half a meter deep and slightly wider than the crown of the tree. Carefully chop off all surface roots with an ax and clean. The cuts of the roots should break off sharply and be smooth, then they should be lubricated with garden pitch.

Fill the dug hole around the tree with soil (turf, peat, rotted manure taken 1: 1: 1), you do not need to tamp, but only water it well. Further, throughout the summer, the tree needs to be thoroughly shed periodically. By the way, you shouldn't worry about felled roots: the trimmed roots will overgrow with new fibrous ones during the season. It is these roots that will make it possible for a large coniferous tree to survive a transplant more or less easily.

In the fall, you can start transplanting the large ephedra. Think in advance how you will deliver the tree to its destination, because this is not a seedling that you can freely carry in your hands, but a large coniferous tree. If you do not have your own freight transport, then I advise you to resort to the services of people involved in cargo transportation (cargo transportation of 5 tons in Russia). I also do not recommend ordering a car for a smaller volume: if

the crown can still be estimated at some weight approximately, then the roots can be miscalculated. Therefore, let the machine be designed for more weight.

It is necessary to dig the ephedra from the outside of the hole dug in the spring, so as not to damage all the overgrown fibrous roots. It is advisable to involve more people in this work, otherwise the digging process alone may take a long time, and the bare roots will suffer.After digging and transporting the tree to the desired location, prepare a planting hole. Its size should significantly exceed the size of the root system of the transplanted tree.

The soil for filling the voids should be made up of special soil. It is not recommended to bury the tree with soil extracted from the hole when digging. In such a land there are few useful substances, it is poorly ventilated, which will negatively affect rooting. So, the soil should be as follows: 1 part of sod land, 1 part of leaf, 1 part of sand, 1 part of peat, 0.5 part of straw. All voids must be spilled, if uncovered areas remain, the tree may subsequently tilt or fall altogether. You are not replanting a small tree, so you should still take into account the possibility of an uneven installation. Then the tree is spilled with a lot of water.

When transplanting large trees, be sure to take into account the orientation to the cardinal points, otherwise sunburn of the branches and trunk is possible. If transplanted incorrectly, a tree can grow poorly or stop growing altogether. After planting, the ground around the tree should be mulched so that moisture does not quickly evaporate from the surface.

Brief characteristics of the plant

Blue spruce is rightfully called the most prominent species of the coniferous family. In the field and enjoys tremendous popularity. A slow-growing tree with a bluish color of thorny needles has its own characteristics.

In our area, the "noble" coniferous tree reaches a maximum height of 15 m.

The thickness of the fir-tree crown is from 6 to 8 m. In the ancestral home of coniferous species, these indicators are twice as large. The crown is conical or cylindrical.

Depending on the variety and temperature conditions in the locality, the needles of the branches vary in color from a deep blue to a grayish-green gamut. Cones of a young tree shimmer with red or purple color, mature ones - light brown.

Representatives of the elite breed have a high level of resistance to strong frost winds and arid soil. This allows us to grow varieties in different climate zones of our regions. The frost resistance index is up to -30 ° C.

Coniferous branches do not suffer from the smog of megacities. An exquisite silvery bloom is clearly visible on the needles. In addition to its decorative qualities, it retains moisture and provides a barrier against the ingress of dirty air. Therefore, you can grow a spruce from seeds at home for landscaping a backyard in the city.

Features of the growth of spruce roots

The first 10-15 years of a tree's life, its root system is tap-type, after which the central root dies off, and the spruce feeds mainly through the roots located within a radius of 1.6-1.8 m from the trunk. Due to the shallow location of the roots, the tree does not tolerate strong winds. Most of the spruce roots, more than 80%, are located in the surface layer of the soil, at a depth of 10 cm. The roots are very dense and intertwined.

Starting at a depth of 10 cm, the root system loses its density. At this level, the volume of the roots is only 16–18% of those located above, just below the layer of the soil surface. In addition, in the upper layer, there are about 10 times more large roots than in the deeper layer (below 10 cm). At a depth of more than 30 cm and up to half a meter, there are only 2% of the total mass of spruce roots. But in the uppermost layer of the substrate (5–8 cm), the root system branches densely, adheres well to organic residues.

Important! Spruce should not be planted closer than 4 m from the house. After 20 years of life, the roots can reach 3–3.5 m in diameter, depending on the type of soil.

In total, the roots of a tree rarely reach 1.5–1.6 m. In the vertical direction, the roots develop much weaker than in the horizontal plane. They grow best in the topsoil with good air access.The small roots are small, the hairline is absent, the color is brown-black, and the thinner they are, the darker. From above, the roots are covered with scales that have a lamellar structure.

How blue spruce is often propagated

There are two ways to propagate blue spruce: by sowing seeds from cones or by cuttings. It is difficult to grow a breed of "noble" needles with a blue color in the first way. From cone seeds of the same tree, both blue and green plantings grow.

