Blue spruce is a common coniferous plant that is excellent for growing in garden areas. It is actively used in landscape design as a tapeworm or to create beautiful compositions. To get the desired result, it is important to understand how quickly the blue spruce variety grows. It is worth considering that this crop has different growth rates, which depend on its variety and growing conditions.
What affects growth
The growth rate of a crop directly depends on its variety. This process is also influenced by growing conditions. In order for the plant to develop normally, it is recommended to plant it in fertile and moderately moist soil. A suitable option would be loam, which has a slightly acidic reaction. If these recommendations are violated, there is a risk of slowing or stopping growth, as well as deterioration in the development of the tree.
A weakened plant becomes an easy target for pests. In addition, it is susceptible to various diseases. This negatively affects the rate of height increase. In order for a tree to develop quickly, it needs to be watered promptly and fed regularly.
When a tree stops growing
At the initial stages, the plant is characterized by slow growth. However, at 15-25 years the tree begins to rapidly increase in size. By age 30, growth slows down significantly. However, blue spruce is capable of growing shoots throughout its life.
Stages of development
Not everyone knows how long a culture lives and how it develops. During the first 10-15 years, the plant grows slowly. Gradually its intensity increases. In this case, the tree grows throughout its life.
An adult plant annually increases by 30 centimeters in height and 15 in diameter. An annual seedling usually does not exceed 4 centimeters. By the age of five, its height is already 50 centimeters, and the crown diameter is 30. By the age of 10, the tree increases to 2.4 meters. Moreover, its width is 1 meter.
By the age of 12, the crop reaches 4 meters in height, and at the age of 40, it is possible to obtain a 15-meter tree with a diameter of 3 meters. At 60 years old, the size of the spruce is 17 meters. In this case, the girth reaches 4 meters.
Rates of growth
Blue Christmas trees vary in size and variety. Depending on this, their growth rates vary significantly.
For dwarfs
Dwarf varieties grow for quite a long time. In addition, they rarely exceed 3-4 meters in height. Most of these plants belong to bush forms. Moreover, their height is a maximum of 50-60 centimeters. In fast-growing varieties, growth reaches 5-6 centimeters per year. Other types increase by a maximum of 2.5 centimeters.
For average height people
Such species are capable of reaching 10-20 meters in height. Moreover, their growth rate is 10-15 centimeters per year. Some varieties are distinguished by more rapid growth. Their growth reaches 30 centimeters.
For ordinary people
Immediately after planting, an ordinary spruce grows by 3-4 centimeters per year. Over the next 15 years, the increase will reach 10-20 centimeters. Then the pace will increase slightly. As a result, the tree will grow to 25-30 meters.
Is it possible to speed up or slow down this process?
The rate of development of blue spruce can be slightly adjusted. Moreover, this is done both in the direction of increase and in the direction of decrease. To stimulate development processes, it is recommended to use fertilizers and growth stimulants. The crop requires regular application of foliar fertilizers. It is best to use complexes for conifers for this purpose.
Growth stimulants are also an excellent solution. When choosing a specific drug, you should give preference to a product containing vitamins, polyamides and polysaccharides. Such substances stimulate the development of culture and saturate it with all the necessary elements.
To slow down the development of the tree, it needs to be pinched. This procedure helps turn an ordinary spruce variety into a dwarf one.Moreover, this manipulation helps to regulate not only the height. With its help, it is possible to adjust the width of the tree and its shape.
It is necessary to pinch shoots annually or at intervals of 12 months. The specific frequency depends on the growth rate. It is important to carry out the procedure according to the rules. The top develops the fastest. Therefore, to begin with, it is worth breaking off, after which you should find a neighboring side shoot, which is characterized by slow development, and direct it upward. This branch must be secured vertically using a support.
The development of blue spruce depends on its variety and care characteristics. If necessary, the rate of increase in crop height can be changed. However, you should not expect rapid development from the plant. All coniferous crops develop rather slowly.
