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Canadian spruce Alberta Globe appeared half a century ago. Gardener K. Streng, working in a nursery in Boskop (Holland) on a site with Koniki, discovered an unusual tree in 1968. Unlike the original variety, the crown of the spruce was not conical, but almost round. Further selection consolidated and developed the characteristics caused by an accidental mutation. As a result, a new variety of Canadian spruce, Alberta Globe, quickly gained popularity.
Description of Alberta Globe spruce
All dwarf forms of conifers appeared as a result of mutation. Previously, gardeners and breeders carefully examined species trees and existing varieties, hoping to find the source material for creating a new cultivar. Since the middle of the last century, the mutation mechanism has been figured out and it is caused artificially. True, people have not yet succeeded in surpassing nature.
The variety of Canadian, Gray or White Spruce (Picea glauca) Alberta Globe was obtained as a result of a natural mutation, like the original form - Konica.What they have in common with a species plant is their care features and requirements for growing conditions, but the main difference is in size. If wild Canadian spruce reaches a height of up to 40 m with a trunk diameter of 0.6-1.2 m, then the Alberta Globe variety is a real baby.
By the age of 30, the tree reaches 0.7-1 m with a width of 1 m. The Canadian Alberta Globe spruce grows very slowly. In the first years it increases by 2-4 cm in height and width. Around the 6-7th season, a jump may occur, when the growth is about 10 cm. It is possible that this will continue until 12-15 years.
By the age of 10, the crown of the Canadian Alberta Globe spruce has an almost ideal round shape and a diameter of about 40 cm. Then the variety grows very slowly, adding 1-2 cm every season, but without pruning the tree often becomes wide-conical.
The crown of Albert Globe is very dense, because with a decrease in size, compared to the species Canadian spruce, there are no fewer branches on the plant, just the internodes have become short. Due to the abundance of needles, the thin shoots are difficult to see, but their color is light brown.
The needles are light when buds open, and by the end of the season they become bright green. It is much softer to the touch than the Canadian Konica spruce, and thinner, ranging from 6 to 9 mm in length. If you rub the needles of Alberta Glob in your hands, you can feel an aroma similar to blackcurrant. Some people find the smell not too pleasant, but this is a matter of taste.
Cones rarely appear on this dwarf variety of Canadian spruce. They are located at the ends of the shoots, have the shape of a cylinder, are colored light brown and are much smaller than those of the original species.
Use in landscape design
Now domestic gardeners have finally come to the understanding that coniferous crops do not bring negative energy to the site, but are able to improve the health of the air and saturate it with phytoncides. Moreover, in cold and cool climates, where deciduous trees stand bare for almost six months, and flowers are even less pleasing, only evergreen species can enliven the landscape.
Dwarf trees, such as the Canadian Alberta Globe spruce, are especially popular. For a small garden they are simply irreplaceable, and in a large one they are used as the middle and lower tier of landscape groups.
Thanks to its slow growth, small size and beautiful shape, the Canadian Alberta Globe spruce looks great in a rock garden, rock garden, in any flower bed or discount, containing not too moisture-loving plants. The tree would be appropriate in an English or oriental garden. But, as you can see in the photo, the Albert Globe spruce looks especially beautiful on a site maintained in a regular style.
Those who do not like or cannot grow thuja due to the climate successfully replace the spherical dwarf varieties with Canadian Alberta Globe spruce.
The tree can grow in the shade. Unlike the Canadian Konica spruce, Albert Globe's needles are green, not gray or bluish, and they do not fade in the absence of sunlight. And since the choice of crops that not only can be grown in the shade, but also do not lose their decorative value there, the variety becomes even more in demand.
Alberta Globe goes well with other ornamental plants, including flowers, as long as they do not block the Canadian spruce's access to fresh air. And they don’t put their branches, flowers or large leaves on the tree.
Planting and caring for blue spruce Alberta Globe
In the description of the blue spruce Albert Glob they often write that the plant requires almost no care. This is not entirely true. To keep a tree alive, it really only needs to be watered in the heat. But it will be impossible to look at him without tears. Dry brown needles on half of the spruce tree, bare branches, a cloud of dust flying out from the middle of the plant with every touch to the crown. And this is if the tree is not eaten by caterpillars first.
In order for the Canadian Alberta Globe spruce to be healthy and serve as a decoration for the site, you will have to tinker, but the result is worth it.
Preparing seedlings and planting area
Canadian spruce grows best in a cool, shaded place, although it can tolerate sun quite well. She does not like strong winds, close groundwater, dense, dry or saline soils. Alberta Globe tolerates slight temporary waterlogging of the soil, but will die if the root collar becomes soaked.
Canadian spruce grows best on loose, moderately fertile, permeable to water and air, acidic or slightly acidic sandy loam or loam. It is good if Alberta Globe on the south side is at least slightly shaded by a larger plant, especially in late winter or early spring. Otherwise, the spruce will need to be covered from the sun with white lutrasteel or agrofibre.
