Spruce of the Ohlendorfi variety is a common variety that is grown as a tapeworm or used to decorate rock gardens, mixborders and other compositions. This dwarf crop has a height of 2-5 meters and is characterized by slow growth that does not exceed 6 centimeters per year. An interesting feature of the plant is the golden-green color of the needles.
Features of the variety
This culture got its name in honor of the breeder Ohlendorfi. He developed an unusual dwarf spruce in the mid-nineteenth century.This happened in the German city of Hamburg. At the beginning of the last century, the German botanist Shpet gave the variety a description and name.
Ohlendorfi spruce belongs to the dwarf varieties. The tree has a regular symmetrical hemispherical crown. At the same time, there is a small nest in its center.
This culture is characterized by fairly prickly needles, the length of which is 5-8 millimeters. They can be round or diamond-shaped in cross-section. The needles are dense and quite tough. Young trees and the strongest shoots have radial needles. Moreover, its color can vary from olive to golden green.
Young shoots of the tree have a café-au-lait or yellowish color. In this case, the lower branches usually have a lighter color than the upper ones. The buds have a brown or ocher tint. They are distinguished by their spindle-shaped shape. The buds growing from above reach a length of 3 millimeters, and the rest are smaller. Sometimes they form groups of 4-6 pieces. On strong shoots there may be 8-10 buds at once.
The buds have an attractive purple color. As they ripen, they become chocolatey. Another feature of the culture is considered to be a high degree of resistance to frost. The plant can withstand temperatures down to -40 degrees. The lifespan of the plant is 300-500 years.
An important advantage of the culture is its undemandingness to the composition of the soil. However, it does not take sand or clay well. Moist soil is considered the best option, but the tree can withstand severe short-term drought. With prolonged moisture deficiency, the tree gradually loses its needles.
Like other conifers, Ohlendorff spruce requires an acidic environment.The tree does not survive in alkaline soil. An important advantage is the possibility of independent soil acidification. Therefore, special procedures are not required for this. It is worth planting plants that urgently need acidic soil near the spruce. These include blueberries and rhododendrons.
Application
The common Ohlendorfi spruce is often used to decorate garden plots. The culture has a compact size that allows you to place the tree in open ground or grow it in containers.
The plant looks great as a tapeworm and is perfect for group plantings. Thanks to its development, Ohlendorfi spruce can be combined with larger conifers or become the central element of the composition. In the second case, it must be combined with more compact spruce or fir trees.
The culture perfectly complements rock gardens and alpine slides. It can be safely used to decorate heather gardens and rockeries. It is also permissible to use wood as a retaining wall.
The variety can be used for growing in places with a slope. In such areas there is no risk of moisture stagnation in the root area. In addition, a hedge made of such spruce helps to level the slope of the garden.
Since the tops of the trees are located at the same level as the eyes, they provide a kind of landmark. Plants planted in this way, with the crown formed correctly, can have a beneficial effect on the perception of slopes and unevenness.
Landing
Spruce Ohlendorffii can be propagated in different ways - generative and vegetative. However, the seed method is usually not used because it is considered too labor-intensive. In addition, the crop may not inherit varietal characteristics. The same goes for layering. To get a guaranteed result, it is best to buy a seedling from a specialized nursery.
How to choose a place
The plant is considered completely undemanding to the type of soil. Ohlendorfi spruce can be planted in soil with a moderate nutrient content. It can be slightly acidic or alkaline. It is important to take into account that the tree does not tolerate too dry or saline soil. Also, stagnation of moisture in the root system will not suit it.
Olendorfi spruce tolerates large amounts of sun well, but it can also withstand light shade. When planting a crop, it is important to remember the superficial location of the roots and take this feature into account when choosing a location. The area should be protected from the wind, since the young roots, under the influence of its gusts, will not be able to hold the tree in the soil.
How to plant correctly
To plant an Ohlendorfi spruce, it is important to follow these steps:
- In the selected area you need to make a hole for planting. Its depth should be 60-70 centimeters, and its diameter should be 1 meter. The pit should be prepared no later than a couple of weeks before planting.
- When planting several plants, it is necessary to maintain a spacing of 2.5 meters between them. When planting a hedge, the distance is reduced to 1.8-2 meters.
- Pour a layer of drainage 20 centimeters thick into the hole. For this, it is permissible to use crushed brick, expanded clay, and river sand.
- Prepare the substrate. To do this, you need to use turf, leaf soil, peat and sand in a ratio of 2:2:1:1.When planting a tree with bare roots, you need to add 2 tablespoons of ammonium nitrate and superphosphate to 1 bucket of substrate.
- Place a layer of soil on the drainage and carefully transfer the plant from the container into the recess. It is important to ensure that its root collar is flush with the ground surface.
