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Sam's mountain ash belongs to the Rosaceae family. From Latin the name means “rowan”, which indicates its similarity with this tree. And for its beautiful appearance, ornamental shrubs are loved by both landscape design professionals and amateur gardeners. Fieldfare Sam is valuable for its early flowering. When other plants are just turning green, these shrubs fill the garden space with bright colors. Photo of the mountain ash tree Sam conveys all the beauty and picturesqueness of the view.
Description of the fieldfare Sam
Rowan-leaved Sam is a low shrub, reaching 3 m in height and 4 m in diameter, with straight shoots and a widely spread crown. Its distribution area is the countries of the Middle East - Korea, Japan, China, as well as Mongolia and Siberia.The shrub blooms with beautiful white fluffy flowers, with a fragrant aroma, united in large cone-shaped pyramids up to 25 cm long.
Main characteristics:
- crown – spreading;
- needles - light green;
- flowers - white;
- Flowering period is summer.
The species of mountain ash Sam is renewed every year with the help of intensively growing shoots. Upon reaching the age of 2 - 3 years, the plant begins to bloom annually. During abundant flowering, which lasts for 30 days, many different insects flock to the bush. The fruits of the Sam variety of field ash are usually not used for decorative purposes, so with the onset of autumn, the plant's tassels are cut off.
The root system of the crop develops very intensively. Therefore, when planting fieldfare seedlings, you should first limit the area intended for planting.
Rowan-leaved Sam in landscape design
Sam's mountain ash has found wide application in the design and decoration of city squares and parks. A hedge of fieldfare bushes looks beautiful when planted along one line on the banks of rivers, lakes and other bodies of water. This planting effectively stabilizes the soil on slopes.
In urban conditions, fieldfare is planted next to administrative facilities and buildings. Shrubs purify the air and reduce gas pollution. If you follow the planting rules, the hedge will be smooth and dense.
During the season, Sam the fieldfare manages to change 3 colors, which gives the natural landscape additional beauty. In the spring, during blossoming, the crown of the plant acquires a pink tint. In summer, fieldfare bushes turn green. In autumn the foliage turns purple.This feature and the unpretentiousness of the species are advantages when choosing a decorative crop for landscaping a site, park or square.
Fieldfare Sam is used in landscape design for various purposes:
- landscaping shaded areas and areas;
- group compositions;
- individual landings;
- living fences.
Shrubs are indispensable for decorating spaces enclosed by walls or fences. It is mainly used for planting in a group with other crops, but it also looks good on the lawn alone. A photo of the mountain ash variety Sam demonstrates how good the bushes can look as a hedge.
Growing conditions for the mountain ash variety Sam
Under favorable conditions, the growth rate of the shrub is very fast. Fieldfare is undemanding to soil composition and tolerates sun and shade equally well. It is resistant to frost down to -32 °C and winters in open ground without additional insulation.
Landscape designers recommend planting shrubs one by one. Plants grow well and look impressive in any area. If bushes are planted in groups, it is necessary to monitor their shape, trim and trim regularly.
Planting and caring for the mountain ash tree Sam
In order for Sam to please others with its appearance for many years, during its planting it is necessary to carry out a set of measures related to the preparation of the soil and seedlings, as well as to ensure compliance with certain care rules.
Preparation of planting material
Saplings of mountain ash are best planted at the very beginning of spring. The plant will have time to get stronger and will withstand frost well.
A day before planting, fieldfare seedlings should be placed in water, especially if the root system looks dried out. If the cuttings look lethargic, they are placed entirely in water for 24–48 hours. If after this the bark does not become smooth and shiny, such planting material is considered unsuitable for planting. Only healthy, strong, strong seedlings can be planted, but branches with damaged areas and roots should be removed.
For better contact with the soil, it is recommended to dip the treated roots immediately before planting into a solution of a viscous consistency obtained from humus and clay in a 1:1 ratio. Instead of humus, you can use cow manure. A clay mash prepared from the following components will also be effective:
- mullein – 2 parts;
- clay – 1 part;
- water - 6 parts.
The organic composition of the mash will promote root growth. For the same purposes, growth regulators can be added to the resulting mixture.
