Popular varieties of spruce for growing on a trunk, planting and care

Coniferous plants on a trunk look very impressive. They have limited growth, and therefore can decorate even a small area. Such crops do not grow in size too quickly, so they will not overshadow the growth of other plants. In addition, they have a very original shape and look very decorative. It is important to take into account that growing spruce on a trunk has a number of features.

Appearance of standard spruce trees

Norway spruce, which grows on a tall, straight and fairly thin trunk, is called standard spruce.The range of such plants increases every year, as breeders strive to create more and more new varieties of such crops. In addition, the demand for them is steadily increasing.

Ornamental crops grafted onto a standard are created by grafting a selected variety with interesting decorative features onto another plant that functions as a rootstock. In this case, the grafting zone is looked for not just above the surface of the ground, but at the top of the trunk. Thanks to this, it is possible to achieve a characteristic trunk, similar to a small tree.

Standards with a high trunk and a complex crown shape are obtained not only from spruce trees, but also from other coniferous crops. This applies to firs, cypresses, larches, and pines. There are also standard forms of junipers and thujas.

The advantages of such trees

Standard coniferous plants have many advantages. Such spruce trees have a high degree of resistance to external factors - frost, air pollution, and unfavorable soil conditions.

Popular varieties

The standard varieties include quite a few interesting varieties of spruce. One of the most popular and sought after is Medusa. In May, the tree is covered with coral cones and can become a wonderful addition to the garden for many years. Another common variety is Wild Strawberry. It resembles Medusa, but has a denser crown.

Also popular standard varieties include the following:

• Chinese Marl;
• Bialobok;
• Blaukissen;
• Formanek;
• Pimoko;
• Tenas.

Landing instructions

For planting to be successful, it is important to choose the right time. This procedure is recommended to be carried out in early spring or late autumn. The place for the culture must be chosen in advance. It is important to ensure that groundwater is not close to the surface. In this case, there is a risk of damage to the spruce root system.

How to choose a place

In order for the standard spruce to maintain its decorative properties, it needs to select well-lit areas with cool soil and moderate moisture. Good water conductivity is of no small importance. As for the soil, sandy or loamy soil is considered a suitable option. Its pH parameters should be 5-6.

Step-by-step instruction

A couple of weeks before planting, you need to do the following:

1. Dig a hole for planting measuring 60-70 centimeters. The interval between trees should be at least 2 meters.
2. A drainage layer should be placed at the bottom of each hole. Its size should be 20 centimeters. For this, it is permissible to use crushed bricks or tiles. You can also use river sand or pebbles. A good option would be a mixture of the listed materials.
3. Make a substrate from sand, clay, peat and humus. These substances must be mixed in a ratio of 1:2:1:3. A layer of rotted spruce sawdust should be placed on the drainage layer, and the prepared substrate should be placed on top. It is important that the root collar of the seedling is 1-2 centimeters above the surface of the earth.
4. Water the hole with potassium permanganate solution. To prepare it, you need to mix 1 small spoon of the drug and 10 liters of water.

Seedlings should be purchased from specialized nurseries. As a rule, such establishments value their reputation and offer customers high-quality planting material.It is important to use plants that are 3-4 years old and have a closed root system. Their height can be 50-70 centimeters. When purchasing, you should pay attention to the appearance of the needles. It should be shiny and have no dry areas.

To carry out planting work, you must do the following:

1. Before planting, immerse the roots of the seedling in the Heteroauxin solution. The plant needs to be kept in liquid for 10-15 minutes.
2. Place the seedling on the mound. It is important that the root collar is located slightly above the surface of the earth.
3. Fill the hole with the prepared substrate and compact it a little. Make an earthen rampart within a radius of 50-60 centimeters from the trunk. Its height should be 10-15 centimeters. This area will become a tree-trunk circle for watering.
4. Pour 2 buckets of warm water under the tree. In this case, you need to add 8 tablespoons of nitroammophoska and 2 small spoons of “Kornevin” to one of them.
5. Cover the tree trunk circle with a mulch layer. To do this, you need to mix peat with pine sawdust. These materials should be taken in equal parts. You should sprinkle a little pine bark on the mulch.

Stamping

This term refers to the grafting of the crown of one plant, or scion, onto the trunk of a second plant, the rootstock. To carry out the procedure, it is recommended to select crops of the same genus or compatible plants. It is important to take into account that, from a genetic point of view, the scion must be stronger than the rootstock. For any spruce, including dwarf varieties, the optimal rootstock will be the trunk of an ordinary variety.

There are different ways to get vaccinated. These include the following:

• cambium;
• in the upper kidney;
• side split

To perform vaccination in the upper kidney, you need to do the following:

1. First, get the rootstock.The trunk of a common spruce will act as a standard. Growing the crop requires compliance with standard agrotechnical rules.
2. When the rootstock reaches a height of 50-70 centimeters, it is necessary to graft a cutting onto it spruce varieties Medusa. It should have 3-4 strong buds. The procedure should be carried out in April.
3. Use a 1-2 year old shoot as a scion. Its thickness should be slightly less than the diameter of the rootstock. On the selected cutting you only need to leave the top needles, which are located at the end of the branch. The remaining needles need to be cut off with a knife. This will help reduce moisture loss.
4. Make a wedge-shaped cut above the top bud of the rootstock. In this case, it is recommended to sharpen the heel of the branch, like a pencil.
5. Place the cutting with its sharp end into the cut of the trunk. This must be done smoothly and carefully. It is important to connect the cambium on at least one side. All actions must be performed as quickly as possible. The connection area must be treated with garden varnish and wrapped with film.

If the manipulation is carried out correctly, after 4-5 weeks the scion will take root and the buds will begin to swell on it. Subsequently, young shoots will appear from them. As the shoots grow, they need to be pinched. Thanks to this, after just 2 seasons, the standard spruce will acquire a very decorative appearance.

Aftercare

In order for a tree to grow and develop normally, it needs to be watered regularly and quite abundantly. However, it is important to remember a sense of proportion. Spruce trees are characterized by shallow roots, so stagnation of moisture should be avoided. Excess moisture increases the risk of developing fungal infections.

With normal rainfall, the spruce needs to be watered at intervals of 7-10 days. For 1 tree you need to use 10 liters of water.During drought, the frequency of irrigation increases 2-3 times. The culture also responds well to fertilizing.

During the season, the plant needs to be fed three times. It is recommended to adhere to the following scheme:

1. At the beginning of spring, it is worth adding rotted manure or chicken droppings. For 1 spruce, you need to use a solution of 500 milliliters of fertilizer and 10 liters of water.
2. In May or June, it is recommended to use universal preparations for conifers. An excellent option in this case would be the Kemira Universal. In this case, it is necessary to use 3 tablespoons of the substance per 1 square meter of planting. It is also permissible to use a small amount of nitrate fertilizers - potassium, calcium or magnesium nitrate. For 1 square meter it is worth using 1 tablespoon of the substance. It is applied once.
3. In July-September it is worth using potassium, magnesium and phosphorus. It is important to follow the instructions.
4. At the stage of preparation for winter, superphosphate should be used. It is recommended to use 2 tablespoons of this substance for 1 tree.

Standard spruce is an unpretentious plant with high decorative properties. This culture fits perfectly into a variety of landscape compositions. However, when growing it, it is important to adhere to certain rules.