Spruce Konik: description, planting and care at home. Canadian spruce Konika - the subtleties of planting and care

Spruce glauca konica is one of the great ornamental plants that feel wonderful at home. These Christmas trees are especially in demand during new year holidays. This tree goes on sale quite miniature, no more than 0.4 m high. However, with proper care, this plant can grow up to 4 m in height.

Spruce Glauca conica: plant description

These little Christmas trees are imported all over the world from Holland, Poland and Denmark. This beautiful tree is a mutant that appeared from an ordinary blue-gray spruce. "Glayca conica picea" in principle cannot grow in room conditions, because in winter period these trees do not need heat and a dormant period.

In gardens and parks, this spruce variety is fully grown by the age of 50. 'Glayca conica' is slow growing. For the first few years, this spruce adds 4 to 5 cm in height. And the older the tree gets, the slower this spruce grows- from the tenth year, the increase in growth is up to 3 cm per season. This tree lives for a long time - up to 500 years.

Outwardly, this Christmas tree looks attractive - its conical fluffy crown is formed by itself, without outside interference. Cones rarely grow on this spruce. Their size is about 5 cm. The color of young needles is more juicy, but with age it becomes dimmer.

This dwarf spruce was not bred by breeders, but was a surprise given by nature.

The features of Glauka conica include:

  • This tree is not afraid of bright sunlight, but it is better to protect it from bright spring sun.
  • Because of this feature, in spring, spruces are hidden under a canopy, which is removed gradually.

Glauka konik is highly resistant to frost. However late autumn it is better to pour a layer of mulch 5 cm high around the trunk. High-moor peat, humus or other material is usually used as a mulching material.

How to water spruce Glauka Konik (video)

Spruce Glauka Konik: growing in a pot at home and caring for a plant at home

This is miniature tree most often does not take root in apartments. The fact is that he needs special conditions for living in winter - and firstly, low temperature air.

Even if it was presented to the owners before the New Year, then 10 - 14 days Glauka konik will be able to withstand in a warm room, but then it dies. However, this plant is still possible to grow in the house until spring. And then this tree in a pot is planted in the garden.

To make it ornamental plant felt comfortable at home, you should pick up this dove-gray spruce appropriate place. Usually this spruce is placed in the coldest place: on a windowsill with north side, between window frames, or taken out to the glazed loggia. Optimum temperature in winter, during the dormant period for gray spruce - + 5 ° С. Higher temperatures have a negative effect on this tree.


This Christmas tree can be dressed up for the New Year holidays, but in warm room bring glauca into the conic winter time can be no more than an hour - another. For such short period the heat will not have time to harm this Christmas tree.

If the temperature on the balcony drops below zero in winter, then you should wrap the pot with a warm cloth or old wool blanket to protect the root system of the tree from frost. But the crown of Glauka's horses is not afraid of cold snaps at all.

Also, this tree is extremely sensitive to indoor humidity. Dry air is harmful to needles, therefore, in the room where Glauka Konik is located, the humidity should be at least 70%. Usually such humidity can be provided by a special air humidifier, which is directed to the crown of this tree. If such a device is not available, then bowls with water are placed near the bluish Christmas tree, and the needles are sprayed up to 6 times a day.

In winter, this tree should not be watered often, since its roots are also at rest. It is only necessary not to allow the drying of the earth. As soon as the soil dries up to a depth of 2 - 3 cm, you should water the spruce. To prevent excessive drying of the soil, you can cover it with a paper sheet or newspaper. It will allow air to pass to the roots, and moisture will not evaporate. Watering is carried out with settled water at room temperature.


To heating appliances they did not dry out the soil from below, put the pot with the plant on a raised platform to remove the tree away from the battery.

The needles of this spruce are sensitive to bright sunlight, so Glauka Konika is not placed on windows where the sun is in the morning. The best thing is to create diffused light to illuminate the Christmas tree. At the same time, it is recommended to rotate the tree regularly so that all the needles are evenly illuminated. If the needles do not receive enough sunlight, then it begins to turn yellow and crumble.

