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Evergreen trees dramatically transform the design of the site. This especially applies to a plant whose species corresponds to its sonorous name - balsam fir Diamond. Its bright green colors delight the eye in summer and give positive energy in winter. Gardens, roofs, terraces, decorated with plants, enliven the space, fitting perfectly into the surrounding landscape.
Description of balsam fir Diamond
Balsam fir is a coniferous plant belonging to the pine family. Under natural conditions it grows in North America - Canada and the USA, loves well-lit areas, protected from winds and drafts. Belongs to frost-resistant species.
The fir has miniature dimensions, its height does not exceed 50 cm, it grows slowly, no more than 4 cm per year. The crown of the plant is spherical or slightly flattened, with a diameter of about 0.8 m. The needles are bright green, soft, thick and long - from 8 to 20 mm, with curved edges. The bark of the tree is smooth, pleasant ash color, there are no cracks.The cones are amazingly beautiful, purple in color, located vertically.
The root system of balsam fir Brilliant is compact, which allows it to be grown both in the ground and in tubs and containers. The tree has a pleasant subtle pine aroma. Its lifespan is up to 300 years.
Brilliant fir in landscape design
The growth and development of Brilliant balsam fir is negatively affected by polluted air, so the plant is most often used for landscaping suburban areas and territories.
A beautiful and original tree is used to design landscape compositions. It is placed on lawns, flower beds, and used to decorate alpine slides. Fir trees planted along the alley look very stylish in rocky gardens.
Since the Brilliant balsam fir has a dwarf size, it can be placed in both individual and group plantings.
The plant goes well with other conifers - thuja, cypress, juniper and with deciduous species - birch, chestnut, maple. It can be placed on children's playgrounds, since the soft needles of the plant are safe for children.
Due to the compactness of the crown and root system, it is permissible to grow in a container and place it in the place where the Diamond fir looks most advantageous. Judging by the reviews of the owners, their photos and descriptions, Brilliant balsam fir is gaining great popularity and love among gardeners, who are happy to use it in the design of their site to create coziness, brightness and style.
Planting and caring for balsam fir Diamond
Balsam diamond fir is an unpretentious conifer, but it is necessary to follow the rules when planting and caring for the plant:
- planting in the ground is carried out when the seedling is 5 years old;
- the area should be sunny, protected from the winds;
- A place where there is a possibility of water stagnation is not suitable for fir;
- the use of drainage is mandatory;
- the optimal time for planting is spring;
- watering should be regular for young seedlings and adult plants;
- proper soil mulching;
- carrying out fertilizing;
- regular sanitary pruning.
Preparing seedlings and planting area
When starting to plant Brilliant balsam fir, you should take care to protect the young seedling. The plant cannot withstand strong winds because it has not yet taken root completely. For this purpose, it is worth installing protection in the form of a low fence for at least a year.
Open sun is also not good for fir; direct sunlight can cause burns to the seedling. You can solve the problem by placing the plant in partial shade or creating a light shelter. In order for adaptation and establishment to be painless, planting dates should be scheduled for spring. Autumn planting can end disastrously for the shrub, since it will not have time to take root and will die.
The choice of balsam fir seedling Brilliant must be taken responsibly:
- do not buy a tree younger than four to five years old,
- the needles should be uniform in density and bright green in color;
- it’s good when the roots are hidden in a moist clod of soil in the container;
- When purchasing, carefully inspect the plant for dry shoots, damage or diseases.
Landing rules
For balsam fir Brilliant, fertile, drained, moist soils are suitable, possibly near bodies of water, with loamy soil that is moderately permeable and retains moisture.
Two weeks in advance, it is necessary to prepare the soil and pits for seedlings.
The holes should correspond to the size of the root system along with the lump of earth. On average, their depth is at least 80 cm, and their width is about 60 cm.
To plant Brilliant balsam fir, it is better to choose a warm, cloudy day, perhaps with a little quiet rain.
The holes should be spilled with plenty of water, at least two buckets per hole. To prevent moisture stagnation near the root system, it is necessary to create drainage. Broken brick, crushed stone, and pebbles are suitable, which are poured into the hole in a layer of about 20 cm.
The soil mixture for the pit is prepared in advance. It includes:
- humus;
- sand;
- clay.
10 kg of sawdust and 200 g of nitrophoska should be added to the mixture.
The prepared soil should be filled halfway into the hole. After a couple of weeks, having started planting, place the fir together with the earthen lump on a soil mound, without exposing the root system and without destroying the lump. Fill the remaining voids with soil and compact them so that the neck is flush with the soil surface. Water the seedling generously.
When planting an alley of balsam fir trees, a distance of 4 m should be maintained; in group plantings - 3 m.
There are a few little secrets to keep in mind:
- To prevent the clod of earth from falling off the roots or from the container, the day before planting you should wet them with water.
- You can leave the paper packaging or burlap in which the lump is wrapped: after a while they will rot.
