Belobok spruce is a fairly common crop that can be grown in different conditions. This coniferous plant can withstand unstable care, man-made soil and polluted air. A distinctive feature of the culture is the lush blue needles. At the same time, the crown is characterized by a cone-shaped shape. The plant is often used in landscape design. In order for the tree to retain its decorative properties, it is important to provide it with proper care.
Description
Belobok spruce is a Polish variety of a dwarf thorny variety that was developed at the beginning of the twentieth century.The author of this crop is the Polish breeder Jan Bialobok. The name is associated precisely with the scientist’s surname, and not with the features of his appearance.
This crop is a dwarf variety that is characterized by slow growth. Over the course of a year, the plant grows by only 10-12 centimeters. At 10 years old, the height of the spruce does not exceed 2-3 meters. In this case, the crown width is 1 meter.
A distinctive feature of this variety of spruce is the shade of the crown. The needles have a green-blue tint. At the same time, the young growth that appears in the spring is distinguished by its white-golden color, which persists for 1 month.
Spruce needles reach a length of 3 centimeters. They have a crescent shape and a radial arrangement. The crown has a horizontal position. It is thick and lush, and also has a cone-shaped shape. At a young age, the plant is asymmetrical, but as it grows it evens out. The lower tier of the culture is located near the ground itself. However, he does not become naked with age.
Habitat
Belobok spruce is an artificially obtained decorative variety that is resistant to frost. Therefore, it is recommended to grow it in the Moscow, Smolensk, and Astrakhan regions. The culture can withstand temperatures down to -34 degrees. When the tips of the shoots freeze, it is necessary to prune the crop.
How to plant a tree
To grow this crop, you need to choose sunny or partial shade. It is important to ensure that the groundwater is deep enough.Although the plant is considered shade-tolerant, with enough light the shade of the needles becomes brighter. However, if there is excess light in the spring, the tree needs to be protected.
It is best to plant the crop in loam or sandy loam soil, which is acidic. Planting work should be carried out in spring, in the first half of summer or autumn. During this period, the root system actively develops. But if necessary, the procedure can be carried out in winter. In the case of group planting, it is required to space plants at least 2 meters in size.
To plant Belobok spruce you should do the following:
- Prepare a drainage layer. To do this, it is recommended to use expanded clay, charcoal, crushed brick or sand.
- Make a soil mixture of leaf substrate, turf and peat.
- Dig a hole that is the same diameter as the root system. Its depth should be 50-60 centimeters.
- Place drainage at the bottom. The thickness of this layer should be 20 centimeters.
- Water the planting site. To do this, you need to pour 5 liters of water into the hole.
- Place the tree in the hole so that the root collar is at the same level with the soil. In this case, the trunk should be positioned vertically.
- Cover the hole with soil and compact it a little.
- Dig a water dump along the diameter of the root. Its width should be 10 centimeters.
- Water the plant. For this, it is recommended to use 40 liters of water.
- Add fertilizer. To do this, you need to take 100 grams of nitroammophoska and 10 grams of “Kornevin” and mix with 1 bucket of water.
A water dump is required to ensure that water remains in the top layer of soil for as long as possible. This will help fill any voids in the plant's roots with soil.After some time, it is recommended to cover the tree trunk circle with a mulch layer. This will saturate the soil with useful substances and help maintain a suitable temperature.
Features of care
Belobok spruce is not a very demanding plant. But it requires timely care and compliance with the rules of agricultural technology. Monitoring soil conditions is of great importance.
Blue spruce with white tips requires moderate watering. It is important to avoid stagnation of moisture in the root system. During drought, it is recommended to water the tree once a week. In this case, you need to use 1 bucket of water.
It is recommended to use warm water for watering spruce. If a liquid is used at a temperature of less than +12 degrees, there is a risk of damage to soil microorganisms. In this case, it is better to water in the morning or evening.
Belobok spruce requires proper feeding. If there is too much fertilizer, the plant may begin to grow too quickly. There is also a risk of lignification of the lower branches and development not in height, but in width. Therefore, fertilizers only need to be applied during the first 5 years during growth. Then feeding should be stopped.