If it is not possible to create a normal blackout for spruce, then you can insert a sheet of drawing paper between the tree and the window, which should be higher than the tree. Such blackout is especially important to do at the end of February when the sun begins to bake, and the spruce has not yet come out of hibernation and reacts negatively to temperature changes.

Criteria for choosing a plant when buying

  1. When buying spruce picea glauca conica, you should pay attention to the general condition of the plant. The needles should be of the same color - bright green, and the tree itself - the correct conical shape.
  2. You should not buy this gray spruce in stores, which is strewn with sparkles and other tinsel. Such plants are too oversaturated with aerosols, with which it is applied artificial snow. These aerosols clog the needles of the tree, and such a plant has little chance of surviving.
  3. It is necessary to quietly move the trunk. If the tree dangles from side to side, then the plant has recently been transplanted into this pot. In this case, most likely damaged root system, and such a tree will be sick for a long time and may not survive.
  4. If the crown of the tree is large, and the pot in which it grows is small, then you should not buy such a Christmas tree. The root system of glauca conica corresponds to the volume of the crown, if the roots are smaller, then they were cut off before transplanting. There is little chance of growing this plant with damaged roots.
  5. It is worth picking up a little soil in a pot. If the roots take up all the space in a pot, then this tree has been growing in a flowerpot from the very beginning. Such a tree can be safely bought.
  6. If there are too many young shoots on the tree in winter, then you should not buy such a tree. Young needles indicate that the tree was kept warm in winter, and it woke up from hibernation at the wrong time. Such a tree will get sick, even if the necessary conditions are created for it.
  7. A healthy Glauka horse has solid and dense needles, the trunk should not be bare at the bottom, and roots should come out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.


The main difficulties in growing spruce at home

The main difficulties in growing this Christmas tree at home:

  • in the autumn - winter period, this tree should be kept in the cold so that the plant does not die from the heat;
  • in addition, even in winter, high humidity should be maintained in the room where glauca konik grows;
  • you need to cover the root system of the tree in extreme cold so that they do not freeze.

How to plant a Glauka Konik spruce (video)

Rules for planting and transplanting a Picea Glauka Konik Christmas tree

According to the requirements of the international convention, plants in the ground cannot be transported across the border, and therefore glauca spruce conica is transported in a transport substrate (peat or coco fiber). But after the purchase, these trees must be transplanted into normal land. However this spruce should be transplanted in the spring, when it wakes up from hibernation. And in winter, it is enough to place the glauca konik in a room where the temperature does not rise above 5 ° C, and it will survive well in the transport substrate until the spring transplant.

This Christmas tree is extremely picky about transplants. Its roots, if damaged, recover for a very long time (about 3 months), so this tree is transplanted by transshipment. Suitable soil for spruce can be bought at any specialized store. And the pot for transplanting should be chosen a little larger than the previous one.

Growing Canadian Spruce in a Garden

This Canadian spruce can also be grown in the garden. When planting a tree, certain rules must be observed:

  1. It is better to choose a place for planting in the shade for Glauka Koniki. This spruce is shade-tolerant, and spring Sun rays they can burn tender needles, which as a result will turn yellow and fall off, and will no longer be restored. For the first few years at the end of February, it is better to cover the crown with any covering material to protect the needles from the sun.
  2. This tree does best in the garden, so it's best not to keep it. long time in the room. Trees growing in containers can be planted outdoors from early spring until late autumn. After planting the plant in open ground, its crown must be shaded for 5-7 days. They don't take cover right away.
  3. Late autumn in trunk circle These fir trees are covered with a layer of peat or other mulching material to protect the tree roots from frost.
  4. The best soil for growing fir trees in the garden is loam. It is good if the soil holds water well. Sandy or overly dense soils are not the right place to grow these trees. Also, do not plant Canadian spruce on wetlands, where groundwater is too close to the surface.

Water this tree for summer season needed regularly. And if the summer is dry and hot, then the amount of watering is increased.