Important!
It is possible to determine the color of a young spruce only in the second year of life. Only 30% of trees grow blue from seeds.
Subsequently, the seeds are planted in the soil. There the sprouts spend the first year of life. In the second year, in the middle of the spring season after the end of frost, the seedlings are planted in open ground.

Spruce of an elite variety, grown by cuttings, retains the full range of characteristics of the mother tree. Lateral shoots up to 10 cm in length are selected, together with the heel, as a cutting. They are cut during the April sap flow in a coniferous tree.

Planting and caring for spruce outdoors

Spruce can be planted in the ground in spring and autumn. Most gardeners prefer to do this in the spring so that the sprout has time to take root and gain strength before wintering. Despite the fact that spruce is a frost-hardy plant, young growth may not withstand too harsh winter. However, it is in autumn that spruce roots grow most actively, and the plant gains strength for wintering.

When transplanting a spruce into the ground, you should take into account the location of the tree branches. As a rule, there are slightly fewer of them on the north side than on the others, so you need to transplant the spruce this way - with the north side to the north.

Planting and caring for spruce outdoors is pretty straightforward. It is better to prepare the soil for planting a crop in advance. To do this, a sufficiently deep hole is dug at the summer cottage, about half a meter deep for annual sprouts, and about a meter for 2-3 year old trees from nurseries. Crushed stone or stones are poured into the pit for root drainage, then a bucket of compost and universal mineral fertilizers.

Spruce is usually transplanted with a clod of earth. In many nurseries, seedlings are sold in a metal mesh, through which roots can easily germinate, and such a mesh can not be removed. But if the root part is wrapped in polyethylene or burlap, then it is better to remove the shell so that the rotting process does not begin in the soil. The soil around the trunk must be tamped a little so that there are no voids in the soil around the roots, and water a little, a slight moisture of the soil will be enough. Small seedlings can be covered with a covering material, a cut bottle or foil, since they will take root faster in such an impromptu greenhouse. It will be possible to remove the film in a week, and you need to ventilate the "greenhouse" daily.

When the spruce is planted in the ground, and the spruce has taken root a little, the question of caring for the plants arises. Fertilizers applied to the soil during planting will last for several years, therefore, feeding the trees is usually not required. It is much more important to properly water the tree in the first few years of life, since the growth rate of seedlings depends on the amount of moisture in the soil. It is recommended to fertilize only decorative dwarf varieties that are artificially bred, and therefore weaker and less adapted to poor soils.

A grown plant needs about 15 liters of water every week.

It is not worth pouring out such an amount of moisture right away, so as not to erode the soil, it is much better to divide the water rate into two waterings. Spruce reacts positively to sprinkling, so if there is a drought and the tree is withered, it is recommended to water it from a hose with a sprinkler, and the plant will turn green again. It is recommended to water the small annual spruce daily to keep the soil slightly moist at all times.

The soil around the seedlings must be loosened regularly, since the roots of the tree need air flow.The soil will be less compacted and retain moisture longer if the soil around the trunk is mulched with mowed grass or sawdust.

Like many other plants, the spruce must be pruned to form its green mass. The plant has a very positive attitude to this procedure: after removing excess branches, the spruce begins to grow especially actively. Experienced gardeners recommend forming the crown annually. In addition, spruce is often used for landscape design, in which a shape is cut out of a fluffy Christmas tree. Pruning of spruce trees is also used to form a hedge: because of the cut off top, the plant grows in width, its lateral branches lengthen and create a natural fence.

Growing features

Observing a dormant period in refrigerated conditions for planting seeds creates an analogue condition to nature. Observing all the recommendations, you can grow a beautiful formed spruce sprout. For the first 3-4 years, spruce sprouts need individual supervision.

Landing dates

Before planting a blue spruce from seeds, they are pre-prepared, then planted in April. A prepared substrate is used as a planting substrate. Its key components: and sod land. Before direct planting, the soil and cone seeds are processed. The optimum planting depth for spruce seeds is 1 to 2 cm.

Important!
Experienced summer residents choose acidic soil for accelerated growing of blue spruce in greenhouse conditions. For this purpose, you can purchase packaged land for Christmas trees and.
After 2-3 weeks, the first shoots of seedlings appear. The seedlings are thinned out, I get rid of the weakest specimens. The distance between them is about 7 cm. Shoots are protected from frost and direct sunlight. The indicator of the optimum temperature for the germination procedure is + 15 ° C. Young trees are moistened by spraying instead of direct watering at the base of the trunk. At first, the procedure is repeated twice a day.

Conditions for growth

The sprout grows up to 3-4 cm in the first month of growth. It is important to monitor the soil moisture level. Staying coniferous in a well-lit area will ensure intensive growth of sprouts. Young seedlings are not recommended to often be transplanted from container to container. it is difficult to tolerate frequent transplants. This promises a significant obstacle to the growth and development of the crown and trunk of the plant.

The procedure for transplanting into another container is done exclusively in the spring. When changing the pot, the roots are protected from exposure, preserving the soil lump. In the first year of life, the seedling reaches a height of 15 to 25 cm.