A planting hole is dug with a diameter of 60 cm and a depth of at least 70 cm. Be sure to make a drainage layer of at least 20 cm from broken red brick or expanded clay. It is better to prepare a fertile mixture from turf soil, sand, clay and acidic (red) peat. For Canadian spruce, the addition of leaf humus is allowed.Starting fertilizer is added to each planting hole - 100-150 g of nitroamophoska.
It is better to buy Albert Globe seedlings from a nursery when they are 4-5 years old, when the lateral branches begin to form. Canadian spruce should be dug up with a ball of earth and lined with burlap, or the root should be dipped in a clay mash and wrapped tightly with film.
In retail chains, you should choose container plants. Alberta Globe has soft needles with a green rather than bluish color, this will help determine varietal compliance.
Pre-planting preparation consists of watering the container spruce and preventing the roots of those grown in the ground from drying out.
Landing rules
After the planting hole is dug, it is filled 2/3 with a fertile mixture, filled with water and allowed to settle. When at least 2 weeks have passed, you can start planting the Canadian Alberta Globe spruce:
- So much soil is taken out of the hole so that the root collar of the seedling installed in the center is at the same level as its edge.
- The spruce root is covered, constantly compacting the soil. If Alberta Globe was dug up with a clod of earth and sewn into burlap, the protective material is not removed.
- After planting is completed, the soil is carefully pressed down with a foot, checked, and, if necessary, the position of the spruce root collar is corrected.
- An earthen roller is formed around the trunk circle and the tree is watered abundantly, spending at least a bucket of water per tree.
- When the liquid is absorbed, the soil is mulched with acidic peat in a layer of 5 cm or more.
Watering and fertilizing
The first two weeks after planting Canada spruce, water it frequently to prevent the soil from drying out.In the future, the soil is moistened less frequently. However, we should not forget that most of the spruce roots are located close to the soil surface, and the culture itself is quite moisture-loving. In hot summers, watering may be needed every week.
Canadian spruce of the Alberta Globe variety needs high air humidity. It would be ideal to plant it next to a fountain, but it is not available in all areas, just like a fog-forming installation. Alberta Globe spruce should be hosed down with a hose every time it is watered, even if the soil under other plants is moistened.
This should be done early in the morning or at 17-18 hours, so that the crown has time to dry before the sun's rays can burn the delicate needles, or before darkness sets in. In the evening, the needles dry more slowly, and fungal diseases can develop on spruce that remains wet for a long time.
A young plant should be fed regularly. It is better to use special fertilizers intended for coniferous crops. They are produced separately for each season, maintaining the balance of nutrients needed by evergreen plants at different periods of development. Such fertilizers must be used strictly following the instructions. If the package indicates the dosage per 1 sq. m, it should be equal to 1 m of spruce height.
Microelements necessary for the life of plants, including maintaining the decorative appearance of needles, are better absorbed with foliar feeding. They are called fast and are carried out no more than once every 2 weeks. It is better to use chelate complexes, adding magnesium sulfate to the balloon and alternately an ampoule of epin or zircon.
Mulching and loosening
Loosening the soil under the Albert Glob spruce is problematic - its lower branches practically lie on the ground. But for the first year or two after planting, it is necessary to do this, especially after watering. Gardening stores sell miniature tools - these are not toys, but devices designed for such cases. With one hand you should lift the branches of the spruce, and with the other, carefully loosen the soil to a shallow depth so as not to disturb the sucking roots that come close to the surface.
Under a mature Albert Globe spruce, it is better to mulch the ground with acidic peat or fungicide-treated conifer bark. This will not only save moisture and serve as protection from weed, but will also prevent the branches from lying on bare soil and protect them from infection.
Trimming
The Canadian spruce variety Albert Globe has a crown so beautiful that it does not require pruning. But sometimes (very rarely) a regular shoot appears on a tree. It should be removed immediately, otherwise it will not only spoil the appearance, but also quickly take a dominant position, turning the varietal plant into an ordinary Canadian spruce.
An old Albert Globe tree may lose its shape and become a wide cone instead of a ball. That’s when the decorativeness is maintained by cutting, cutting off the shoots in early spring, before the buds open.
Crown cleaning
The crown of the Canadian Alberta Globe spruce is very dense and poorly ventilated. Almost no water gets there during treatments, dousing the crown and during rain. A lot of dust collects inside the crown of the Albert Globe spruce; the dryness promotes the spread of mites, which consider such conditions ideal. Therefore, when treating or moistening the tree, you should move the branches apart with your hands, making sure to moisten the trunk and adjacent branches.
The sun's rays cannot illuminate the inside of the crown of the Albert Globe spruce; the needles there quickly dry out, as well as some of the branches. It is almost impossible to trim them. Firstly, it is inconvenient - you need to push away the shoots covered with needles with one hand, and use the pruning shears with the other. Secondly, there are so many dried branches that it can take all day to remove them. But if someone has the time and desire, you can do sanitary pruning - this will only benefit the tree.
