Content
- 1 Autumn pruning of spirea
- 2 How to plant spirea correctly in the fall
- 3 How to care for spirea in autumn
- 4 How to prepare spirea for winter
- 5 How to propagate spirea in the fall
- 6 Conclusion
Spirea is well known to many flower growers, landscape designers and ordinary lovers of decorative flowers. Caring for it is simple, and most of the growing operations, which include pruning spirea in the fall, can be performed even by a novice gardener. This will require a very small amount of time and the simplest tools.
Autumn pruning of spirea
Pruning is a necessary component of a set of measures for caring for this shrub.It helps maintain abundant flowering and also constantly rejuvenates the bush. The pruning method depends on the age of the bush, the type of plant, and its flowering time.
Some gardeners consider this operation unnecessary. However, without it, the bush will quickly turn into shaggy and sloppy, the shoots will stretch out and become thinner, and the flowers will be crushed. Old dried branches will accumulate inside the bush, which impede air exchange, which will ultimately lead to stagnation of air inside the bush and increased humidity. All these factors can cause fungal diseases.
When to prune spirea - in spring or autumn
Throughout the season, it is necessary to carry out sanitary cleaning of the bush, removing broken and dried shoots. Full pruning is best done in the fall. The only exceptions are the northernmost areas where this shrub is grown. In them, due to the climate, after the autumn pruning, the spirea may simply not have time to recover before the arrival of cold weather. Therefore, in such areas it is pruned in the spring.
Do I need to prune spirea for the winter?
No additional pruning is required as a winter preparation measure. Most species of this plant are winter-hardy and easily tolerate even the most severe frosts. Before winter, it is enough to tie all the shoots into one bunch, bend them to the ground, and then cover them with a layer of mulch and snow. Varieties that are not sufficiently frost-resistant are bent to the ground, fixed, and then covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, straw or sawdust.
Types and timing of pruning spirea in autumn
For the first few years after planting, the bush is not pruned, as this may worsen the condition of its root system.Starting from 3-4 years of age, the following types of pruning can be carried out:
- Stimulating. This pruning consists of cutting off all woody shoots at a height of approximately 30 cm. This measure stimulates the growth of new side shoots. The procedure is carried out in mid-autumn, before the temperature begins to drop below 0 °C.
- Rejuvenating. This is a type of deep pruning that allows a new bush to actually grow. Rejuvenating pruning is carried out in September-October, completely cutting off all shoots at soil level. This procedure is recommended for old or pest-damaged bushes. In the spring, the spirea will grow again, producing powerful shoots from the buds located near the root collar.
How to prune spirea in autumn
In autumn, the shoots are pruned to the level at which the buds of the woody part are located. At the same time, the formation of the bush is carried out. It is also necessary to remove a few shoots from the interior to maintain normal air exchange and prevent mold from forming.
Pruning summer-blooming spirea in autumn
You can start pruning summer flowering varieties starting from the 4th year of the bush’s life. In summer, shoots can be shortened by one third to stimulate the formation of side shoots and enhance flowering. At the beginning of autumn, sanitary cleaning should be carried out, branches that are growing incorrectly and lagging behind in development should be removed. Once every 7-8 years, it is necessary to intensively thin out the bush, leaving a few of the most powerful shoots, and completely remove all the rest.
Pruning early flowering spirea in autumn
Early varieties bloom on last year's shoots. In the fall, approximately one-fifth of each bush needs to be removed, cutting them off at ground level. This stimulates increased spring growth.
Scheme for pruning spirea in autumn
The spirea bush takes several years to form. In the second year of life, you can start pruning it. It is produced according to the following scheme:
- Diseased, damaged and dry shoots are completely cut out. If the branch is broken, then it is cut back to 1 living bud.
- The tips of young shoots that have not yet become lignified are cut off.
- For bushes older than 5 years, you can begin to carry out anti-aging pruning, removing several adult shoots in order to replace them with young ones.
If after rejuvenating pruning there is no increased formation of new strong shoots, you should think about planting a new plant.
Pruning spirea in the fall for beginners:
How to plant spirea correctly in the fall
This ornamental shrub looks great both individually and in group plantings. For example, it is often used as a hedge. Before planting, you need to choose a suitable place, and also stock up on a sufficient amount of planting material.
Preparing the landing site
Planted spirea will feel good in an open, well-lit area with loose soil. It must be taken into account that partial shade has a good effect on this plant; it feels better in such conditions and produces brighter flowers, but their number will be less than when grown in open areas.
Sand or peat is often added to loosen the soil.These plants cannot tolerate excess moisture, so wetlands are not suitable for planting them. Coniferous trees get along best with spirea as neighbors.
Preparation of planting material
As a rule, seedlings of this shrub are sold in nurseries or specialized stores. Their root system must be closed, that is, the seedling must have a lump of earth on its roots. It is preferable that it be young and have no leaves, since their presence negatively affects the survival rate of the plant. If the root system of the seedling is open, it must be inspected. The roots should be moist, flexible, without blackness. It is welcome if they are covered with a mixture of manure and clay. The bark of the seedlings should be green and the buds should be alive and healthy.
Rules for planting spirea in autumn in open ground
In autumn, it is allowed to plant spirea for both spring and summer flowering periods. It is better to do this in damp rainy weather, so the plants take root better. The planting hole must be prepared several days before planting. Its size should exceed the volume of the root system along with the lump of earth. The walls of the pit are made vertical. A layer of drainage made of broken brick, expanded clay or crushed stone must be laid at the bottom.
