Spruce belongs to the pine family. It grows in Asia, America and Europe. At home, growing a Christmas tree is not so easy, as it needs careful care. The most common species that are grown at home in a pot are spruce and silver spruce. In addition to these varieties, you can still grow araucaria (indoor spruce). Araucaria can be grown at home in a pot all year round if the tree is properly cared for.

Content Rules

Lighting

In order to grow a Christmas tree at home in a pot, you need to properly care for it. Tree loves bright lighting. It is necessary to grow young specimens in a bright and warm place, while the pot of spruce should be protected from the sun's rays. Otherwise, it may negatively affect the further cultivation of the tree.

Temperature

In the cold season, spruces need coolness. During this season, the temperature regime should range from +6 to +10 ° С. Forest beauty can quite easily endure negative temperature, only in this case it is required to monitor the soil clod so that it does not freeze.

Watering mode

To grow a Christmas tree in a pot, you need to provide it with competent care. Watering is the main component in the cultivation of forest beauty. The tree should be watered abundantly from March to September.

The soil must not be excessively wet or too dry. In winter, the frequency of watering is reduced to 1 time in 20 days, if the temperature in the room is +6 - +10 ° С. At a temperature of 0 degrees, the Christmas tree is moistened once a month. Professionals advise spraying the tree from time to time, especially during the cold season.

top dressing

Spruce does not need regular feeding. In summer, spruce is fertilized only about three times with universal dressings.

earth substrate

If you want to grow spruce from seeds, then you need acidic soil for this. You can purchase an earthen mix for coniferous plants or cook it yourself at home. Required to take universal primer and soil from a coniferous forest in equal proportions, and mix it all.

Transfer

The spruce tree tolerates a transplant quite painfully. It is recommended not to disturb the earthen ball and prevent the roots from being exposed. You need to replant the Christmas tree 2 times a year around May.

reproduction

To grow a Christmas tree at home in a seed pot, you need to take seeds from cones that are harvested from mid-autumn until the end of winter. At home, seeds are sown no deeper than half a centimeter. During the rooting period of seedlings, the container should be placed in a well-ventilated room.

Saplings that are one year old grow from 15 to 25 centimeters, it all depends on the type and conditions.

Most Common Problems

In order to grow a Christmas tree at home in a pot, you should adhere to competent care, otherwise there may be problems during cultivation.

1. The needles turn yellow and fall off. This usually happens when improper care (sunburn, low or heat, incorrect watering.) Affected branches cannot be restored. You can only make changes to the conditions of detention and use drugs that increase the immunity of plants. Funds are purchased in special stores.
2. The needles wrinkled. This indicates that the earth is not completely oxidized. In the top layer of soil, add soil from under coniferous plants. You should not expose the roots of the tree, and the level of the soil should not be changed.

If you follow all the above tips on how to properly grow a Christmas tree at home in a pot, then you can get a beautiful and lush spruce without much difficulty.

How to grow a juniper bonsai tree in a pot at home How to plant and grow Money Tree at home? How to properly care for decorative indoor roses in a pot?

The Christmas tree is a permanent attribute of the New Year. The only pity is that every time you have to buy it again. Or not? Let's try to grow a spruce on our own. Maybe she will take root in a pot on the windowsill, and in the future, preparing for public holidays, you will decorate with a garland not an artificial or cut down, but a real live Christmas tree.

Planting spruce at home: step by step

Growing spruce in stages is a dreary and complicated process. Nothing is impossible, but you must be aware that many years will pass before the tree growing on the site turns into that very fluffy beauty, the heroine of fairy tales and songs.

Not every spruce will survive indoor life. Therefore, experts recommend planting the following three varieties:

• silver spruce;
• araucaria;
• spruce ordinary.

Video instruction

The easiest way is to plant an already grown seedling purchased in a store or on the agricultural market.

So you have more guarantees that the operation "Christmas tree" will end successfully. If you are trying to get a seedling from a branch, remember: rooting will not occur until the second year after planting. But the method is optimal for breeding high-quality varietal trees.

