Varella mountain pine is a very unusual ornamental variety, which was bred at the Carstens Varel nursery. The culture was obtained in 1996. It has a very impressive appearance and fits perfectly into a variety of landscape compositions. In order for a tree to grow and develop normally, it is necessary to carry out planting work correctly and provide it with proper care.
What kind of tree is this
Mountain Varella pine has a number of features.The tree is characterized by a fairly dense and compact crown, which has a spherical shape. An adult tree can reach a height of 1-1.5 meters. Moreover, its width is 1-1.2 meters. In 1 year the plant grows by 10 centimeters.
The needles are characterized by a dark green color and an elongated shape. At the same time, there are small roundings at the ends of the needles. The size of the needles reaches 10 centimeters in length. The needles are arranged quite tightly. At the same time, young needles are much shorter than adult ones. This creates the feeling of a halo around the crown.
Plants of this variety are unpretentious. They grow well in slightly acidic soil. Varella pine is characterized by slow growth and needs sufficient light. Thanks to its wide root system, the crop is able to withstand powerful gusts of wind and low temperatures.
The plant is characterized by high resistance to diseases and pests. Typically, the culture of this variety is used to decorate rocky gardens. The plant looks great in group compositions and can be grown as a tapeworm.
Why this name
The botanical description of the culture says that the name “Pinus” for mountain pine was borrowed from Theophrastus and came from the word “pinos”. This ancient Greek scientist is considered the father of botany. In his works, he described more than 500 plants, including mountain varieties.
The Varella pine itself got its name in honor of the place where it was bred. Polish scientists were involved in the selection of the variety. They carried out their research at a nursery called Carstens Varel.
Landing instructions
In order for Varella pine to develop normally, it does not require much attention. While the tree is growing, it is enough to get rid of weeds in time, perform sanitary pruning and form the crown. To prevent the development of pathologies, experienced gardeners advise taking timely measures. To do this, it is recommended to spray the crown with chemicals.
Mountain pine of this variety is considered a very light-loving crop. Therefore, it is recommended to plant it in well-lit areas. Sometimes the plant is successfully cultivated in partial shade. It is important to take into account that in complete shade the crop almost always dies.
This variety is considered very undemanding in terms of soil composition. Pine can be planted in sandy, sandy loam, acidic and even depleted soil. However, when growing a crop in an infertile substrate, it is recommended to first apply fertilizer. It is best to give preference to specialized formulations for conifers.
The purchased planting material should be kept in a solution with the addition of a rooting agent for several hours. This will help the seedling adapt to the new location much faster.
To plant a pine tree of this variety, you need to perform the following steps:
- Dig a hole that is three times the size of the rhizome. This means that the hole should be approximately 1 meter deep. When planting several crops, the interval between them should be 1.5 meters. When combining the Varella variety with larger conifers, the distance between the holes is 4 meters.
- Place drainage at the bottom of the recess. First, you need to use 15 centimeters of expanded clay, and then 5 centimeters of sand. This will help protect the roots from waterlogging.
- Pour 5 liters of water into the recess and wait until it is absorbed.
- Place a 20 cm thick layer of nutrient soil in the hole. To prepare the substrate, you need to mix turf, compost and sand in equal parts. It is also recommended to add 20% wood ash to the composition.
- Place the seedling in the center of the hole and carefully distribute the roots around the perimeter. In this case, it is important to ensure that the root collar is located at the same level with the surface of the earth.
- Fill the hole with soil and lightly compact the tree trunk circle with your hands.
- Pour 10 liters of water under the plant.
- After the liquid is completely absorbed, cover the tree trunk circle with a mulch layer. It is recommended to use peat for this. You can add 30 grams of superphosphate to it. When mulching a pine tree, do not cover the root collar.
Proper care
In order for Varella pine to grow and develop normally, it needs to be provided with complete and high-quality care. In this case, it is recommended to water the crop on time, feed it, and prune it. Protection from pathologies and pests is also important.
Watering
This plant is drought resistant. Therefore, it does not need frequent watering. Immediately after planting, 5 liters of water are required for each tree. This is done once a week. It is enough to water adult plants once a month. In this case, 10 liters of liquid should be used on 1 tree.
Loosening and mulching
The soil needs to be loosened after precipitation and watered. In this case, you cannot go deeper than 5 centimeters. Otherwise, there is a high probability of damage to superficially located roots.Immediately after planting, it is of great importance to remove weeds, which can lead to the death of a fragile plant.
Falling needles should not be removed. They will act as natural mulch and maintain optimal humidity parameters. After some time, the needles will begin to rot. By mixing needles with humus and compost, it will be possible to achieve a special microflora, which will improve the development of the crop.
Pruning and crown formation
Proper pruning helps to form a crown of any shape - spherical, cubic and other types. When trimming a pine tree, it is allowed to remove a maximum of one third of the shoots. You need to start with branches that are dry, bare or damaged. It is recommended to prune the plant starting from 2 years. This needs to be done in the spring - early May.
To carry out the procedure, it is important to use sharp pruning shears. After pruning, it is imperative to disinfect the tools. Damaged wood fragments should be sprinkled with wood ash and treated with garden varnish. This will help prevent infection from getting there.
Pest Control
Varella pine has a strong immune system, which is why it rarely encounters pathologies or pest attacks. To prevent the development of diseases, it is recommended to add wood ash to water for irrigation. In conditions of high humidity, you can sprinkle the soil around the tree with ashes and dust the branches with it.
If agrotechnical rules are violated, pine may suffer from attacks by scale insects and spider mites. There is also a risk of attacks by soil parasites that affect the root system of the crop. The most dangerous pests in this category include the moth and the cutworm.
To avoid attacks by dangerous insects, at the beginning of the season it is necessary to spray the soil and shoots with Fitoverm. When preparing a working solution, it is important to strictly follow the instructions. Wood ash will also help prevent pest attacks.
If parasites have already settled on the tree, it is important to immediately carry out sanitary pruning. This procedure requires immediate removal of all affected fragments. After which it is recommended to treat the pine with Sunmite or Aktara. Working solutions must be prepared strictly according to the instructions. In advanced cases, it is worth performing 2 treatments. This is done with an interval of 10 days.
Application of wood
Mountain Varella pine is often used in landscape design. The wide spread of the culture is due to the fact that the tree is capable of maintaining any shape, including an artificial one. The plant has an attractive appearance, and therefore is very popular with gardeners.
The culture is compact in size. Therefore, it can be used as a solitaire or used to create group compositions. In the second case, the culture is combined with other plants. With regular application of small amounts of fertilizer, it will be possible to stimulate the growth processes of pine.
Mountain Varella pine is a very popular plant that is often used to decorate garden plots. To ensure successful cultivation of the crop, it is best to purchase seedlings from specialized nurseries.At the same time, it is not recommended to dig up trees in the forest, since they take root very poorly in a new place. With proper planting and proper care, you will be able to get a beautiful ornamental plant that will decorate your summer cottage for many years.