Plant diseases and pests

There are few diseases that affect this spruce:

  • Rust- This fungal disease affects the needles, on which bubbles appear yellow color. To rid the tree of this disease, you should spray the crown three times with an interval of 10 days with a solution of Vectra, Fast or another similar preparation.
  • Tracheomycosis- this fungal disease affects the root system of Canadian spruce. The main symptoms of the disease - the needles change color to red, dry and fall off, and the tree itself weakens. The tree cannot be cured. In this case, the spruce is dug up along with the ground and burned.
  • And another fungal disease affecting Canadian spruce is schütte, affecting only the needles. Symptoms of this disease: needles and shoots are covered with a brown coating. Usually, in order to get rid of this disease, spruce is sprayed blue vitriol and preparations such as "Trichodermina", "Maxima" or "Alirina-B". If the tree is severely affected, then it is better to dig it up and burn it so that the disease does not pass to other plants.

The main pests that attack Glauka Konik spruce can be divided into two large groups:

  • bugs gnawing needles;
  • bark-eating insects.

The first insects feed on young shoots and needles. These pests can completely gnaw the crown of spruce if you do not start fighting them in time. Trees that have been attacked by weevils, sawflies, yellowtails, and other similar "harmful" bugs may slow down their growth or even die. But the bark of such spruces is preferred to be eaten by bark beetles, barbels, drillers and some other pests. Moreover, the invasion of pests most often occurs during the dry season.

How to care for spruce Glauka Konik after winter (video)

Gray spruce Glauka konik - very beautiful decorative tree. And although it is grown mainly in parks, squares or garden plots, but some lovers indoor plants grow this tree and at home.

Thanks to right kind crown and neutral green color, coniferous plants tend to fit harmoniously into any landscape. For example, Konik spruce looks great in both simple traditional front gardens and artsy newfangled styles. modern garden. How to plant it on the site, how to provide proper care can be found in the article. Appropriate photos, a description, as well as information about the height of an adult tree are also attached here.

History and description of the plant, its maximum height

At the beginning of the last century, an interesting dwarf spruce was discovered in Canada. After some research, scientists came to the conclusion that this plant appeared as a result of a natural mutation of the Canadian spruce (Picea glauca).

The conic spruce looks like this:

  • The crown of the tree is very dense, has the shape of a cone.
  • Light green needles (up to 1 cm in length) densely cover the branches.
  • The average crown diameter at the bottom of the plant is 80 cm.
  • The roots are not long, located closer to the surface.

Thick branches of a conic spruce

Horse grows very slowly. Young trees add 6-8 cm per year. By the age of 10-12, the height of the plant reaches about 1 m. After that, the growth rate slows down and grows only 2-3 cm per year.

At home, in Canada, maximum height conic reaches 3-4 m. In Russian latitudes, this figure is even less - 1.5-2 m. Such a small growth is due to a decrease in the distance between internodes, combined with increased branching. This circumstance "flattened" the tree from top to bottom.

The progenitor of the conic, Canadian spruce, has the same number of internodes and branches, but its height, due to the greater distance between them, is 25-35 m. Thanks to the beautiful conical crown, this tree is used in the USA as the main decoration for Christmas in the most significant places in the country .

Acquisition of a seedling and planting it on the site

Konik spruce, like all its relatives, does not tolerate even the slightest drying of the roots. Therefore, you need to buy small tree in a container where a clod of earth is constantly moistened.

Advice. It is best to buy conic seedlings in trusted garden centers. Buying spruce in the market from an unknown seller, you can lose time and money.

Landing is considered a very important moment. The further growth and development of the tree depends entirely on this manipulation. When landing, it is advisable to adhere to the following rules:

  1. It is necessary to plant a horse in the garden either at the end of April or at the end of August. Just at this time, the roots of the plant grow intensively, which contributes to good survival.
  2. The place should be chosen sunny. In the shadow correct crown plants may change, and spruce will become less decorative.
  3. Considering small size horses, it can be safely planted near the house.
  4. The landing pit should be prepared in advance. The bottom must be strewn with a layer of rubble or broken brick.
  5. It is also advisable to prepare the soil mixture in advance. For spruce, a composition of garden soil, sand, peat and humus (2: 1: 1: 1, respectively) is suitable. From mineral fertilizers you can add nitroammophoska.