Then an earthen mound is poured in the center of the pit. A seedling is installed on it. If the root system is open, the roots of the seedling are spread along the walls of the earthen mound, and then sprinkled halfway with soil. After this, add a bucket of water to the hole and finally fill it up. The soil is slightly compacted, and a bead of earth is placed around the seedling to prevent water from spreading during watering. After this, the root zone is mulched with peat or humus.
How to transplant spirea to a new place
Spiraea that has not reached 4 years of age can be safely transplanted to another place in the fall. The easiest way to do this is to dig it up along with a lump of earth on the roots, and then plant it in another place. The root system of older bushes is already quite developed, so replanting an adult spirea in the fall will be fraught with certain difficulties. In this case, often not the entire bush is replanted, but only part of it.
How to care for spirea in autumn
These perennial shrubs are quite unpretentious. Caring for spirea in the fall is simple and is not even considered mandatory by many. Some gardeners approach these flowers according to the “set it and forget it” principle. However, it is still advisable to hold small events. In addition to pruning, caring for spirea in the fall includes watering, fertilizing, as well as loosening and mulching the soil. All of them have a greater influence on the decorative component.
How to water
In most cases, atmospheric moisture is quite sufficient for the growth and flowering of spirea. If there is a shortage of water, it is recommended to water 2-3 times a month at the rate of 20 liters of water for each bush. To avoid increased evaporation of moisture, the root zone is mulched.
How to feed spirea in the fall
Spirea is usually fed twice a year, before flowering and after pruning. This is a period of active growth when the plant requires maximum nutrients. In the fall, both organic matter, for example, mullein infusion, and mineral fertilizers can be used as fertilizing for spirea. Most often, gardeners use superphosphate for this purpose.
Protection from diseases and pests
With proper care, spirea practically does not get sick.The only exceptions can be neglected bushes, on which fungal diseases develop in damp weather. The most common insect pests on spirea are aphids and spider mites. If pests are detected at an early stage and their colony is small, it is sometimes possible to wash them off with increased water pressure from a hose.
When insect activity is increased, chemicals or herbal infusions are used: wormwood, celandine, chamomile. However, it should be noted that insect pests are not found on spirea in large numbers, so even if they are present, the decorative properties of the bushes do not suffer.
How to prepare spirea for winter
The winter hardiness of this plant is sufficient to easily tolerate frosts down to -50 °C. Frost resistance can be weakened by excessive watering in the pre-winter period, pruning too late, due to which the plant does not have time to recover, as well as fertilizing the spirea in the fall with nitrogen mixtures, which stimulate the growth of shoots, thereby depleting the vitality of the bush. If you do not make these mistakes, preparing spirea for winter is quite simple.
Is it necessary to cover spirea for the winter?
In regions with thick snow cover, no additional shelter for spirea is required for the winter. If the thickness of the snow cover is insufficient, the bushes are covered with a layer of mulch, as well as sawdust, fallen leaves, straw, tops and other plant debris.
Preparing spirea for winter in the Moscow region
In the Moscow region and throughout the central part of Russia, quite a large amount of snow falls in winter. In these regions, in the pre-winter period, spirea bushes are tied into a bunch and laid on the ground. Additionally, the plants are covered with a layer of fallen leaves and then with snow.Such protection is quite enough for the plants to overwinter painlessly.
Preparing spirea for winter in the Urals
The climate of the Urals is more severe than that of the Moscow region. Preparing spirea for winter is done in exactly the same way, but it is more advisable to increase the heat-insulating layer. If in the Moscow region a mulch layer thickness of 10 cm is guaranteed to protect spirea bushes from freezing, then in the Urals it is necessary to at least double it.
How to propagate spirea in the fall
Spiraea, like many other perennial shrubs, can be propagated in the following ways:
- seeds;
- cuttings;
- layering;
- dividing the bush.
How to propagate spirea by cuttings in the fall
Spiraea in the fall is quite easy to take cuttings. Planting material for spring-flowering varieties is harvested from the beginning of summer, and for summer-flowering varieties - from the middle. However, it is best to propagate spirea from woody cuttings in early autumn. To do this, he uses annual shoots, cutting them so that there are at least 5 buds on each segment. To reduce moisture loss due to evaporation, the lower leaf of the cutting is removed and the upper one is cut in half.
It is not necessary to use a root growth stimulator; even without it, the survival rate of cuttings reaches 70%. If the sections are treated, for example, with Kornevin, this figure will increase to almost 100%.
It is very important to ensure constant hydration. Therefore, the cuttings are placed in moistened soil and then covered with film on top, creating greenhouse conditions. The easiest way is to use half a plastic bottle. The cuttings remain in this state for the winter. You just need to additionally cover the bottles on top with a layer of sawdust, dry grass or fallen leaves.In the spring, the shelter is removed, and the rooted cuttings are transplanted to a permanent place.
How to propagate spirea by dividing the bush.
Reproduction of spirea in the fall is also possible by dividing the bush. A plant older than 4 years can be used as a donor. At this time, its root system is quite developed. The mother plant is completely dug out of the ground, and its root system is cleaned with water from a hose. To cut the bush into separate sections, it is best to use pruning shears.
Each separated part should have several independent shoots with a complete root system. The cuttings are planted in prepared planting holes in the same way as usual seedlings.
Conclusion
Pruning spirea in the fall allows you to fully reveal the beauty of this ornamental shrub. The procedure is not complicated or labor-intensive, so you should not neglect it. Spirea tolerates pruning well, and fears about the advisability of its implementation are completely unfounded.