If the roots of the fieldfare are moistened with a solution, and planting in the soil is not planned immediately, it is recommended to bury the seedlings in the ground during this period so that they do not dry out.
Preparing the landing site
Before planting fieldfare Sam, you need to prepare the soil. Almost any part of the garden is suitable for planting: the shrub grows well on both the sunny and shaded sides.
Fieldfare variety Sam likes rich, nutritious soil. When planting seedlings, you can additionally fertilize it and add some organic components:
- leaf soil;
- humus;
- peat;
- some clay;
- a few handfuls of wood ash.
To determine the type of soil, you should take a small amount of it from a depth of about 20 cm. If you can roll the sample into a rope, it means the soil is clayey. If the rope breaks or becomes cracked, the soil is loamy. If the soil is sandy loam, then it can be rolled into balls. If the soil crumbles and does not roll away, the soil is sandy.
When planting mountain ash in uneven areas, it is necessary to arrange the tree trunk circles in such a way that they retain moisture.
Planting Fieldfare Sam
In order for the root system of the fieldfare plant to be well established, it is necessary to dig holes with a diameter of at least 70 cm. The planting depth should be no more than 50 cm. When planting in groups, an interval of 1 m must be maintained between fieldfare seedlings. It is important to cover the sides of the depressions with sheets of dense material, for example , made of metal or slate. This will protect the area from the uncontrolled growth of fieldfare.
The bottom of the planting hole is lined 10–20 cm with a layer of fine gravel, creating drainage. A mixture of soil and humus (compost) is laid on top. After this, the roots of the seedlings are lowered into the hole. The remaining free space is filled with soil fertilized with organic components. When planting fieldfare seedlings of the Sam variety correctly, the root collar should rise 2–3 cm above ground level. At the end of planting, the circle around the trunk is watered with 2 buckets of water. After it is completely absorbed, the soil should be mulched to prevent premature evaporation of moisture.
Watering and fertilizing
Fieldfare suffers from prolonged drought, but tolerates high humidity well and can easily withstand even slight flooding. Immediately after planting and during the first year, watering should be frequent and abundant. Then it is enough to carry out root watering 2 - 3 times a month, more often in summer heat. Fieldfare Sam loves high humidity. In hot summer conditions, you can spray the leaves with water. But this should be done only after sunset or when the bushes are in shaded areas. Otherwise, the foliage may get sunburned.
Rowan-leaf Sam needs constant feeding. It is enough to apply organic fertilizers: peat, humus, compost. The compositions can be combined with mineral fertilizers according to the following scheme per 1 sq. m:
- urea - in spring, about 40 g;
- potassium nitrate – in spring, about 15 g;
- superphosphate - in early autumn, about 40 g.
All fertilizers should be applied to the tree trunk or carefully added to the soil when loosening it shallowly. During deep weeding, the root system of the rowan-leaved fieldfare may be damaged. There is no need to fertilize shrubs too often: 2-3 feedings during the season are enough.
Trimming
When the shrub reaches the age of 2 years, it is recommended to carry out the first pruning. This procedure applies to dried, broken, old, damaged branches, as well as shoots that spread along the ground. To give the fieldfare the desired shape, shoots that extend beyond the boundaries of the bush are trimmed. Its shape must be constantly monitored. Typically, the height of the forming bushes does not exceed 1 m. If Sam's fieldfare is planted as a hedge, it should be pruned at least 4 times during the season.Particular attention should be paid to the rapidly growing root shoots, which distort the shape of the bush.
All work related to pruning is completed before the onset of winter.
Preparing for winter
Rowan-leaved mountain ash is resistant to frost, so it does not need special insulation. Shrubs of the Sam variety do not require any special conditions for being in open soil in winter. They are distinguished by their endurance and can easily endure even very frosty winters.
In August, nitrogen-containing fertilizers are stopped applied to the soil, as they promote the growth of young shoots of mountain ash, which will not be able to withstand winter frosts. With the onset of autumn, the soil is fertilized with nutritional compounds, including potassium and phosphorus. These elements strengthen the roots and branches of the fieldfare.