Konik spruce seedlings

The landing itself should be carried out as follows:

  • Soil is poured over the drainage layer in such a way that a clod of earth from the container fits into the pit. Well watered.
  • Carefully remove the plant from the container and lower it into the hole.

Attention! Can't let destruction earthy coma when landing. If this happens, then over the next 15-20 minutes, you need to cover the roots with moist soil and lightly tamp the ground.

  • The trunk of the plant is leveled on all sides.
  • The free space is filled with soil mixture.
  • Well watered planting. This requires at least 10 liters of water.
  • At the end, a shallow hole is created near the stem for further watering and covered with a 5-centimeter layer of mulch.

Caring for dwarf spruce

Conic care can be called minimal. It does not require pruning or any other maintenance of the crown. The fertilizer that was planted during planting is enough for her for several years. If the summer is not hot and not very dry, the supply of moisture to the plant occurs due to natural precipitation.

Despite these qualities, proper care can further increase the decorative effect of spruce. For example, during hot periods, you should regularly water the tree while irrigating the crown. The first couple of months after planting, soil moisture is required weekly. In case of formation of a crust on the soil around the trunk, be sure to loosen the top layer.

Attention! The roots of the Konik spruce are almost on the surface of the earth. Therefore, the plant does not tolerate trampling and significant soil compaction at a distance of 1 m around the crown.

Although the conic spruce is winter-hardy, in order to avoid freezing, it is recommended to mulch the soil around the near-trunk circle well for the winter for the first 2-3 years after planting. Too small seedlings can be completely covered with spruce branches before frost.

Dwarf spruce in landscape design

Despite the fact that horse loves sunny places, in the spring the plant can get significant sunburn. This is manifested by browning of the needles. Experienced gardeners it is recommended to wrap the crown with gauze, burlap, etc. in the spring. The main thing is that the material does not interfere with the passage of air and is able to scatter the bright rays of the sun.

The place of horses in the garden, as well as diseases that can affect the plant

  • at the entrance to the house;
  • near the gazebo;
  • on playground.

Good dwarf spruce both in single and in group landings. Such groups especially decorate the site in the off-season. At the foot of the conic, the calm looks wonderful green lawn or contrasting antennaria, survivors.

Spruce is especially beautiful during the formation of new shoots - it turns into an emerald green, fabulously beautiful cone. AT middle lane this time falls on May.

Spend preventive treatment ate

Konik spruce can be affected by various fungal infections, the timely detection and immediate treatment of which will help save the plant.

  1. Rust - orange growths appear on the branches, the needles turn yellow and crumble. As a treatment, the treatment of the crown and trunk with special preparations is used for a whole month with an interval of 1 time per week.
  2. Coniferous Schutte disease - caused by a fungus. When affected, the needles darken, then covered with a white coating and fall off. With timely detection of the disease, plants can be saved. AT advanced cases it remains only to dig up and destroy the spruce.

The small growth of the once mutated Christmas tree turned out to be a significant advantage for her. Such a plant will decorate any site, and anyone can plant and care for it.

These evergreen Christmas trees at all times were considered the most the best decoration garden, because their decorative forms are ideal for landscaping and creating various garden compositions.

The most popular conifer in our time is considered to be Canadian spruce and its undersized form of conic.

This tree is sure to become a highlight garden plot, thanks to the color of the needles and the surprisingly regular shape of the crown. Conica is able to grow in open field, and in a pot, delighting you all year round with its beauty.

Botanical description

Gray spruce conic is a decorative form that is popular, Canadian look oil. This tree has several more names that can often be found in the literature: white conic, glauca conic, gray conic. All these names extremely accurately describe the appearance of spruce, which has bluish-colored needles.

This Christmas tree is considered a small copy of the gray spruce and great for landscape design . In 1904, the first mention of this coniferous tree was recorded when a similar spruce was found in the mountains of Canada.

After that, it rapidly spread throughout the world. And not in vain. After all, planting a huge coniferous tree on your site is quite difficult. Therefore, in similar situation best solution will decorative spruce , which fits perfectly into absolutely any landscape design.