Conditions of boarding and maintenance

So, we decided that we would grow a Christmas tree from a branch. Let's get started!

Planting material is taken from the top young plant. All needles are removed from the bottom of the branch, the cleaned end is immersed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 30-40 minutes. It is best to root it in a bucket, where manure is laid in layers (on the bottom) and soil in half with sand. Upper layer the soil must be thick enough so that the cutting does not burn, but at the same time receives heating as a result of a natural biothermal reaction.

The end of the branch is deepened by 5 - 7 cm, the entire landing is covered to protect against direct sun rays. The young sapling is grown to strengthen (12 - 24 months) and then transferred to a permanent place.

Temperature regime

For proper development tree requires compliance with the following conditions and measures:

• maintaining a moderate temperature regime(15-25 degrees);
• sufficient lighting;
• optimal watering without waterlogging or overdrying of the soil;
• disease prevention and protection against mechanical damage.

soil care

For a plant, soil with a moderate or weak acid reaction is selected. A win-win option would be the use of loams or sandy loams, but oily or heavy soils of spruce will not work. The earthen ball in the container where the tree grows should remain moist, but not wet. After watering, loosen the top of the substrate, however, do not close the rake or shovel too deep, otherwise you may damage the root system.

Trampling or, in case home growing, soil compaction is undesirable. Try to keep the substrate from drying out and cracking on the surface.

Watering depending on the season

Spruce growing in the house is watered from the beginning of spring until the end of the first month of autumn. As cold weather approaches, the frequency of soil moisture gradually decreases. In the midst of winter, the tree should be watered once every 3 weeks at an ambient temperature of at least +6 ° C. If the thermometer drops below zero, irrigation is carried out only once every 4 to 5 weeks.

In summer, young Christmas trees are afraid of the scorching direct rays of the sun, late autumn- frosts, and in the winter months - freezing of the soil. Solve the problem in different season of the year It is possible with the help of the organization of shady shelters, canopies and protective winding, respectively. If everything is clear with the first type, then measures to protect against cold include not only pouring a dense layer of mulch on the landing circle, but also tying the trunk with burlap or wrapping it with spruce branches.

Should I fertilize?

Conifers in nature grow in fairly harsh conditions and can do with a minimum nutrients. Feeding is left to the discretion of the owner. If desired, you can fertilize the soil from above with special mineral granules, which are distributed over wet surface immediately after watering. Top dressing is carried out infrequently: in the process of planting and up to two times during the growing season (from May to the end of August).

Reproduction methods

Growing a Christmas tree from a branch at home is much easier than getting a full-fledged copy using sexual reproduction. What other ways are there to cultivate spruce? Let's list them:

• Growing from seeds and from a cone all belong to the aforementioned sexual (or seed) method of propagation;
• Vegetative reproduction- cuttings (growing from a branch).

Grow a spruce from the seeds of a spruce cone much more difficult than rooting a cutting. In 10 years, the seedling will grow to only one and a half meters in height, so wait until you can dress up the tree Christmas decorations, it will take a long time. Interestingly, with the number of years lived, the growth rate of the plant proportionally increases.

Transplanting spruce from the forest

How to grow a Christmas tree in the garden, if there is no time to mess with germinating seeds or cuttings?

The solution is simple: plant an adult specimen on the site. You can get it for free if there is a coniferous grove near the house. Attention: It is forbidden to take spruces from protected areas and other protected areas.

The transplant procedure is best done in early spring or already in autumn, when moderate, cool weather sets in. The landing site is prepared in advance. Even a small seedling will eventually grow to a height of 7 to 10 meters and develop a sprawling crown about five meters in diameter. Remember this and do not dig a hole near buildings and light-loving plantings.

spruce root system spreads not in depth, but in breadth and significantly depletes the soil. In addition, strong roots can undermine the foundation. Planting a tree next to electricity or gas lines is also a bad idea. Ideal distance from residential and outbuildings- 15 meters or more.