In winter time shoots are moistened according to the following scheme:

• Once a month at zero air temperature in the greenhouse;
• 1 time in 2-3 weeks at positive air temperature;
• when wintering in the house, spruce is sprayed.

How to plant and grow a blue spruce at home

As the tree grows, the lower branches die off, exposing a powerful trunk. In addition, the lower part of the pyramidal crown grows to a size of 6-8 meters, that is, by the scale of a small six-hundredth site, it will be something huge.

Summarize.

Even you can provide all the necessary conditions for an ordinary Christmas tree, after a dozen years on your site a monster bare "pillar" will appear by itself, with a spreading crown that will interfere with you, shade the garden, generously shower a large piece of your precious land with needles, which is already lacks. But by that time you will fall in love with your green “pet”, so you will drive all thoughts that you need to get rid of it - and you will continue to suffer further, getting along with an uncomfortable tree.

The prospect is, frankly, bleak. I hope we managed to convince you to make a choice in favor of other breeds. If you are still going to definitely acquire an ordinary Christmas tree, then buy refined varieties, the breeders have worked on the shape of the crown.True, not all of these garden varieties, bred mainly for Europe, are resistant to life in our climate.

And what are the alternatives?

Gray spruce

Gray spruce (Picea glauca), which is more commonly called canadian spruce - in principle, a good choice for the site. This tree has a very beautiful crown - a clear isosceles triangle.

The Canadian Christmas tree is unpretentious - it grows on any soil, even stony ones, does not fade in the sun.

But still, for a small area, this tree is too big. There is one more drawback - an unpleasant smell from the needles.

Spruce prickly

Spruce prickly, or blue, (Picea pungens) - an amazingly beautiful tree, very popular and even status. You can often see blue spruce trees as decoration of public places - they are used in parterres and in ceremonial places. Probably, because of these associations, not everyone wants to see this "official" beauty on their site.

The shape of the crown of the blue spruce is pyramidal, its diameter is 4-5 meters, the branches are arranged in even horizontal rows. The color varies from green to silver, but specimens with blue needles are rightly considered the most beautiful.

Blue spruce is very hardy, due to a layer of wax on the needles, it easily resists unfavorable factors - the sun, wind, dust, temperature extremes. However, this tree does not tolerate waterlogged soil at all.

Serbian spruce

For a small area Serbian spruce - first candidate.

Serbian, Balkan spruce (Picea omorika) resembles a fir in the shape of the crown - it has a narrow-conical silhouette. The crown diameter at the bottom is only 2-3 meters, while the tree grows to a height of 25-30 meters. Slender and graceful, the Serbian Christmas tree is a real find for a tiny garden!

Balkan spruce trees are used to harsh living conditions - so any place on your site will do. This spruce does not suffer from the sun, shade, wind or frost. It is not demanding to the soil - calcareous loam, sandy loam, and podzolic soil are suitable.

Serbian spruce grows rapidly, its needles are two-colored - dark green on top and silvery on the inside.

An adult tree looks like Christmas trees in pictures in children's books about the enchanted forest. If the style of your site is natural, natural or country style, then the Serbian spruce will fit perfectly into the landscape. If you need something more classic, ceremonial, then choose a prickly spruce.

* * *

Good luck with choosing and buying ate. This tree immediately becomes one of the accents of the garden, so you need to choose wisely.

And then may your tree make you happy - both in summer and in winter!

The blue spruce is the queen of other trees used in landscaping. This beautiful and noble tree pleases the eye all year round, being an exquisite decoration of a garden, courtyard or personal plot.

How to choose planting material

Spruce cones are harvested in February for placement in a linen bag. Over time, after drying in an apartment, the cones will open slightly for trouble-free extraction of seeds with transparent wings. To remove the wings, the seeds are ground, then removed from debris and essential oil.

After the final stage of drying, the sowing material is placed under a layer of snow for two months. A similar technique for apartment storage - placing in the refrigerator for better hardening until mid-March. Seeds that have been processed and selected for planting can be purchased at gardening stores. It is advisable to give preference to a good manufacturer.

Did you know?
The blue needles planted in our parks belong to different species brought from North America.
—
prickly American, Canadian and Engelmann's variety.

Choosing a variety of Christmas tree

The main criterion when choosing a type of coniferous tree is the shape of the crown and the height of the adult plant.

When decorating a summer cottage, three types of spruce are mainly used.

• Common spruce is a type of plant with a height of 1.2-3 meters.The shade of the needles is from golden to bright green. This species can most often be found in the country.
• Gray spruce - got its name due to the grayish color of the tree bark and the gray-blue or ash shade of the needles. Tall varieties of spruce have a conical crown, and in dwarf plants, the top looks like a nest or a ball.
• Thorny spruce is a tree with a decorative cone-shaped crown, sometimes reaching a height of 40 meters. Less common are dwarf trees up to 2 m. The needles of such spruces are very prickly, their color ranges from whitish-blue or silvery to turquoise.

When choosing a spruce for a small summer cottage, you should focus on a plant of medium or dwarf height, and tall ones are suitable for a country house with a large area. When decorating plots in the country, medium or dwarf species are especially popular.