Description of the Canadian tree:

  1. This type of spruce belongs to the evergreen coniferous trees.
  2. decorative shape Canadian gray Christmas tree. The decorative value of this tree is considered to be its height and correct form crowns.
  3. Konik spruce reaches one meter in height, which is very convenient for home conditions. Under these growing conditions, it can grow up to three meters.
  4. It can reach two meters in diameter.
  5. It grows quite slowly. During the first 10 years of life, it grows only 6 or 10 centimeters per year. At the end of this period, the growth decreases significantly - up to 3 centimeters.
  6. Konica is considered a long-liver, as it can grow in one place from 300 to 500 years.
  7. The decorative shape of the Canadian spruce has the correct original form crown, which looks like a narrow cone. The most main feature tree - the crown does not need any care, as it takes its shape naturally.
  8. The crown is extremely dense, consists of short needle needles, reaching one centimeter in length. The color of the needles is gray-green. Spruce needles do not prick at all, therefore it is completely safe for kids and pets.
  9. You can rarely see cones on Canadian spruce. They are characterized by a conical oblong shape, which reaches a length of 6 centimeters.
  10. The root system is superficial, therefore it is necessary to be careful when loosening the earth around the spruce.

The Canadian tree has several mutant varieties:

  • "Dwarf".
  • "Alberta Globe".
  • "Elegance Compact".
  • "Lauren".

Konik spruce: planting and care

landing technology. To get a beautiful and healthy coniferous evergreen tree need to be carefully prepared.

First you need to choose and buy high quality seedlings or prepare hand-grown. It will also be important to find a suitable place for landing.

Selection of seedlings. In most cases, spruce seedlings are purchased in special nurseries, and are much less often grown at home. When purchasing, it is important to follow some rules:

  1. It is best to purchase a seedling in a pot with a closed root system. In this case, you will have the opportunity to plant it at any time from autumn to spring.
  2. If you bought seedlings with an open root system, then you need to plant them immediately.
  3. With all this, do not lose sight of the root system, it should be with an earthen clod and carefully covered with burlap. This will help prevent root damage.
  4. Take a close look at the seedlings. They should not have dried or damaged branches.
  5. It is recommended to take seedlings in special nurseries, so you will be sure that you are buying.

Selecting a landing site

This tree likes to grow in open, well-lit areas with little shading because it can be exposed to sunburn. If you plant a coniferous tree in the shade, then it will rapidly begin to lose its decorative characteristics and needle color.

In addition, it is very important that the chosen location is well protected from the wind, and there was no close occurrence of groundwater under it, because the Canadian tree is not able to endure stagnant water.

It should be noted that near huge trees did not grow. Otherwise, spruce will lack space and have the opportunity to lose its decorative characteristics.

The choice of territory for planting depends on the desired garden composition and your landscape design. It is important to remember that it is not necessary to plant a Canadian Christmas tree within the city limits - it does not tolerate polluted air and therefore may die.

Soil preparation and planting process

Spruce horse unpretentious tree and will grow virtually anywhere. But to save its decorative distinguishing features and catchy crown color, you need to choose a green area.

The soil must be light and fluffy excellent air and water permeability. It is very good if the soil is generously enriched with organic matter. In addition, before planting, the area must be thoroughly dug up.

You can plant a Canadian Christmas tree in open ground summer, autumn and spring. But you need to know a few rules, since landing differs depending on the time of year.

  • In autumn and spring, it is necessary to plant seedlings with open roots. In the summer planting material must be with a clod of earth, because there is a possibility of damage to the roots, since the root system of spruce does not tolerate dry hot air.
  • It is necessary to start planting with the preparation of the ground. For spruce, a soil mixture of leaf and sod land, sand, peat in equal proportions is suitable. You can also add organic matter.
  • Next, you need to dig landing pit, the volume of which will depend on the size of the seedling itself and its rhizome.
  • The bottom of the pit can be covered with a drainage layer, which consists of crushed stone or broken brick.
  • Next, we pour out part of the prepared land, into which complex fertilizer can be added.
  • We place a seedling on this earth and sprinkle it with the earth that remains.
  • After planting, do not forget to water the tree, it takes about 10-12 liters of water per seedling.
  • After that, be sure to mulch the trunk circle to save water. Peat is used as mulch.