The dimensions of the organized hole should be at least 70x70 cm. thick layer drainage. The hole is lightly watered so that the soil at the bottom is soaked. Under such conditions, the seedling feels better. Fallen needles tend to oxidize the soil. If you do not plan to rake them in a timely manner and remove them from the territory of the site, it makes sense to organize flower beds nearby, soil loving with high acidity: these are lupins, hydrangeas, purslane, nasturtiums, poppies, etc.

When choosing a tree for transplantation, look for a small specimen no higher than one meter with an even crown and a proportional arrangement of branches. Do not take broken or stunted Christmas trees, such a sample is unlikely to take root. Please note that spruce should be determined on the site in the same direction in which it grew in its natural environment (in the direction of the south, north, etc.). The tree is dug around from all sides, leaving the root system in an earthen cube of sufficient volume.

Wrap the bottom of the trunk together with a clod of earth in a cloth and deliver it to the site in this form. Do not forget to collect a bucket of soil from the hole where the plant was located: it is poured into a new hole for faster adaptation during transplantation.

Spruce is installed vertically in a dug hole. Make sure the stem is straight and cover it with soil. The planting circle is watered and mulched with wood chips or straw. The first weeks the seedling is watered often enough to keep the substrate moist. It is useful to shade the landing with an awning. When the tree gets stronger, care for it is reduced to a minimum.

Spruce is the real queen of garden landscape design. beautiful decorative tree looks great in every part personal plot. In order for the spruce to please with a spectacular appearance for many years, it needs to be properly cared for.

Spruce - an evergreen decoration of a personal plot

Spruce is the most important and famous representative of the pine family. This genus includes about 50 species growing in Northern Europe, Central and Northeast Asia, North America, as well as in Western and Central China.

A typical representative of fir trees is an evergreen tree 50 meters high, slender, monoecious with a crown in the form of a cone. The diameter of the crown can reach 8 meters, the branches are covered with hard needles. They ate frost-resistant and durable plants - their life expectancy is 250-300 years.

Beautiful color shade and the correct conical shape make this tree an accent when arranging a garden or a personal plot. Spruce brings the necessary depth of color, interesting volume and shape, as well as a unique fabulous and comfortable atmosphere to the overall composition of landscape design.

Except decorative benefits spruces also have more practical advantages:

The most popular types and varieties of spruces

When arranging parks, alleys, gardens and household plots, about 20 types of fir trees are used. Among them, the most popular are four types of evergreen beauties: ordinary, prickly, Serbian and gray.

Norway spruce or European spruce (Picea abies) is used in landscaping and ornamental gardening. Spruce wood is widely used in industry, and unripe cones are used in medicine. Plant height reaches 30 m, rarely - up to 50 m. The conical shape of the crown is formed by outstretched or drooping branches.

Norway spruce represented by more than hundreds of varieties, among decorative varieties are in demand:

Prickly spruce, better known as blue spruce (Piceaepungens) - the most common species in landscaping. Varieties of this species have pyramidal shape, the height of the trees - up to 46 meters, the trunk in diameter - 1.5 meters. In young trees, the crown is in the form of a narrow cone; in adult plants, it acquires cylindrical shape. Blue spruce is winter-hardy, tolerates any weather conditions, prefers moderate moisture and loose soil.

The following varieties are popular:

Serbian spruce(Picea omorika)- tall trees(up to 40 m) with a small trunk diameter - about 1 meter. Columnar narrow pyramidal crown with short, raised branches. Decorative varieties of Serbian spruce:

Gray spruce (Picea glauca) is known as Canadian or White Spruce. The tree is cultivated as ornamental plant. The color of the needles on the top is dark green, and below is blue-white. In parks and gardens you can find such varieties of spruce:

Spruce planting features

Planting seedlings growing in the forest and decorative forms of fir trees practically do not differ from each other. The recommended planting period for spruce seedlings is spring (before the start of the vegetative period) or autumn (before the onset of cold weather).