Sowing technology

The seedling quality of seedlings largely depends on the choice of location. A well-lit place is chosen for planting. Adult blue spruce grows on any type of soil and is undemanding to moisture. Seedlings of blue spruce trees are bred in greenhouse conditions for six months. In the apartment, the tree can be planted in a special container.

Seed preparation

To grow a blue spruce from a cone, the planting seeds are strengthened by placing them under snow. They are kept in a humid environment at zero temperature for about two months. The easiest way is to bury the future sprout material in a deep snowdrift.

A similar effect can be achieved by soaking in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate for 24 hours. The proportion of the liquid solution is 10 g of potassium permanganate per 1 liter of water. With proper preparation for planting seeds, the first seedlings will sprout in the soil within 15 days.

Sowing scheme

The best soil for sowing conifers is weaned soil. It can be mixed with fertilized soil taken under mature conifers. Be very careful when sowing your pine seeds. After changing temperatures, chilled seeds lose their soybean properties after 50 hours.

The soil in the greenhouse is well moistened before starting work. In pots, seeds are buried up to 1.5 cm from above. Blue needles are not sown in open soil; for a start, they are carefully tamped. Material for future sprouts is laid on top and covered with a layer of peat-sawdust mixture 1 cm thick.The optimal distance between individual seeds is about 3-5 cm.

Is it possible to dig a Christmas tree in the forest. Digging in the forest and planting a pine tree on the site

It would seem that there is nothing complicated in this process. Just pick up a bayonet shovel, dig out a medium-sized tree and plant it in a hole. But it will live with you no more than 2-3 weeks, since the cedar pine is a very whimsical plant, the planting of which will be described below. Other varieties are more resistant, but the problem still exists. Consider the step-by-step planting instructions and consider the entire path, from the forest to your site.

Step 1 Choose a landing site.

Unlike berry and fruit crops, we do not need chernozems, peats and fertile soils. The main requirement is sandy soil, since without drainage the roots will quickly die. It is necessary to plant only on a slope and pour at least 20 centimeters of rubble so that there is high-quality drainage. Fertilizers, nevertheless, must be taken into account. We put about 450 g of manure on the bottom of the pit, which we cover from above with a 5 cm layer of soil so that the roots do not come into direct contact with fertilizers - they can burn.

Step 2 We leave for the forest.

We need to choose a small tree, about 60-120 centimeters. Ages 3 to 5 years old are ideal. You can't take more - very low chances of survival. Neither should it be less. We take a bayonet l opat and dig out a tree with an even trunk and alternate placement of branches. There is no need to dig up the first plant that comes across, look closely at the crown, since it is at it that you will be looking at for many years to come.We dig in a radius of about 50-60 centimeters around the trunk, while deepening as much as possible so that a large amount of earth stretches out from the root. If you do everything right, you will have about 20 kg of soil on the roots.

Step 3 We plant.

Planting of pine from the forest, most often, is carried out in early spring, since the circulation of sap is still too weak - the survival rate of the tree will be much higher than in summer or autumn. But it is impossible to say for sure when it is better to plant a pine tree, since it depends on the climate, as well as care.

Add 25 g of nitrogen fertilizer to the hole, which will take effect in a couple of weeks and will stimulate the vegetative mass of the plant to active growth. The hole should be large enough to fit the entire clod of earth, and there is still room for fresh filling around. We immediately fill everything with water and maintain the “swamp” for several days.

Important: water only if there is good drainage, otherwise the root will suffocate in the water and the tree may die. It is better to water several times at intervals of several hours than to pour once and a lot. Observe the interval: 2 meters between trees and not less, so that the root systems do not compete with each other in search of nutrients. If you are going to grow large trees, the interval is 4.5 meters.

Further care

The first shoots appear in 10-15 days. If you find a frequent arrangement of seedlings, it is advisable to thin out the plants. Only strong specimens are left. The ideal distance between them is 6-7 cm.

Seedling care

In the first two to three weeks, it is important to ensure optimal conditions of detention:

• not sprouts, only spray the seedlings twice a day;
• the pots with seedlings are kept in a temperature regime from + 13̊C to + 15C °;
• seedlings of seedlings need to be shaded, they will burn in the open sun.

After a month, blue needles seedlings reach a height of 3-4 cm. To prevent formation, the soil is cultivated. The plant itself is treated with a solution.

How to care for seedlings

In hot dry weather, the trees are watered once a week (a bucket of water per plant). The roots of young plants (up to 3 years old) are very close to the surface of the earth. During the period of drought, they require increased moisture.

Did you know?
The life span of coniferous needles is about 7 years. The needles on the branches are replaced gradually. With the onset of the next autumn season, 1/7 of the modified dry leaves of the tree fall off.
The planted spruce is pruned periodically. The procedure for the formation of the correct crown is carried out after the end of the natural growth of decorative plantings, when the coniferous needles are completely straightened. Shoots protruding beyond the edge of the form are “twisted” with particular care to acquire the correct shape of the spruce.

