Blue spruce is an elite plant that has amazing color and lush needles. That is why it is often used to decorate parks and squares. At the same time, many summer residents want to grow such a crop on their plot, especially if they have sufficient territory. At the same time, the question often arises of how blue spruce can be propagated. This is most often done by cuttings.
Description of spruce
This plant has an unusual appearance. Its main characteristic feature is considered to be the special color of the needles - from blue to bluish-gray.The crown has a conical shape and is covered with oblong cones. The longest age in natural habitats reaches 700 years. However, under normal conditions, blue spruces live no more than a century.
The average height of trees reaches 30 meters. However, larger crops are sometimes found. Currently, breeders have bred more than 70 species of such crops. These include both massive and low-growing trees. Some varieties even grow as shrubs, the height of which does not exceed 50 centimeters. Moreover, their width reaches 2 meters.
Artificially bred varieties of blue spruce are resistant to frost. This is quite unusual for plants that are obtained through selective breeding. There are cases when crops withstood temperatures down to -35 degrees.
Methods for growing spruce at home
Blue spruce can be propagated by seed and cuttings. Seeds can be purchased at a garden store or collected yourself. To achieve the desired results, you will need a lot of grains, since their germination rate is not very high. In addition, this method of reproduction does not allow preserving maternal qualities.
At the same time, cuttings are considered a popular method that can be used at home and large farms. Its essence lies in the use of fragments of spruce branches to obtain a full-fledged tree.
Reproduction by cuttings
Cuttings of blue spruce should begin with the selection of a mother crop. It is important that it is healthy, has well-developed shoots and clearly defined varietal characteristics. It is not recommended to use plants that are sick or damaged by parasites for rooting.It is also undesirable to collect material for planting from spruce trees less than 4-5 years old.
Harvesting cuttings
Branches from spruce trees 4-10 years old are suitable for cuttings. It is the material from such trees that takes root best. To harvest planting material, you need to find branches with side shoots and carefully pick 2-3 cuttings measuring 6-10 centimeters. It is necessary to tear in such a way that a so-called heel remains at the end of each cutting. It is a thickening - a remnant of older wood.
This element prevents the release of resin, which can clog the lower cells of the seedling and prevent access to the spruce structure. Therefore, when preparing cuttings of conifers, they are not cut with a knife, but rather torn. The thickening at the end of the spruce cutting, which is called the heel, stimulates the process of root formation, since through it moisture freely enters the structure of the seedling.
The material is collected in cloudy weather or early in the morning. The plucked branches should be immediately packed in a bag so that they do not dry out. They need to be planted on the same day. If before planting the cuttings are soaked for 2 hours in a root formation stimulator, the spruce will grow roots in 1.5 months. Without the use of stimulants, this process will take 3 months or even more.
Landing
To root branches, it is important to follow certain rules. To do this you should do the following:
- Prepare small pots.
- Fill the containers with a composition based on river peat and river sand.
- Water the substrate.
- Treat the cut with a growth stimulator.
- Place the cuttings in the prepared soil.
- Shade the school for 2 weeks. In this case, the air needs to be humidified all the time.
How to care for spruce while growing
To avoid rotting of young spruce trees during cultivation, they need to be systematically ventilated and watered. If the top of the greenhouse is constantly covered with condensation, it is recommended to make holes in the lid for ventilation.
Seedlings should be watered only after the top layer of soil has dried. It takes approximately 3-4 months to form the root system. Before transplanting, the seedlings need to be watered and moved to a new area along with a lump of soil. This must be done carefully so as not to damage the delicate roots.
Plant replanting is recommended in spring or autumn. However, in the northern regions it is better to do this in the spring. When planting in the fall, plants may not have time to take root before frost arrives.
After planting the cuttings in open soil, caring for them is almost no different from the rules for growing adult plants. To obtain a fluffy and slender crop, it is recommended to place seedlings in open, well-lit areas. At the same time, they must have sufficiently moist soil.
Blue spruce is best propagated by cuttings. In order for the culture to grow and develop normally, it is important to properly prepare planting material and follow the basic recommendations of experts.