Features of care

The upcoming care of spruce does not require special efforts and any time-consuming actions. But you need to pay attention to the tree so that in the coming time it will amuse you with its luxurious crown and catchy coloring of the needles.

Watering rules. Canadian spruce prefers regular moderate watering, especially when the hot season reigns outside. In this case, young trees should be watered 2 times a week, using 10 liters of water for each seedling.

This tree, among other things, prefers sprinkling therefore, using a watering can or a hose, you should spray the needles several times a week. But be careful not to flood the root system.

Loosening and mulching

From time to time, the near-trunk circle should be loosened, only this must be done extremely carefully, since the spruce rhizome is close to the surface and you have the opportunity to damage it.

After loosening, be sure to mulch the ground. Used as mulch peat or compost. This mulch perfectly protects the tree from the occurrence of huge amount weeds and drying out.

Shelter

Young tree seedlings need protection from direct sunlight because they can get burned and die. In the form of protection, cardboard and burlap are used. You need to cover in the fall for the entire period of cold weather, while leaving the lower part of the spruce open.

top dressing

When, when landing in the ground, they are added complex fertilizers, as well as organic matter, at first the seedlings do not need additional feeding. Further, with the advent of summer, you can feed the tree with various organic fertilizers, which are diluted with water.

pruning

The Canadian Christmas tree is famous for its regular conical crown shape, which actually does not require pruning. In spring and autumn, sanitary pruning can be carried out, during which all dried, broken and damaged branches can be removed.

Canadian Christmas tree in landscape design

Canadian spruce is extremely in demand among landscape designers due to its decorative features, so it is often found in areas. Methods of using wood in landscape design:

evergreens coniferous plants look presentable both in the summer heat and in the winter cold, so the owners of suburban areas always try to get them. Spruce Canadian Konika is a favorite conifer that has become popular thanks to dwarf forms and fluffy branches. This long-liver can grow in one place for up to half a century, so even great-grandchildren will have time to admire its beauty and solidity.

A miniature tree is valued for its beautiful cone-shaped crown, which does not need to be further shaped. If you look at the photos in the catalogs, you can clearly see what a colorful look the Christmas tree creates in the garden at any time of the year. It is combined with many plants, but it also looks worthy alone.

Konica is a form of Canadian spruce that arose due to a natural mutation in nature. This species was discovered in Canada at the beginning of the 20th century, from where it spread to Europe and became the main decoration. household plots. In horticulture, there are other names for this species:

From the above description, without looking at the photo, we can conclude that the listed conifers have an unusual color of needles and a presentable crown.

Miniature Konika reaches a maximum height of 2.5 m. On average, a Christmas tree grows by 1 m. The diameter of a tree can reach 2 m, but usually takes no more than 80 cm. The crown is formed perfectly evenly, which means that the gardener does not have to prune every year. The tree has a narrow, elongated shape resembling a cone. The height and decorativeness of the crown are the main properties for which it is valued.

Ephedra is characterized by slow growth, especially at the beginning of cultivation. In the first 10 years, it grows by a maximum of 6-10 cm per year. Further, the growth proceeds even more slowly: the tree adds 1.5-3 cm in height annually. Cones rarely appear on the tree. They have a regular elongated cone shape, their length is 6 cm.

Konika does not tolerate polluted air. In an unfavorable atmosphere, it can wither away, so it is rarely grown in urban areas.

There are a number of reasons why you should choose a Canadian coniferous baby for gardening:

  1. There will always be on the site beautiful decoration, while the gardener will not have to make great efforts.
  2. A coniferous plant releases aromatic phytoncides into the air, which purify it and rid it of harmful microorganisms.
  3. The plant is disease resistant.
  4. The needles have an unusual green-gray shade, and its length reaches 1 cm.
  5. The root system is superficial, which means that the plant is easy to transplant if necessary.
  6. Propagated well by both cuttings and seeds.

Ideas for landscape design: combination with other plants

Conifers fit into almost any landscape composition, Canadian spruce is no exception to the list. It looks good in an ensemble with other conifers - thuja, pine, which are so diverse. Neighborhood is also considered successful with deciduous, cereals. A discreet shade of needles favorably emphasizes flowering shrubs.