It is necessary to plant blue spruce seedlings only in spring, so that the plant has time to take root before winter and does not die with the onset of the first frost. The optimal size of a blue spruce seedling is 70 cm

Buy seedlings in early spring. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the roots and height of the young plant. For spring planting seedlings with a height of no more than 2 meters (ordinary spruce) are suitable, and adult plants or large-sized ones (height of 3 meters or more) tolerate autumn-winter planting well. Various nurseries offer spruce seedlings grown in plastic containers or with a clod of earth. This option is less traumatic for the root system of the plant.

Spruce should be planted in a semi-shady or sunny area. Spruces do not tolerate stagnant water, so be sure to take care of drainage.

The lower the level ground water on the site and more humus in the soil, the more luxurious the spruce needles will look

The sequence of planting spruce seedlings:

In the process of planting fir trees, it is important not to allow the roots to dry out.

The planted plant can be additionally mulched - sprinkle the root neck with a layer of peat (5-6 cm). Such an event enriches the soil with nutrients, retains moisture and increases the temperature of the soil.

Spruce propagation methods

At home, spruce can be grown in three ways: seeds, cuttings and seedlings. Since we considered planting seedlings of spruce in previous section, then we will focus on the propagation of the plant by seeds and cuttings.

Growing spruce from seed

Planting spruce seeds is a rather laborious and complicated process. You can use both purchased seeds and material collected independently.

It is preferable to plant fresh seeds collected by hand in October-November. so it will be possible to properly prepare the seeds and choose exactly the type of tree that is needed

Seed preparation includes the following activities:

The topsoil must be carefully loosened, and it is desirable to treat the plants with weakly concentrated insecticides.

At the end of May, plants can be planted in the ground. After planting, a young seedling must be covered, you can use a cut plastic bottle. Thanks to the greenhouse effect, seedlings will be able to acclimatize and take root faster. Every day, the "greenhouse" must be ventilated, and after a week it can be removed.

Spruce cuttings

Among summer residents, the method of breeding spruce cuttings is quite popular. Spruce cuttings are cut in spring or autumn from the top of the crown. The cutting length is 15-20 cm. Annual shoots cut from trees 5-8 years old take root well.

Algorithm for growing spruce from cuttings:

1. Prepare a hole. Lay out in layers: 4-5 cm of drainage, 10 cm of nutrient soil and 5 cm of sand.
2. Process cut seedling weak solution potassium permanganate.
3. Plant a seedling in a hole at an angle of 30 °, planting depth - 4-5 cm, interval between plants - 10 cm.
4. Water the seedlings and cover plastic wrap. The height of the cover is about 30 cm.

In a greenhouse, the soil temperature should be in the range of 21-27°C, the air temperature is 5-7° lower.

During spring and summer, the cuttings should be watered and shaded daily. At the end of August, sun protection can be removed.

Spruce care in the garden

Spruce watering regime

Spruce watering regimen depends on the age and growing season of the tree:

When caring for and planting blue spruce, it should be borne in mind that it is more drought-resistant than common spruce varieties.

Feeding and fertilizing spruce

Controversy is ongoing among summer residents and gardeners about the dressing of fir trees. Some completely refuse to use fertilizers, but at the same time they note that the plant grows very slowly for the first 5-7 years. Others do not feed the plants, believing that mutations can occur - the side branches are converted into stem branches and the tree grows to the side, not up.

Growth stimulants should be used with caution, since a real forest tree can be obtained from a neat spruce in a personal plot.

In the matter of feeding spruce, one must adhere to the rule of the "golden mean", and apply fertilizers in a dosed manner. It is important not to overfeed the tree, then at the age of about 10 years, the spruce stops growing and acquires a decorative appearance.

Crown shaping and pruning

The needs of landscaping and some security measures (laying power lines) make it necessary to trim the fir trees.

