Spruce of the Medusa variety is a small plant that has a cushion-shaped shape. Its distinctive feature is considered to be beautiful red cones, which subsequently acquire a brown tint. The crop should be grown in well-lit areas. Thanks to this, it will retain its decorative properties. Compliance with the rules of agricultural technology is of great importance.
Appearance
Medusa spruce is a perennial dwarf shrub that is often grown in a trunk. The plant has a flattened, cushion-shaped crown and rigid, shortened shoots.The culture is also distinguished by its beautiful green-emerald needles, which have a glossy shine. The needles are characterized by a harsh structure. They grow to 1-3 centimeters in length.
The plant has a weak growth rate. In 1 year it increases by only 2-4 centimeters. Another feature of the shrub is the superficial location of the roots, which must be taken into account during care. By the age of 10, the plant reaches a height of only 30 centimeters. Moreover, the diameter of its crown does not exceed 45 centimeters.
The outstanding decorative properties of the shrub are associated with the unusual color of the cones. They form at the ends of shoots and appear in the spring. Initially, the fruits have a red-purple hue, and then become brownish-purple. The lifespan of the plant reaches 50-60 years.
How to plant correctly
According to the description, Medusa spruce needs well-lit places. When choosing soil, you should give preference to sandy loam or loam. In this case, the pH parameters should be 5-6.
Planting work should be done in early spring. This can also be done at the end of autumn. The site for cultivation should be chosen in advance. It is important to ensure that the groundwater is deep enough. Otherwise, there is a high probability of damage to the root system.
A couple of weeks before planting, you need to prepare a depression measuring 60-70 centimeters. When planting several crops, the interval between them must be at least 2 meters. It is worth pouring a layer of drainage at the bottom of each hole. Its thickness should be 20 centimeters. Pebbles, crushed bricks, and river sand are suitable for this.
To prepare the substrate, you need to mix humus, clay, sand and peat in a ratio of 3:2:1:1. Place the prepared mixture on the drainage layer. In this case, it is important to ensure that the root collar of the seedling is a couple of centimeters above the soil surface.
To carry out the landing you need to do the following:
- Soak the roots of the seedling in Heteroauxin and leave for a quarter of an hour.
- Place the spruce on a hill so that the root collar is slightly above the surface of the ground.
- Pour soil into the hole and lightly compact it.
- Make an earthen rampart. It should be located 60 centimeters from the trunk. The height of the structure should be 10-15 centimeters.
- Water the plant generously. In this case, you should pour a couple of buckets of warm water under the seedling. In one of them you need to put 8 tablespoons of nitroammophoska and 2 small spoons of “Kornevin”.
- Mulch the tree trunk circle. To do this, you should use peat and pine sawdust. They need to be mixed in equal proportions.
- Place a small amount of pine bark on the mulch.
Care requirements
Caring for spruce of this variety is easy. This culture is considered very unpretentious. However, some rules of agricultural technology still need to be followed.
Watering
Jellyfish spruce needs moderate soil moisture. Therefore, it is important to avoid drying out the soil. It is recommended to water the bush at intervals of 7-10 days. For 1 plant you need to use 10 liters of water. In hot weather, it is useful to sprinkle the crown.
Loosening
It is important to loosen the tree trunk circle after each watering. The procedure ensures full root breathing. Manipulation must be carried out carefully to avoid damage to the roots. The depth of impact should not exceed 6-8 centimeters.
Trimming and stamping
Jellyfish is considered an ornamental crop that requires sanitary and formative pruning. The formation of the crown should be done in the spring - before the buds open. The first time the manipulation should be performed after landing in a new place. Sanitary pruning is also carried out in early spring. In this case, you need to remove dry and frozen branches.
Quite often, gardeners carry out the stamping procedure. It consists of grafting the crown of one plant, or scion, onto the trunk of another - the rootstock. The trunk of Norway spruce is most often used as a rootstock.
Vaccination is carried out in different ways. To do this to the upper kidney, it is recommended to do the following:
- Grow Norway spruce to a height of at least 50-70 centimeters.
- Use a 1-2 year old shoot as a scion. Its thickness should be slightly less than the diameter of the rootstock.
- Leave only the needles on top of the cutting. The remaining needles need to be removed with a knife. This will help reduce moisture loss.
- Make a cut above the top bud of the rootstock. It should have a wedge shape.
- Sharpen the heel of the branch. Then carefully place the cutting with a sharp end into the cut of the trunk.
- Lubricate the joint area with garden varnish and wrap in film.
- If the manipulation is performed correctly, the scion will take root after 4-5 weeks.
- As new branches grow, they need to be pinched. Thanks to this, after a couple of seasons the crop will look quite decorative.
Pest Control
The culture is resistant to parasites. If pests do attack the spruce, it should be treated with insecticidal preparations. To do this, it is worth adding “Chlorofos”, “Aktellik”, “Karbofos”. It is worth spraying a coniferous tree in mid-summer.In total, you need to carry out 2 treatments with an interval of 15-20 days.
Medusa spruce is a popular coniferous crop that is often used for landscaping. In order for the plant to maintain its attractiveness, it is important to grow it correctly, strictly adhering to the rules of agricultural technology.