- After planting, moisten the tree generously with warm water. This requires using 3-4 buckets of liquid.
- When planting a crop with an open root system, it can be fed. To do this, you need to add 6-7 tablespoons of nitroammophoska and 10 grams of “Kornevin” to the water.
- Cover the tree trunk circle with a mulch layer. Its thickness should be 60-80 centimeters. Peat and sawdust should be used as mulch. They should be sprinkled with pine bark on top.
Care requirements
Olendorfi spruce is a low-maintenance plant. However, to maintain decorativeness, you still need to adhere to some recommendations.
How to water
Irrigation of spruce needs to be done systematically, but it is important to remember a sense of proportion. For 1 plant you need to use 1.5-2 buckets of water per week. In dry weather, the tree needs to be watered every day. In this case, you need to use 1 bucket per seedling. Irrigation of the crop crown is of no small importance.
After watering, it is important to loosen the soil. Since the culture has a superficial root system, this should be done to a depth of a maximum of 5-6 centimeters. It is necessary to loosen the crop to ensure root respiration. If you neglect this recommendation, a crust will appear on the soil, which will interfere with proper aeration.
If peat is used as mulch, it does not need to be removed. During loosening, natural material must be mixed with the soil.
Top dressing
Spruce from a container and trees fed during planting should not be fertilized in the first season. Subsequently, a certain pattern must be followed. So, in the spring, before the sap begins to flow, you need to apply 1.5-2 tablespoons of nitroammophoska under each tree. It is recommended to do this using the dry method or when watering, mixing the fertilizer with water.
Once every 2 years during the same period, instead of a nitrogen substance, it is worth using universal products. The most effective means include “Aquarin”, “MicroMix”, “Kemira-universal”. Such substances should be used twice a week.
Nitrate form of nitrogen should be added in small amounts until July. For this you can use potassium and calcium nitrate. Then you should add magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. It is worth noting that magnesium helps maintain the decorative appearance of the crown.
In August and September it is recommended to use magnesium. In this case, you should use 1 tablespoon of the substance for 1 tree. You can also feed the crop with potassium nitrate.
Does it need to be trimmed?
Formative pruning is carried out almost immediately after planting in open ground. Subsequently, this manipulation must be performed until mid-summer. Thanks to this, the damaged areas will have time to overgrow before the cold weather. To speed up this process, it is recommended to use a garden pitcher.
By systematically carrying out formative pruning from spruce of this variety, it is possible to grow a very dense hedge. If there are two tops on a tree, it is recommended to remove one of them.
Pest Control
Spruce of this variety is characterized by fairly strong immunity. The culture is resistant to most pathologies and parasite attacks.However, with an excess amount of moisture and stagnation of water in the root system, there is a risk of developing fungal infections. They can also develop when plantings are very thick.
The most common pathologies encountered by Ohlendorfi spruce include:
- root rot;
- fusarium;
- Schutte;
- rust;
- ulcerative cancer;
- necrosis of the cortex.
When identifying pathologies in the initial stages of development, it is recommended to use Bordeaux mixture, Fundazol, Alirin-B. Fitosporin-M, Abika-Pik, and Hom are also highly effective. When using such products, it is important to strictly follow the instructions.
Fungal diseases in their advanced form cannot be cured. In this case, the affected tree must be uprooted and burned. Moreover, this must be done away from the garden. It is recommended to treat plants nearby with fungicides.
The crop may also suffer from pest attacks. The most dangerous parasites that infect Ohlendorff spruce include:
- Sitka spruce aphid;
- spider mite;
- leaf roller.
Products such as Decis and Karbofos will help you cope with insects. Most often, insecticides are used for double treatment of plants. This must be done at the end of June and beginning of July. The interval between spraying should be 2 weeks.
Preparing for cold weather
Ohlendorfi spruce is considered a very frost-resistant crop. It can withstand temperatures down to -40 degrees. This means that in most of Russia the crop does not require preparation for cold weather. However, experienced gardeners still advise insulating young plants.
After abundant winter watering, it is recommended to place a thick layer of mulch measuring 8-10 centimeters in the tree trunk circle. It should be sprinkled with pine bark on top, and pine spruce branches should be placed on it.
At the end of February and at the beginning of spring, spruce of this variety may suffer from sunburn. To avoid such problems, before the arrival of spring, the tree needs to be covered with non-woven fabric. For this purpose, it is permissible to use spunbond.
Olendorfi spruce is a very common ornamental crop that is often used to decorate summer cottages. The plant is considered very unpretentious. However, to maintain its decorative effect, it is necessary to provide the culture with complete and high-quality care. It should include timely watering, fertilizing, and pruning. High-quality protection of plantings from diseases and pests is of no small importance.