1. Pruning spruce should be done once a year.
2. In order for the spruce to grow faster in breadth and not significantly increase in height, it is necessary to cut off the top periodically.
3. Sanitary pruning is best done in April, after the appearance of new shoots. It is necessary to cut dry and intertwined branches. Thinning helps sunlight penetrate deep into the crown and has a beneficial effect on spruce growth.
4. Decorative pruning is carried out after the end of the active period of growth of young shoots - in early to mid-June.
5. The place where the branches were cut should be treated with a special lubricant, this is especially true for the lower branches.
6. During work, only well-sharpened tools should be used.

Spruce wintering

The needles of young seedlings may suffer from low temperatures, therefore, at the end of autumn, the plant must be covered with spruce branches or kraft paper.

It is better to “strengthen” varieties of firs with thin branches for the winter. From thin wooden planks, make a frame in the form of a cone, install it around the spruce and cover with spruce branches. Such a structure will protect the branches of the plant from breaking under the weight of snow and protect from strong winds.

Mature spruces can easily endure cold winters and do not need protection.

Diseases and pests

To prevent fungal diseases, the soil around the spruce should be periodically treated with fungicides. Most often spruces are exposed to such diseases and pests:

Spruce: planting and care

Photo of firs in landscape design

"Waterfall" in natural style

Blue spruce Hoopsii on the site

Spruce in composition with other conifers

Conica spruce in the garden

Arrangement of a recreation area

Not every amateur summer resident "dares" to grow on his site decorative spruce.

This is not an easy task, because conifers need special care, and it will take more than a year to wait until they grow up and decorate the garden.

Spruce will be a real find for those who live in the northern latitudes - almost all of its species are not afraid of severe frosts and cloudy days.

You can grow a tree from seeds, cuttings and seedlings.

What variety to choose for cultivation?

Quite a lot of spruce varieties have been bred that are suitable for growing in any climatic zone. When choosing a certain type, be guided by the maximum size of the tree and its decorative properties. If the plot is small, it is not worth growing tall varieties - spruce, when it grows, will occupy the entire plot. For ornamental plantings, low Christmas trees are more suitable - there are a lot of them.

Let's list suitable species spruces suitable for private cultivation in a summer cottage:

European spruce (ordinary). With proper care, the tree stretches up to 30 m in length. The diameter of the needles can reach 5 m. There are varieties that are much smaller in size (up to 8 m), and even dwarf (no more than 1 m). Representatives of this species are more suitable for creating hedges. They easily endure severe frosts and lack of light. Beautiful decorative varieties European spruce– Inversa, Acrocona, Columnaris, Compacta, Gregoriana, Elegance, Nana, Clan-brassiliana, Maxwellii, Echiniformis

Prickly spruce (blue). A very popular species in landscaping. The tree has a pyramidal shape, sharp needles 2-3 cm long, can stretch up to 25 m in height. Representatives of this species love light, extremely winter-hardy. Pay attention to the following varieties of prickly spruce - Glauca, Iseli Fastigiata, Hoopsii

Serbian spruce (Balkan). Trees with a low crown grow up to 30 m in length. They grow well in the shade and are drought tolerant. As they grow, shoots of a new growth in the form of a fringe begin to hang from the branches - very original. Popular decorative varieties are Pendula Bruns, Karel, Gnom.

Canadian spruce (gray, white). The most winter-hardy, undemanding to soils and early-growing species. In nature, it reaches a height of 30 m. today many undersized ornamental varieties have been bred - Conica, Albertiana, Pendula, Fastigitata, Alberta Globe

Siberian spruce. Representatives of the species are adapted to harsh northern conditions. The cone-shaped crown of the tree and dark green needles will decorate any site. Of all the ornamental varieties, Glauca is popular.

Tien Shan spruce. A coniferous tree with a narrow crown originally from China. The ends of the branches are drooping, with needles up to 4 cm long. Spruce loves high humidity and an abundance of light. In our country, the decorative variety Globosa is popular.

Where to plant a spruce?

If possible, allocate for the cultivation of spruce sunny plot. It takes root well in the shade, but intensive growth will be observed only in the light - in such conditions the crown of the tree will develop correct form crown. And miniature highly decorative varieties of plants cannot do without the sun at all.