In winter, there are two threats to young spruce:

• breaking off a branch under the weight of snow;
• burns from UV rays, followed by shedding of needles.

To protect fragile branches in winter, they are tied to the trunk with a small net. In order to avoid the harmful effects of direct sunlight on the southern side of the site in the early years, the crowns are covered with cotton cloth or agrofibre.

Description and habitat

Blue spruce is very popular in landscape design. It is called the most prominent of the entire conifer family. It grows rather slowly, and the needles have a special bluish tint.

In central Russia, the height of such a tree rarely exceeds 14-15 meters. The crown thickness is about 6-8 meters. Growing in their homeland, these values ​​can be doubled. The crown itself is either conical or cylindrical.

The shade of the tree needles can vary from deep blue to grayish green. It depends on the conditions in which the spruce grows, that is, on its location, varietal characteristics and temperature regime. The buds are very beautiful and unusual.They shimmer with a purple or reddish tint, and when ripe they turn light brown.

This variety is frost-resistant, which makes it suitable for cultivation in central Russia, in the northern latitudes, in a harsh climate. They can easily withstand thirty-degree frosts. Also, she is not afraid of the smoke and smog of a noisy metropolis.

On the branches of the spruce, a magnificent bloom of a silvery hue is quite noticeable. It performs not only decorative properties, but also helps to retain moisture, protects against the penetration of polluted air.

Planting by cuttings

By choosing planting by cuttings, the future seedling is guaranteed to turn out exactly the same as the mother plant. A stalk can only be used from a tree that has reached 5 years of age and has not exceeded 10. The fact is that a stalk obtained from an older tree will root much worse. To prepare a cutting, you should take several steps:

• carefully, using a sharp knife, separate the side of the branch;
• when separating, it is necessary to check that the shoot retains wood from the mother's branch;
• cuttings are best harvested in early April;
• the cut stalk is placed in a pre-prepared rooting liquid;
• after about 60-65 days, the process of formation of new roots will begin, which will allow the cutting to be planted in a permanent place for germination.

Before planting, you must definitely choose a suitable place for a new evergreen plantation, taking into account that an adult tree will reach a very impressive size. The soil for planting should be loose and nutritious, it is recommended to water it as the soil dries out.

An additional video tutorial on the Internet resource will help you get answers to questions, both on planting and on harvesting cuttings, which will further simplify the independent planting of an unusually beautiful blue spruce.

Blue spruce (prickly spruce Picea pungens) belongs to conifers. His homeland is North America. She attracts attention with the unusual color of her needles. How to grow a blue spruce yourself, at home?

What is the blue spruce representative

Blue or prickly spruce belongs to the pine family. Among the numerous representatives of its species, this particular variety is considered less demanding in care, has a high slender trunk and a very beautiful color of needles. Trees grow well both on a hill and in a lowland, they are able to easily endure severe frosts and sudden temperature changes.

The spruce trees can be over 35 meters high and the trunk is 1 meter thick. The branches of an adult Christmas tree are quite strong, and the crown is predominantly conical in shape. Cones resemble a cylinder, their length reaches 8-10 cm. In spring, cones are pale green or yellowish, and in summer or early autumn their color becomes saturated brown. Ripe cones are firmly attached to the branches. If not harvested, they can hold out on the branches until the next fall.

The above advantages of an evergreen long-liver, because representatives of these trees, in their usual natural conditions, can live up to 250 years, as well as the ability to clean the air in the summer cottage from dust and gas pollution, makes the planting of blue spruces more and more popular. Having decided to grow this representative of evergreens on your own, it will not be superfluous to find out that it is right to use both seeds and cuttings for reproduction. And so that the seedling can take root much easier, it is better to plant a small rather than a large spruce on the garden plot.

Pests

Blue spruce is a rather patient and hardy plant, but, like all other representatives of the green world, it has enemies that you need to fight in time. Pests can adversely affect the beauty and growth of the tree.

If there is a noticeable thickening on the shoots, inside which the larvae of aphid hermes are hidden, then it is urgent to clean the tree of infected shoots and process the plant using karbofos or fufanon.

If holes with resin or voids with a diameter of about 5 mm are visible in the bark of a tree, then this is an "attack" of stem pests. In this case, it is recommended to treat the spruce with systemic insecticides. This procedure should be carried out every spring after the snow has melted.

Growing conditions for silver spruce

Almost all varieties of prickly spruce require identical conditions. It must be remembered that conifers cannot be planted in the place where horticultural crops were previously grown. This can lead to the defeat of the root system by fungal diseases and destroy the plant.

Seat selection

Spruce grows best in a well-lit area. In the shade, the tree can bend and lose its decorative effect. Although the tree is a shade-tolerant and unpretentious tree, you need to plant a seedling in a mixture consisting of coniferous and leafy soil, peat and sand. The optimum soil acidity for spruce is 4.5-5 pH. To increase it, it is recommended to add ammonium sulfate. If the soil is heavy, you need to provide a drainage layer using expanded clay or broken brick.