Christmas trees of this species grow well in a group, you can create hedge. The branches are dense, densely covered with needles, ideal to build a good curtain from curious neighbors. Placement near the playground, gazebos is considered beautiful. It not only decorates the site, but also cleans the air around. The Christmas tree can be used to create compositions on a rocky area. Even if you plant one tree on the lawn, it will adequately decorate the territory.

From planting to future wintering

If Konik spruce is chosen for landscaping, you need to know the following about planting and care:


The first 3-4 years, the seedling is recommended to be kept at home or in a greenhouse. You can plant in open ground at any time of the year, except for winter. If the transplant is done in the summer, then a clod of earth is left on the roots. It will protect the fragile root system from the heat. In spring or autumn, you can clean off the roots old earth, but it is not necessary to do so. The best time for landing in open ground - this is April or August. It is at this time that it is celebrated active growth tree, which means it will quickly take root.

Planted in cool but not wet weather, the tree will take root within a week.

For planting, first prepare a planting hole slightly wider than the seedling. Pour on the bottom drainage layer rubble and broken bricks. Soil mixture is prepared: sand, peat, leaf and sod land in equal proportions. Part of the mixture is poured onto the drainage layer. You can add a little complex fertilizer. Now the seedling is placed in a hole, covered with the remaining earth, lightly tamping. After planting, each seedling requires 10 liters of water. To preserve moisture, the ground around the trunk is covered with mulch.

How to take care of a miniature Christmas tree at home and on the site?

Growing spruce is conditionally divided into 2 stages: at home (in a greenhouse) and in open ground. In order for the seedling to get stronger in the first years, it is kept in a cool room in summer up to + 10 ° C, and in winter down to -10 ° C. Watering is carried out as the top layer of soil dries. AT warm weather it is allowed to spray the crown with water from a spray bottle.

Knowing how to care for the Canadian ephedra on the site, you can not worry about its decorative effect. Agricultural technology is as follows:

  1. Watering requires moderate. In the warm season, 10 liters per tree 2 times a week is enough.
  2. Sprinkling twice a week will be useful. A watering can or hose is used. At the same time, it is not necessary to make a swamp in the root circle, excess moisture is harmful to the roots.
  3. Sometimes you need to loosen the soil around the trunk to ensure the flow of oxygen to the roots. This is done very carefully, as the roots are located close to the surface.
  4. After loosening, mulching with peat and compost is carried out.

Dwarf spruces Konik during the period of growth at home need fertilizers. Special complexes for conifers are suitable. If mineral complex fertilizers were added during planting, then they will last for several years. Fir will come and organic fertilizers. Once a season, 5 kg of rotted manure can be added to the soil.


In winter, Christmas trees growing in the garden must be protected from frost. To do this, the trees are wrapped in burlap and bandaged. The lower part of the trunk must remain open, otherwise the debate process will begin. Shelter is needed more to protect from the first spring sun than from the cold. Canadian Christmas trees are frost-resistant representatives. The roots of young and fragile seedlings can be protected from freezing with mulch. Adult specimens do not need shelter.

The pruning procedure is only needed if the branches are burnt or dry. They can be safely removed. Spruce grows well, with the onset of spring, young branches will definitely appear. To stimulate their growth, you need to slightly increase watering.

Canadian gray spruce lends itself successful cultivation in household plots for about a hundred years. Decorative and healthy tree with unusual needles, even a novice gardener can grow. It is enough just to start right: plant in a suitable place. rules further care behind a coniferous dwarf do not differ in complexity.

Among the 50 species of all coniferous trees growing on the globe, Canadian gray spruce is in a special position. The tree is loved landscape designers and gardeners for unusual color needles, for the neat fluffiness of the branches and for the perfect conical shape. It adorns city parks and squares, pleases the owners of country houses with its northern beauty. plots, and is often used for arranging hedges.

Popular varieties

Existing varieties of wood allow it to be used in various compositions, and as a separate decorative element landscape. Consider the most popular varieties spruce canadian.