To help the bushes survive the cold, they must first be properly watered. To do this, moisture-charging irrigation is carried out, which requires large amounts of water. The soil under the bushes should be moistened to a depth of 1 - 1.5 m, this will preserve its thermal conductivity and protect it from freezing. Do not overfill the soil. Water will displace air from the pores of the earth, and the roots will begin to suffocate and die. Increased watering is stopped with the onset of winter and cold weather.
After the leaves fall, the bark of the bushes is treated with iron sulfate, prepared in accordance with the instructions. This will save the mountain ash tree Sam from insects - pests that have climbed into the cracks of the bark for the winter.
How to propagate Sam's mountain ash
Reproduction of mountain ash can be carried out in several ways:
- With the help of layering. The method is considered the most effective. With the onset of spring, when the soil becomes sufficiently moist, it is necessary to choose a strong, long shoot on which there are several buds. It is sprinkled with soil and fixed in this position with wire, leaving the upper edge of the plant on the surface. Throughout the summer, layerings of rowan-leaved fieldfare are often watered, and in the fall they are cut off from the main bush and transplanted to a pre-selected location.
- By cuttings. The method is more complex and troublesome, but if properly implemented and cared for, the cuttings also give good results. It is necessary to select a strong, healthy shoot with buds and cut it off from the top to a length of 30 cm. The cutting is planted in a special container with a nutritious soil mixture, leaving the upper edge not covered with soil. The soil must be moist at all times. Otherwise, the shoots will not take root, the root system will not be able to develop properly, and due to lack of moisture, the cuttings will dry out. After new leaves appear at the top of the shoots, they can be transplanted directly into the ground.
- Dividing the bush. The uterine bush of the Sam variety of fieldfare is dug up and shaken off large clods of earth. Using pruning shears, cut off the above-ground part at a height of about 5 cm. Then, using a sharp knife, divide it into parts so that each has 3 to 5 buds and a good root lobe. Roots that are too long are shortened, and dried and diseased areas are cut off. The sections are sprinkled with wood ash or fungicide powder. The separated parts must be immediately planted in the soil to prevent the roots from drying out. The seedlings are well watered and the planting area is mulched with humus or high peat.
- Using seeds. This method of propagating field ash is used very rarely, since this method is not effective enough and does not allow obtaining a positive result.
Diseases and pests
Unlike other crops, Sam's mountain ash is characterized by resistance to most diseases and pests. Only in rare cases may individual harmful insects appear on it.
Green aphid
Green aphids are small but very insidious pests. The insect is especially dangerous for young plants. Aphids not only suck the juice from the shoots, but also secrete poison at the same time. Its effect is manifested in twisting, deformation and death of leaves, and bending of the tops. The shoots stop growing. Natural secretions cover the leaves, which disrupts the normal functioning of the fieldfare bushes. Through saliva, aphids can infect shrubs with harmful viruses and completely destroy plantings.
Aphid colonies multiply at an incredible rate. Over the summer, one female can produce up to 50 generations. It is very difficult to control these insects, so protective measures must be taken immediately.
Aphids from mountain ash can be washed off with a stream of ordinary water. But it will be more effective to spray the stems and leaves with a soap solution prepared from 300 g of grated soap and 10 liters of water.
Spider mite
Pests usually settle on the underside of leaves. The appearance of light dots on the surface and cobwebs indicate their presence. If you do not fight mites, the fieldfare will begin to fade. You can also use a soap solution to treat bushes. But the most effective ancaricidal agents in the fight against ticks are “Aktellik”, “Fitoverm”, “Neoron”.Treatment is carried out once every 2 weeks.
Viral mosaic
Sometimes mountain ash falls ill with viral mosaic, a very dangerous disease that spreads quickly and is resistant to any treatment. The leaves of the plant become covered with multi-colored spots, curl, and become deformed. The fieldfare stops growing and gradually dies. Affected shrubs cannot be saved: they will have to be destroyed.
Conclusion
Due to its ease of planting, low maintenance requirements and ability to resist any diseases and pests, Sam's mountain ash is a favorite among gardeners and landscape designers. This shrub can delight others for a long time with its well-groomed appearance, the beauty of its foliage and the aroma of its inflorescences.