Busier gardeners should regularly clean the crown of their Alberta Globe spruce. To do this, you should wear arm protectors, a respirator, safety glasses and gloves (preferably with rubberized bumps on the palms and fingers). Anyone who has ever cleaned Canadian Konica or Alberta Glob spruce trees will understand why such precautions are necessary - dust flies into the eyes, clogs the nasopharynx, the needles scratch and irritate the skin.
The branches of the tree are carefully pulled apart and all dry needles are cleaned off with your hands. All! Of course, this will take a lot of time, and the procedure can hardly be called pleasant. But this must be done, and at least three times per season:
- first time immediately after winter, before buds open, before carrying out the first preventive treatment with copper-containing preparations;
- second time – 10-14 days after spring treatment with fungicide;
- third time – in the fall, before spraying Canadian spruce with copper preparations.
And that's the minimum! Each time after cleaning, the Albert Glob spruce is treated with a fungicide that preferably contains copper, and special attention is paid to the inside of the crown - it should be blue from the drug.
Now a word of caution. If cleaning is ignored, Alberta Globe spruce will become a breeding ground for mites that will spread to other crops. But it is difficult to remove these microscopic pests. The spruce will lose its decorative appearance. People near the conifer will not inhale phytoncides, but dust mixed with mites.
Preparing for winter
The Canadian spruce Alberta Globe is quite frost-resistant; it winters well without shelter in zone 4, and according to reviews of Russian gardeners, even in 3a. Only young plants need protection in the year of planting - they are covered with spruce branches or wrapped in white agrofibre, which is secured with twine.
Then the soil is mulched with a layer of acidic peat; in the spring it is not removed, but shallowly embedded in the soil. If the soil was covered with bark during the growing season, it is raked and stored in a dry room. In spring, the mulch is returned to its place.
Among the measures that increase the frost resistance of Canadian spruce are autumn moisture recharging and fertilizing with a phosphorus-potassium complex (autumn fertilizer for conifers), which is mandatory for all crops.
Sunburn protection
Canadian spruce variety Alberta Globe suffers less from sunburn than Konica. But it still needs to be covered with white lutrasteel or agrofibre, starting in February. It’s even better to plant the spruce under the canopy of larger plants that provide light shade even in spring.
In summer, the tree also suffers from overheating, although less than in spring, when the needles actively evaporate moisture, and the roots located in the frozen soil are not able to compensate for its lack. The southern side of the spruce is especially affected. The needles turn yellow, turn brown, dry out and fall off. This does not make the tree decorative.It is, of course, possible to cover the Albert Glob spruce, which is constantly exposed to the sun, with lutrasteel until autumn, but it looks unattractive, and the tree grows on the site to decorate it.
Proper care, sufficient but not excessive fertilizing and watering, and irrigation of the crown can help. But the main thing is that the tree is treated with epin once every 2 weeks. This will help protect the spruce from burns, and if trouble has already happened, it will help to grow new needles faster.
Reproduction
Canadian Alberta Globe spruce is propagated by grafting or cuttings. A species tree will grow from the seeds. Grafting and cuttings of conifers is not a task for amateurs. Gardeners can try rooting 10-12 cm long branches from the lower part of the crown, cut with a piece of bark from an older shoot.
The cuttings are treated with a root formation stimulator, planted in perlite, sand, or a mixture of turf soil and sand to a depth of 2-3 cm. The part of the shoot that will be in the substrate is freed from needles. Containers must have drainage holes for water outflow. They are placed in a cold greenhouse, located in a place protected from the sun, and watered evenly.
Some of the cuttings will take root; they are transplanted into a more nutritious mixture consisting of sand, peat and turf soil. They are transplanted to a permanent place after 4-5 years, when a whorl of buds appears on the top of the Alberta Globe spruce, from which lateral branches will develop.
Diseases and pests
The biggest problem (although not the most noticeable) of the Albert Globe spruce is the spider mite, which appears on conifers when there is a lack of moisture in the air. The dense crown does not allow water to pass through, and if the tree is not cleaned (and regularly) and water procedures are ignored, you can end up with a breeding ground for pests and diseases on the site.
Other insects include:
- spruce sawyer;
- caterpillars of the Nuns butterfly;
- gall aphids;
- hermes;
- spruce leaf roller.
The most common diseases of Canadian spruce:
- fusarium;
- snowy and regular shutte;
- rot;
- necrosis of the cortex;
- wound cancer;
- rust;
- spruce spinner.
Pests are controlled with insecticides; acaricides are better against ticks. Fungicides are used for diseases. Be sure to carry out preventive treatment of Canadian spruce with preparations containing copper in spring and autumn. Particular attention should be paid to the inside of the crown.
Conclusion
Alberta Globe spruce is a very beautiful miniature coniferous tree. Caring for it is not so easy, but all the effort spent on the plant will pay off handsomely. To make your life easier and not waste time on treating and putting the crown in order, you should simply follow all the rules of agricultural technology.