Planting a seedling

Young spruce should be planted quickly. Its root system cannot be outdoors for more than 10 minutes. At the same time, it is necessary to try to preserve a clod of earth in which the spruce grew in a container. The best time to transplant is early spring.

When digging a hole, you need to take into account the expansion of the tree in breadth so that you do not have to repot the spruce later. During planting, the root collar of the seedling should be positioned flush with the soil surface. With excessive deepening, it can rot, with overestimation, it can dry out. There is no need to trample the ground around the tree, on the contrary - you need to loosen it, but shallowly (5-6 cm is enough). At first, the young spruce is additionally shaded.

Young seedlings of silver spruce.

Watering

One-year-old seedlings should be watered 5-7 times a day in small portions. Plants that are several years old need watering 1-2 times a day. Fir-trees, formed into an adult tree, are watered about once a week.

Pour a bucket of water under each adult tree. It is best to do this early in the morning or late in the evening. Water for irrigation should be warm. Young trees are sprinkled every other day - the crown is watered with warm water, due to which dust and dirt are removed.

Top dressing

Thorny spruce does not like natural organic and nitrogen fertilizing. Also, any excess fertilizer can be fatal for her. When introducing it is important to observe the measure and it is better to "underfeed" the plant. Optimal feeding for Christmas trees - special complexes for conifers.

Fertilization can be started immediately after the snow melts in the area. The dry product must be scattered in the near-trunk soil and slightly dug into the ground with a rake. Ate over 5 years old does not need to be fertilized. Many owners of coniferous beauties are inclined to believe that ate grows well without feeding. But if you have already decided to fertilize your tree, do not do it in the fall, otherwise the spruce may not survive the winter.

Pruning

Despite the symmetrical crown, dry and diseased branches are removed from the plant every spring. If crown formation is necessary, then such a major pruning is carried out in the summer, when young shoots grow. It is better not to prune in autumn. Places of cuts do not need additional processing with garden varnish, since the spruce gives off a healing resin. It makes sense to form a crown for seedlings under 7 years old.

Removal of diseased and dry branches in the spring.

Wintering

Adult plants tolerate frost well, and young and undersized Christmas trees need additional insulation. The branches should be pressed against the trunk and secured in this state with a rope. This will prevent them from breaking under the weight of the snow.

The winter sun can damage the needles, causing them to turn yellow and crumble. To prevent this, young trees are covered with cotton cloth or agrofibre during the first winters. Adults do not need to cover for the winter.

Seat selection

Since the spruce can reach a height of 10 and a width of 5 m, you must carefully choose a place for planting. Under natural conditions, the plant thrives on the river, where its root system can receive enough moisture. But the tree does not like wetlands, so caring for it involves the arrangement of drainage.

Advice

Spruce strongly depletes the soil, so it should not be planted next to fruit-bearing crops. In addition, it should be borne in mind that in adulthood, spruce is a fairly large tree. Therefore, it is undesirable to plant it under electrical wires.

Fir trees feel great surrounded by birches. They are not afraid of the shade that birches give, on the contrary - it is even useful for them. Spruce is one of the rare trees that retain their beauty in the shade.

Description

Silver thorny spruce of the Glauca variety.

Spruce prickly blue in nature grows in North America, mainly near rivers and mountain streams. The plant prefers rocky terrain, so it easily takes root in our climate. The spruce grows slowly - the growth reaches 12-15 cm per year. It has a pyramidal crown, its branches are covered with small frequent needles (3 cm long) of a blue hue.

A mature tree can reach 6-8 meters in diameter. Basically, the breed is single-barreled, but you can also find multi-barreled specimens. As the tree ages, its bark thickens and begins to crack more. The shoots of such a tree are short, bare, orange-brown in color.

Cones are located at the very top of the crown, have a cylindrical shape. Young cones are green, but, when ripe, they acquire a brownish-brown hue and are overgrown with jagged scales. The tree can reach a height of 40 m. Life expectancy is 100 years.

Seed planting

Most summer residents prefer to buy ready-made seedlings. However, the likelihood that it will be possible to grow a spruce in this way is very small. Due to the content and habituation to greenhouse conditions, young plants die quickly.

The process of growing from seeds will be more interesting. Experts in this field have proven that by using this method, the probability of a tree's survival is much higher.

Getting seeds on your own will not be difficult. The cones are harvested (February is optimal) and put in a cloth bag.

It should be located near any heating device. The heat applied to the bump allows it to open quickly. Thus, the seeds can be easily removed from the bag.

After drying and removing the husk, the seeds are washed from the essential oil and dried again. To prevent the appearance of bacteria, they can also be kept in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After the seeds are completely ready, they are placed in a glass jar and stored in the refrigerator until March.

Good to know:

when planting coniferous seeds in the garden, seedlings will not appear or die at an early stage of growth.

The seeds can be sown directly into the soil, to which fertilizer containing peat must be added. If containers are to be used, the following proportions must be observed:

• peat - 6 kg.;
• limestone flour - 35 gr.;
• ammofosk - 20 grams.