- A palm should fit between the walls of the pit and the lump, only in this case the dimensions correspond to the seedling.
Watering and fertilizing
Although Brilliant balsam fir loves moist soil, it does not tolerate excess moisture.In the first months after transplantation, seedlings must be watered regularly, avoiding drying out. To make it easier for young plants to withstand stress, it is worth spraying the crown daily. The best time for the procedure is early morning or late evening. In the daytime, the needles can get burned. In its adult state, Brilliant balsam fir does not need to be watered so often, but the soil should not be allowed to dry out.
The first feeding is carried out during planting by adding at least 300 g of nitroammophoska to the bottom of the hole. Fertilizers are then applied annually in the spring. After feeding, the fir is watered abundantly. It is worth monitoring the acidity of the soil and applying complex mineral fertilizer when it decreases. It will not only restore the acid balance, but will also affect the brightness of the color and the size of the cones and needles.
Mulching and loosening
After planting the Brilliant balsam fir, you should monitor the cleanliness of the tree trunk, remove weeds in a timely manner, preventing their spread and reproduction. Regular loosening of the soil helps not only in the fight against weeds, but also in improving the air supply to the root system. Do not allow a crust to form on the soil, and if it does appear, loosen it to a depth of no more than 10 - 15 cm, taking care not to damage the fir roots spreading in the upper layers of the soil.
In order to retain moisture, prevent the soil from drying out, and maintain it in a loose state, immediately after planting, mulch around the plant trunk. The protective layer needs to be replenished several times a season, especially in spring and autumn. Its optimal thickness will be 8 cm or more. Peat, sawdust, and crushed bark are used as mulch.It is very important that the mulch does not touch the fir trunk and does not cover the root collar.
Trimming
Pruning is not difficult for gardeners. For the first 15 years after planting, Brilliant balsam fir should not be subjected to this procedure in order to form a crown, especially since the crop grows slowly. If the branches dry out, become deformed, or the fir is affected by diseases, it is necessary to carry out sanitary removal of such shoots. The best time to prune is before sap flows. The crown of the Balsam Diamond is formed using garden shears. They must be sharp and disinfected. When pruning, no more than one third of the branches are removed so that the plant does not stop growing and developing.
Preparing for winter
Balsam fir Brilliant is a frost-resistant coniferous plant that can withstand low temperatures, but at a young age its seedlings need protection. It is especially important to cover the plant in the year it is planted or transplanted.
For protection, spruce branches are used, which are convenient to cover both the root system and the crown. After snowfalls, you can fill it with snow until the spring thaws. Gradually the seedling grows stronger and after a few years no longer needs additional protection.
Before wintering a shrub, you need to perform a number of actions:
- Water the plant generously.
- Mulch the fir tree trunk.
- Leave a “window” in the shelter for sunlight to penetrate and photosynthesis to continue.
- In spring, spray the crown with water and shade it from the sun’s rays to restore the quality of the needles.
Reproduction
There are two ways to propagate Brilliant balsam fir: by seeds or by rooting cuttings.
You can collect seeds from a plant that is at least 8 years old: only at this age do cones appear. Unripe cones are picked, dried at home and the seeds are extracted. They can be sown in the fall or kept in a cold place until spring, after which they can be soaked for 30 minutes. in a 0.5% solution of potassium permanganate and after washing, leave them to swell for 24 hours. Swollen balsam fir seeds are placed in damp sand on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Sowing of seeds is carried out in March. A layer of sawdust is poured onto the sandy loam soil, the seeds are laid out, covered with another layer of sawdust and watered abundantly. You need to cover the top with a film, and at the same time, periodically open it and ventilate the greenhouse. After germination, the film is removed, and the seedlings are regularly fed and moistened. This method is very labor-intensive and is rarely used at home.
Propagation of balsam fir by cuttings is a simpler procedure; for this you need:
- In April, cut cuttings with apical buds from annual shoots.
- Remove the needles from the bottom of the cutting.
- Prepare a greenhouse with soil mixture.
- Soak the planting material in a solution of a root formation stimulator.
- Plant the cuttings at an angle of 45o.
- Cover with film.
- Water periodically.
- In August, after the plant has rooted, remove the film.
- After a year, plant the seedling in a permanent place.
Diseases and pests of Brilliant fir
It is difficult to detect diseases of Brilliant balsam fir at first glance. In order not to miss the first symptoms, it is necessary to periodically inspect the plant in order to identify yellowed needles and dried shoots. If root pathology has appeared, this will be signaled by the smell of rotten leaves from the soil.The needles fall off due to fungal infections, the development of which should be stopped with copper sulfate.
For pest control and preventive purposes, insecticides are used, which are applied to Brilliant balsam fir trees in early spring.
Conclusion
Among the wide variety of coniferous plants, balsam fir Diamond occupies a special place. This dwarf tree of an original appearance is unpretentious in care and frost-resistant, which is very important in growing conditions in Russia. Fir will decorate any landscape in compositions with many types of trees, shrubs, and flowers.
