Content
Green spaces purify the surrounding air, which is important in urban areas. They make the landscape more unique and interesting. Probably the most famous are conifers. At the same time, not everyone knows how to plant a spruce correctly and how to care for it. In order for the plant to truly decorate the site, you need to know the rules of agricultural technology.
When to plant a spruce on the site
Spruce is planted at certain times - usually in spring or autumn. Botanists advise choosing a warm time of year, when vegetative processes have not yet activated and tree sap is in “dormant” mode.
However, it shouldn’t be cold outside – frost brings a lot of stress to plantings
If the roots of the seedling are closed, planting can be done in May or even June. In this case, in order not to harm the tree, you need, firstly, to shade the area, and secondly, to moisten it more often.With proper care, the spruce will successfully adapt and easily survive the first winter.
Is it possible to plant spruce in winter?
Many people wonder whether it is possible to grow spruce in the cold season, because the plant itself is frost-resistant. In theory, there should be no problems with planting, but under one condition: winter must come to an end. If the temperature at night no longer drops below -15 °C, the spruce can be rooted in the ground.
How to properly plant a spruce seedling on a plot
In order to plant a spruce immediately on the site, in addition to timing, other factors must be taken into account. Without viable material, not a single plant can be grown, and conifers are no exception. In addition to choosing a seedling, it is important to pay attention to the location of the upcoming planting. Spruce grows in certain soils, and its wishes must be taken into account.
And of course, you need to know the agricultural technology itself. Since each point is very important, it will be useful to understand the details in more detail.
Selection of seedlings
The technology for growing spruce directly depends on the quality of the source material. To avoid mistakes and purchase a healthy seedling, turn to specialized nurseries.
By contacting a nursery, the owner does not risk that they will deliver a plant of a completely different variety.
When buying conifers in a store, it is advisable to ask what size the adult crop reaches, how resistant it is to cold and how much moisture it requires. A viable spruce seedling has the following characteristics:
- the needles have a fresh look and glossy surface;
- the branches and trunk are not twisted;
- when pressure is applied to the shoot, it bends rather than deforms;
- at the ends of the branches the needles are less rigid;
- There is no white or red coating on the needles.
Planting is carried out together with the earthen lump that was in the pot.
Where to plant spruce on the site
In order to safely plant a spruce in the country in the spring, you need to choose the right place. The area should be light, but not constantly flooded with it. For example, experts do not recommend planting the crop on the eastern side. The best option for spruce is a small shade, in which the needles will not burn or lose color. Deep shading is also an undesirable extreme.
When choosing a location, take into account the size of the mature spruce. A small seedling is suitable for planting in any area, but after a few years it may become uncomfortable. Many have plantings near the house. This is a completely justified decision, because the plant is, in fact, a natural filter.
Placing plantings close to walls is a bad idea, as in 10-20 years they will become an obstacle to the branches
On what soils does spruce grow?
To plant spruce, loose, fertile soil is needed. Under natural conditions, the tree grows in loam. The soil should be light and well-permeable to moisture - spruce does not tolerate stagnation.
Therefore, trees are not planted in ravines, that is, where groundwater is located closest to the surface. Sometimes there is simply no other place - in this case they make a powerful drainage system.
Preparing the planting hole
Planting live spruce trees requires the presence of a planting hole.As with the container, it should be spacious so as not to damage the roots. The optimal dimensions are 50 x 70 cm. If the tree is dwarf, 40 x 40 cm is enough.
When the recess is dug, a drainage element is placed at the bottom - any material lying around on the site (sand, pebbles, gravel, crushed bricks, etc.). It is laid in an even layer of 15 cm.
Soil preparation deserves special attention. If the soil is poor, it is mixed with peat, humus and sand (2:2:1). When the planting hole is filled, the substrate is watered with warm water.
Rules and landing scheme
Exactly 30 days after preparing the hole, you can start planting. There are plenty of ways to grow spruce; below is the most popular scheme.
A seedling with a closed root system is carefully removed from the pot. To make the process as safe as possible, the container is placed in a horizontal position and evenly tapped over its area.
In the meantime, the planting hole should already be dug (and fertilized in advance). The seedling is placed exactly in the center, carefully covering the lump with earth. The root collar is left at a distance of 4 cm from the surface.
It is strictly forbidden to bury the neck when planting.
After the hole is filled and leveled, begin watering. The first moisturizing is done abundantly. Up to four buckets of warm liquid are poured onto one seedling. They are not brought in immediately - as soon as water seeps in.
If after a few days the soil begins to settle, it means there is not enough substrate. It is supplemented with ordinary garden soil and watered. Between adjacent plantings (large plants, shrubs) a distance of at least 2 m is maintained. Trees are removed to a greater distance.
Caring for the spruce after planting
For the spruce to grow normally, planting alone is not enough - care is required. First of all, this is regular watering and fertilization. There are also other important factors, for example, protection from pests and fungi, pruning, replanting.
Watering and fertilizing
The first watering is carried out immediately after planting. In the early stages, mulching is useful - at least to preserve moisture. With mulch, the number of buckets consumed is reduced, and in the heat of the spruce 10-14 liters will be enough.
Mature plantings consume more liquid, but their long roots cope with this on their own. The owner only needs to help them sometimes by adding a few buckets in hot weather. You should moisturize in the evening. By the end of autumn, moisture-recharging irrigation is carried out with the addition of copper sulfate.
For two years after planting, you don’t need to apply fertilizers, since the soil has not yet “digested” the old ones. At this stage, you just need to loosen the soil. And do it systematically. Once a season, complex additives are added specifically for spruce - they are sold in stores.
Adult plantings do not need fertilizer
Trimming
The height is set at your discretion. Dried, dead branches are pruned, allowing nutrient reserves to flow to other shoots. If you adhere to sanitary pruning, the planting will remain beautiful and neat.
Transfer
Sometimes it is not possible to find a suitable place for the spruce, which creates the need for replanting. It is carried out according to a similar scheme: the seedling is carefully removed along with a lump of earth and transferred to a new place with a prepared drainage pad and fertilizer.
Preparing for winter
Young spruce trees must be prepared for winter. If they are not tied to a support, the seedlings may fall under the pressure of snow, especially when the trunk is still thin. Within a year after planting, the spruce must be covered for the winter. To do this, a cardboard frame is installed, and breathable synthetics, or perhaps perforated film, are placed on top.
Diseases and pests
While the plant is small, it is most vulnerable to insect attacks. The main pests are:
- spruce mite;
- sawyer;
- bark beetle;
- aphid.
Spruce signals an attack with the following symptoms:
- slowdown in growth rates;
- bending branches;
- lack of cones.
Fortunately, the gardener is able to save the plantings. He is required to carry out several sprayings with insecticidal preparations.
The insecticide Solfak has a powerful effect on insects, thanks to which the planting recovers in a short time
Diseases also cause considerable harm. The immunity of spruce can be weakened by gray mold and schutte.
In general, fungi behave in the same way. The plant reacts to them as follows:
- brown color of needles;
- gray coating.
Fungi appear due to excess moisture. Once a spruce tree is sick, it is not watered. The exception is wet treatment with fungicide, which is carried out for the purpose of treatment.
Conclusion
You don't need to be a professional to plant a spruce. The main thing here is to follow the regime. Like all plants, a tree requires attention, especially in the initial stages of development. In the future, care is reduced to a minimum, but the culture continues to be inspected. If the spruce gets sick, the owner will have more time to restore it.