Make sure the soil on the site is good drained and aerated, since the tree may die from excess moisture. Like all gymnosperms, spruce prefers alkaline soils (pH 4.5-6.0), where microscopic fungi actively multiply. With increased acidity, bacteria will form in the soil, which will negatively affect the development of a coniferous tree. The soil does not have to be rich in trace elements - the plant will take root even in "poor" areas.

Growing spruce from seeds

Grow spruce from seed very difficult - this method is not very popular among gardeners. But if we provide landings proper care, the tree will sprout and begin to grow actively in your summer cottage.

planting material can buy. But there is a risk of acquiring low-quality seeds that will not hatch. Therefore, if you have time, collect the cones yourself and prepare the seeds for planting. It's great if you manage to find the type of spruce you like in a city park or in a forest.

spruce seeds

Collection is carried out in October-November. At home, dry the cones and remove the seeds from the sinuses. The technology is as follows:

Treat the seeds with a solution of potassium permanganate and place in a container with calcined sand to a depth of 1.5-2 cm.

Place the pot in the refrigerator. So you create optimal conditions for seed germination - a kind of "greenhouse" for conifers.

In March, you can take out a container with seeds and put it in a warm, lit place. Perfect for a window sill.

In a warm microclimate, the seeds should sprout no later than a month later. During this time, water the "soil" abundantly. When the first shoots appear, the watering regimen for a young Christmas tree can be reduced. To protect the plant from pests and diseases, it can be treated with insecticides and fertilized with fertilizers before planting in an open area.

A sprouted spruce sprout

You can move the spruce to a “permanent place of residence” as early as May, when it will be quite warm outside. Pre-prepare the hole for planting the plant. The depth of the hole depends on how long the seedling is stretched. Pour compost and mineral fertilizers on its bottom. Place the seedling in the hole, sprinkle with earth and tamp its surface a little. To make the Christmas tree take root faster in new conditions, cover the shoot plastic bottle or polyethylene. Do not forget to open the mini-greenhouse daily, and remove it altogether after a week.

Growing spruce seedlings

It is much easier to grow a spruce from a seedling. But get ready for waste - high-quality planting material in specialized nurseries is quite expensive. They are sold in pots.

It is better to plant them on the site with a lump of "native" land. Indicators of a healthy seedling:

Needles - smooth, shiny;

The soil in the container is slightly moistened;

The roots do not protrude beyond the boundaries of the container.

plant a seedling in May- by winter, he will have time to get used to new conditions for himself. Prepare a hole up to 60 cm deep. Lay drainage at the bottom ( broken bricks, pebbles) and a layer of nutrient substrate (sand, leaf and sod land, peat). The substrate will take up about 2/3 of the hole. If you bought several seedlings, place them at a distance of 2-2.5 m from each other, because in a few years the Christmas tree will grow. The only exceptions are its dwarf varieties - they can be planted no more than 1 m apart. Bury the plant in the holes so that the root bud is at the level of the soil. Sprinkle the trunk with peat and water the ground.

Planting a spruce seedling

Growing spruce cuttings

Spruce cuttings are a popular way for gardeners to propagate them. Planting material is inexpensive. You can even pick a twig in the nearest park or forest. Lignified shoots, which are 1-2 years old, take root well. Please note that the cutting should have an apical bud. Without it, the tree will not grow in height. The length of the shoot is 6-10 cm.

spruce cuttings

Planting is done immediately after cutting the cutting - in spring or autumn. Cut off the needles from its lower part and place in a special solution for better rooting.

After a day, you can plant the cutting in a nutrient substrate consisting of sand, perlite and peat. Deepen the cutting into the ground by 3-5 cm at an angle of 30 °.

Now you can water the twig and create greenhouse conditions for it for a couple of weeks by covering it with a plastic bottle. Spruce will take root faster if you first plant a cutting in a greenhouse.

After a few years, cuttings can be cut from a grown tree and the area of ​​\u200b\u200bspruce plantations can be expanded.