The finished mixture is poured into a container, the seeds are sown, and everything is buried in the greenhouse soil. The optimum temperature is considered to be about 15 degrees above zero.

Important to remember:

warm spruce seeds withstand sowing capacity only for the first 50 hours.

Before sowing, the soil must be well moistened. In the container, the seeds are deepened one and a half centimeters and then covered with foil.

Landing in open ground is slightly different:

• the bed is compacted;
• the seeds are spread over the surface without deepening and sprinkled with a layer of peat and sawdust.

This stage is completed and it remains to wait for seedlings. The first shoots usually appear after about fifteen days. During this period, special conditions must be observed.

Note:

when conditions change, half of the seedlings will be lost. Therefore, seeds should be sown as much as possible.

The temperature in the greenhouse must be kept within 14 degrees. From a higher or lower temperature, young shoots will dry out or freeze. Direct sunlight should also be kept out.

Watering young plants is prohibited.

Twice a day, it is necessary to carry out processing from a spray bottle. When they reach one year of age, the young can be transplanted into open ground.

Photo recommendations on how to plant a spruce

Spruce planting

For planting, blue spruce is bought in containers. That is, its root system must be closed. The trees are planted at a distance of 2 or more meters from each other. The depth of the hole should be 50-70 cm. Before planting, the soil in the planting holes is loosened. The root collar of the seedling should be at ground level. The planted plant is watered with water (15-20 l). The trunk circle is mulched the next day using compost, peat, sawdust. The required layer should be 7-8 cm. This procedure is especially necessary when planting blue spruce in the fall. Fertilizers must be applied every 4 years.

Propagation by cuttings

Blue spruce is successfully propagated by cuttings. With this method, it is required to adhere to high humidity and a stable temperature. Therefore, propagation by cuttings is carried out in hotbeds and greenhouses.

In order for the cuttings to take root sooner and better, they are pre-treated with drugs that stimulate the formation of the root system. The method of grafting is no worse than propagation by seeds, you just need a special room.

How to choose spruce seedlings when buying?

Spruce seedlings

Saplings are best purchased in containers with a closed root system. You shouldn't buy open-rooted trees at the market or at the occasional roadside pavilion. Ate are expensive plants that have lived for hundreds of years, and it is worth approaching such a purchase responsibly. It is best to go to a reputable nursery or garden center.

A rare cultivar can be purchased from a trusted hobbyist collector who will dig up a favorite plant just before purchasing. In this case, the seedling is wrapped in burlap or foil, trying to preserve a moist clod of earth on the roots.

Even before purchasing, it is important to collect information and firmly decide on the species and varieties that are most suitable for planting in a certain area. Spontaneous decisions are often wrong.

You should not choose plants with bare branches and dried needles. Exceptions may be small spring burns in varieties prone to burning, for example, Conica and Sanders Blue... Such seedlings will recover with good care, and to speed up the process, you can treat the crown with Ekoberin or Epin solutions.

You should not take planting material with dark spots on the needles, growths, cracked or peeling bark, red rust pustules, branches with brown dead needles, affected by shute.

Planting by cuttings

This method is considered even easier than planting with seeds. Twigs of an adult tree, which must be collected from the very tops in spring, are best suited for such purposes.

The stalk must be cleaned of needles and treated with manganese. The planting order is almost the same as with seeds:

1. Dig a hole.
2. Lay drainage at the bottom.
3. Sprinkle the twig with soil, and add sand on top.
4. Water everything abundantly and cover the stalk with foil.

Rooting will take place only in a year by spring. In April, the cuttings are dug up, sorted and planted in the ground.

Types and varieties of spruce in the photo

There are about 40 species in the genus, including hybrid varieties.In the European part, there are 10 species, each of which has many varieties.

The most common are the following types of spruce:

1. Norway spruce (Latin name - Picea abies) is one of the most popular species. Distributed over most of Europe, Asia, Siberia, the Balkan Peninsula. It reaches a height of about 30 meters, a trunk diameter of 70-100 cm. The bark of the tree is grayish and red-brown. Branches drooping-outstretched. It is not used for garden decoration, as it has attractiveness only at a young age. The most popular variety is Compact.

   

2. Siberian (name in Latin - Picea obovata). It reaches a height of 30 meters, a trunk diameter of 60-80 meters. Growth: China, the Caucasus, the Urals, northern Europe.

   

3. Eastern (Picea orientalis) - needles are tetrahedral, rounded, not as sharp as in the previous species. The bark is grayish-brown in color, with a small amount of resin. Distribution: Caucasus, Asia.

   

4. Korean (Picea koraiensis). The height of the adult culture is 30 meters, the diameter is about 60 cm. The branches are drooping, the needles have a greenish-gray tint, the bark is gray-brown. Shade tolerant, does not like drought. Cultivated as an ornamental culture, used in landscape design. Growth: Far East, Korea, Russia.

   

5. Glen (Picea glehnii). The height of the culture is 20-25 meters, the diameter is 60-70 cm. The bark has a brownish tint, the needles are deep green with an admixture of gray color. Natural habitat - Kuril Islands, Japan.