It is recommended to fertilize the plant 2 times during the season. It is not recommended to use manure and nitrogen substances. It is best to use combined mineral products - in particular, superphosphate.It is best to use fertilizer with magnesium, since this substance takes part in the photosynthesis of needles and gives them a rich color.
Organic matter also brings great benefits to a young tree. It must be applied in the form of vermicompost and compost. They saturate the soil with nutrients and ensure their better absorption by the root system.
Loosening is an important point in caring for any plant. Belobok spruce has a superficial root system. At the same time, moisture and vitamins are not retained in the roots and go into the soil. In order for the tree to receive maximum benefit, during the first 2-3 years, 2 times per season, you need to dig up the surface to the size of the root ball. This is done to a depth of 10 centimeters.
Regardless of age, the root surface needs to be mulched every year. This is done at a distance of 50-80 centimeters. The procedure creates an optimal temperature for the roots, saturates the soil with minerals and retains moisture. Mulch can be made from the following materials:
- peat – restores the soil structure and allows you to retain mineral fertilizers;
- compost – supports soil microflora and makes enzymes more active;
- crushed tree bark - reduces the rate of water evaporation and suppresses the development of weeds.
Under natural conditions, Belobok spruce does not require pruning. When growing a crop on a plot, it is necessary to form its crown. The procedure is carried out for the first 8 years. After which the tree remembers its shape and needs pruning only when attacked by pests. The manipulation should be performed with disinfected instruments in the spring or early summer - after the active movement of juices has completed.
First, you should remove dried and yellow fragments, and then cut off living branches to form a crown. It is important to try to avoid kinks in the needles.After injury, it acquires a brown color and negatively affects the appearance of the crop.
Cuts should be treated with garden solution or charcoal pitch. It is also permissible to use potassium permanganate or other special means for this purpose. Manipulation stimulates lateral branching, makes the crown thick and lush, and increases its decorative properties.
Even minimal pruning is considered a lot of stress for the tree. After manipulation, the spruce weakens and loses its immunity. Therefore, after a few days, you need to spray the plants with drugs against diseases and pests. It is also necessary to use combination preparations that contain many microelements to improve crop health.
Reproduction
Belobok spruce is propagated by seed or cuttings. To do this, the cones need to be collected at the end of autumn or brought to a warm place. In this case, they will open and release seeds. Then they need to be treated in a solution of potassium permanganate, placed in a container with warm sand and put in a cool place for stratification. If there is no other suitable place, the plant can be placed in the refrigerator.
Well-prepared seeds produce many sprouts. At the same time, not all cultures inherit parental characteristics. The majority of them grow as ordinary spruce trees, which do not have light shoots. To preserve varietal characteristics, it is better to use cuttings for propagation. To do this, shoots need to be harvested from plants older than 10 years.
The cuttings do not root very well. But in such a situation, you can be sure that you will be able to get a plant of the required variety.
For propagation, it is recommended to choose direct cuttings. Thanks to this, the spruce will turn out smooth and straight.It is recommended to cut them off at the trunk. This needs to be done with a piece of wood. You need to make cuts on it from which the roots appear.
Cuttings should be planted in containers with substrate and placed in the shade. Roots will appear faster if you warm the soil from below or sprinkle horse manure on the bottom of the container. It will hum and produce heat, which is required for rooting of cuttings.
Application in landscape design
Bialobok spruce is perfect for single plantings. It also goes well with other trees in various compositions. It is recommended to plant spruce near evergreen monochromatic perennials. Against their background, it stands out with its unusual appearance. Spruce of this variety looks very original on rocky hills, in combination with bright flowers of a Japanese garden, in rock gardens. The plant is also combined with mountain crops and large stones.
A spruce planted in a group will be an excellent decoration for patios located on terraces or near artificial ponds. A group of such plants can be used to make a hedge. Trees up to 10 years old can be kept in containers.
Threats to the tree
Quite often the plant is attacked by pests - stem, sucking, gnawing. If holes appear on the trunk or the appearance of the needles deteriorates, insecticides must be used. Effective means include “Aktofit” and “Entocid”. To cope with fungal pathologies, it is worth using fungicides - in particular, Topaz and Fital.
Belobok spruce is a beautiful ornamental plant that is grown by many gardeners. To get a strong and healthy tree, it is important to provide it with proper care.