Growing spruce: care rules

Young plantings require thorough care, since even well-rooted seedlings, in the absence of right conditions content may be lost. The basics of growing fir trees and caring for them are as follows:

Watering. Spruce tolerates dry weather and can "live" without moisture for up to several weeks. But highly decorative varieties of trees will not tolerate such an attitude - they need 10-12 liters of water weekly. When watering, try not to get moisture on the needles. To ensure sufficient moisture and avoid root rot, it is better to mulch the near-stem circles of young Christmas trees. Use pine sawdust or bark as mulch. Another option that will additionally serve as an excellent decorative ornament garden - sprinkle trunk circles with expanded clay or colored gravel.

Mulching tree trunks with stones

Top dressing. Spruce, if properly cared for, develops well even without fertilizers. Highly decorative varieties can be fed once a season complex fertilizers. Water newly planted trees regularly with growth stimulants.

Pruning. It is necessary to form a crown. This will positively affect not only the appearance of spruce, but also its health. In spring and autumn, remove damaged and diseased branches from the tree. Do not overdo it - excessive pruning can ruin the Christmas tree.

Transfer. Spruce will not always live in the place allotted to it - from time to time transplant the beauties to another part of the garden. Given that the tree, as it grows, forms a fungus root in the ground (the root system “connects” with fungi), transplant along with a clod of earth. The main thing is not to damage this fragile system during the transplantation process. A deep hole is not required, as the roots generally develop in breadth. In a new place, spruce will require special care - regular watering and shading.

Many varieties of spruces are not afraid of severe frosts. But decorative forms will need to be protected in winter - the branches can bend under the weight of snow and ice. And young seedlings shelters will be required. Trunk circles mulch well in the fall so that the root system is securely covered. The crown can be covered with non-woven fabric or kraft paper. Narrow pin-shaped forms of fir trees closer to winter can be tied with a rope or wire so that the branches do not deviate to the side.

Spruce shelter for the winter

Spruce diseases and pests

Even highly ornamental spruce varieties are resistant plants - they are rarely affected by diseases and attacked by pests. But the danger of damage coniferous trees still remains, especially with improper care for them.

Let's designate dangerous for spruce fungal diseases:

Shutte. When a tree is damaged by a fungus, the needles turn brown and fall off. You can easily "recognize" the disease by the dark color of the transverse stripes on the needles.

Schütte on spruce branches

Gray mold. It affects more often young plants of dwarf forms. The disease is manifested by the appearance of a gray-white coating on the branches. The fungus, if you do not take measures to combat it, will eventually cover the entire crown.

Fungi develop mainly due to excess moisture, which spruce does not like so much. Do not overcrowd plantings and do not overwater the trees. If you notice signs of damage, treat the crown of the plant with fungicides.

The most dangerous pests are:

Spruce mite. It is not easy to notice a bug in the needles - it is very small. The tree loses its beautiful appearance - the needles turn brown. Mechanical Methods struggles are powerless here, since you cannot manually remove the larvae and bugs because of their small size. Special preparations - acaricides will help.

Hermes. The insect promotes the growth of needles into galls, in which aphids begin to actively multiply. You can fight Hermes by cutting off the galls and treating the plant with insecticides.

Spruce sawfly. dangerous pest, affecting young plantings of Christmas trees - the needles turn brown, a "mud" coating appears on the branches. To get rid of the sawfly, you need to treat the affected spruce with an insecticide at least 3 times.

bark beetle It is very difficult to fight these pests, much easier to put into practice. effective ways prevention. Keep an eye on the health of your "pets", as bugs only affect weakened specimens. In the spring, be sure to treat the plantings with insecticides.

Spruce aphid. Insects can be seen with the naked eye - this is a small green bug. Aphids feed on needles, sucking out all the juices from it - as a result, spruce branches are exposed. It shows itself well in practice in the fight against aphids, the use of insecticides.

Take care of the planted spruce, and no pests and diseases will be afraid of it!