   

6. Canadian (Latin name - Picea glauca) - is characterized by winter hardiness and drought resistance. On average, the tree grows up to 15 meters in height. Crohn of adult cultures is cylindrical. It is grown as an ornamental crop. Habitat: North America, Alaska, South Dakota. Popular variety - Konika, Nana.

   

7. Rough (Picea asperata). The average height of an adult tree is 25-35 m, diameter is 1.5 m. The bark has a grayish-brown hue. Grows high in the mountains. Natural habitat - China.

   

8. Red (name in Latin - Picea rubens). The spruce grows in height up to 20-35 m, diameter - 65 cm. It is grown as an ornamental plant. Natural habitat: Canada, England, Scotland. Popular forms are Virgata, Nana.

   

9. Black (mariana, nigra). The height of an adult tree is about 7-14 meters, the diameter is 15-45 m. The needles are green and gray-green. Differs in frost resistance, does not impose requirements on the soil. It is grown as an ornamental crop. Natural habitat: North America.

   

10. Ayanskaya (Picea jezoensis) - the tree is similar to Norway spruce. It reaches a height of about 35 meters, a girth of 1 meter. The needles are green, the needles are small, occasionally resinous. Natural habitat: Far East, Kamchatka, Amur, Korea, Kuril Islands.

    

11. Tien Shan (in another way P. schrenkiana subsp. tianschanica). The height of an adult culture reaches 60 meters, the trunk diameter is 1.6-1.9 meters. The crown shape is cylindrical. Due to the peculiarities of the habitat, the roots are anchored, which allows them to cling to rocks and stones. Habitat: Central Asia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan.

    

12. Blue (the name in Latin is Picea pungens) - the average height of the tree is 25 m, the girth is about 1 m. The shades of the needles vary from blue to bluish-green. The needles are small, reaching 2-3 cm in length. The culture is often used for decorative purposes. It grows on moderately moist soils, it can be found near the reservoirs of mountain rivers. Popular varieties: Alberta Blue, Arenson Blue, Cerulea, Sander Blue, Glauka, Globoza.

    

Planting with seeds and cuttings

Planting with seeds will not cause any particular difficulties. To collect planting material, it will be enough to find a blue spruce in the park and pick up ripe cones. You should not immediately "get" the seeds, you need to wait for the cones to open on their own, putting them in a warm enough place. After the cones open, the seeds are carefully removed, washed under water and

laid out in a semi-dark place to dry.

1. Fold the planting material in a cloth bag and place in a refrigerator or basement for 2-2.5 months.
2. About a day before sowing, the seeds should be soaked in a special solution based on a fungicide.
3. After impregnation, the planting material is slightly dried and sown into the previously prepared soil.
4. If sowing is carried out immediately on a personal plot, 30-35 g of limestone, 25-30 g of Ammofosk fertilizers per 1 square meter are applied to the selected place, which are thoroughly mixed with the top layer of the earth. Seeds are sown in small depressions, covered with loose earth from above, lightly tamped down with hands.
5. Sowing in special containers is carried out in the soil with the same composition. It is recommended to deepen the seeds by about 15-17 cm. After sowing, it is best to cover the container with foil or transparent glass to speed up the germination of the planting material. The first shoots will appear in about 12-15 days. Caring for small plantings consists in careful watering, as the soil dries out. It is best to use spraying for this, at least for the first 10-15 days.

It should be borne in mind that not all blue spruces grown from seeds will in the future have a bluish shade of needles. To accurately get a small blue spruce at home, experts recommend using cuttings for planting.

Diseases

Rust sometimes forms on blue spruce trees. This problem manifests itself in the form of yellow-brown stripes on the needles. It so happens that the needles turn yellow completely. The cause of rust can be a dark and damp place where the blue beauty was "settled". If the needles are too affected, then the affected branches must be removed immediately. With a small infection, the trunk and needles are sprayed with fungicides for ten days in a row.

If the spruce branches dry on one side and the needles crumble, this means that the coniferous beauty suffers from the fact that she has little sun or some other unfavorable external factors affect her health.

Preparing for winter

Ate is mostly frost-hardy and able to endure the most severe winters with temperatures as low as -40 ° C. And yet, young trees must be covered in the winter, using spruce branches, dead wood, straw and reed mats, which are good at retaining snow. Vertically growing varieties it is worth tying up to the supports, since lush trees covered with snow can be uprooted with strong gusts of wind.

The soil in the near-trunk circles is well mulched with any available material - this will help keep snow, reduce soil blowing, and prevent the roots from exposing and freezing. Throughout the winter, they try to collect more snow along the perimeter of the crown, which will not only protect the roots and lower branches, but also provide the needles with the missing moisture.

With the first spring warmth, the snow is gradually removed, providing access to light and fresh air to the crown, then the layer of mulch is also reduced, raking it off the root collar. From the end of February, Christmas trees are protected from spring burns, covering them with special nets, cotton cloth, spruce branches or other available light materials.