  • Spruce canadian horse ("Conica") is the undisputed leader. It is actively used in compositions, in the stalls, grown in containers, decorated rocky gardens and terraces. The tree grows up to 4 meters, but reaches such dimensions only by the age of 60.

It has an impeccable pyramidal crown, in which the branches fit snugly together. This variety tolerates shading well and grows slowly, which suits many. Refers to the dwarf forms of Canadian spruce.

  • Canadian spruce Echiniformis ("Echiniformis") - it is the slowest growing tree variety. By the age of 30, its height is only 50 centimeters, with an average growth of Canadian spruce 25-35 meters.

Very compact, with shoots of 2 cm and a crown of 1 meter, it is often used in rocky gardens, allowing you to create amazing compositions without too much shading of other flora. Photophilous, prefers slightly acidic and moist soils.

  • canadian spruce daisy very similar to Konika. The variety is frost-resistant, but requires obligatory shading from the March sun. By the age of 10, it can grow up to 80 cm. It is interesting in decorative terms in May-June, when it gives yellow-white growths.

Looks great as a tapeworm in a heather garden and goes well with a plant composition rock garden.

  • Spruce canadian alberta attracts with its spherical shape. A small tree, with a height of up to 1 meter and the same crown diameter, fits organically into oriental compositions, is used in rocky gardens and heather. Exudes an amazing aroma, has soft light green needles, with needles 6-9 mm.
  • Spruce Pendula("Pendula") is weeping form varieties of Canadian spruce. It was discovered by A.Karrier in one of the parks of Versailles. Branchy, with blue needles, it is of interest in the design of artificial ponds and pools.

How to choose a tree

Obviously, it is better to buy seedlings in special nurseries. When purchasing Canadian spruce, pay attention to the root system of the tree and the condition of the crown. If you take a seedling in a container, touch the needles, they should be elastic and fragrant. In nurseries, there is a risk of infection of young shoots with a red spider, so carefully inspect the shoot for white growths on the woody part. It is they who indicate that the plant was attacked by a red spider. Avoid this seedling.

Advice! Match the shape of the seedling with the variety declared in the documents. Take a closer look at the color intensity of the needles: healthy plant she is bright and alive.

Planting and reproduction

Despite the fact that the Canadian spruce tolerates the shade quite well, it is better to plant it on open areas. The tree loves fertile, moist soils, grows especially well on drained loams.

Planting a Canadian spruce. First of all, make sure that the root system of the seedling is not overdried. When planting, keep a distance of 2-3 meters between seedlings. The root neck of the plant should be at ground level. The depth of the pit is 50-70 cm. Please note that in the early years, Canadian spruce grows weakly and does not tolerate frequent transplants. She reacts poorly to compaction and trampling of the soil, does not like close proximity. ground water.

Advice! To get guaranteed positive result add 100-150 g of nitroammophoska to the soil.

Reproduction. The main material for propagation of Canadian spruce seeds. Before planting in the ground, it is necessary to carry out stratification (to withstand the seed at certain temperature) for 2-3 months. This procedure will increase the germination of Canadian spruce seeds. If you do not want to waste time and want to plant a plant right away, soak the seeds for a day or buy ready-made seedlings. garden forms spruces are propagated by cuttings and very rarely graft the plant.

Advice! Young Christmas trees are best planted under the protection of older trees. Under their canopy they will calmly endure and spring frosts, and the scorching rays of the sun.

Canadian spruce: care

The first thing to take care of is to protect the plant from spring-winter burns. A frost-resistant tree does not respond well to sunny days in February-March. At this time, the root system of the spruce is in the cold earth, and the branches are exposed to the hot rays of the sun. The roots do not absorb moisture, the needles get burned and the tree loses its color. Experts advise to cover the spruce crown with burlap or agrofabric for this period.

Advice! Slight shading, which can be provided by planting a tree against the wall of the house or next to more tall trees, will help you create the perfect light setting for your Canadian Spruce.

Watering. conifers they are not adherents of strong hydration, but they cannot do without water at all. Canadian spruce is planted in places with deep groundwater. In dry summers, the tree is watered once a week. The amount of water depends on the size of the plant: young shoots need 10-12 liters, older individuals will need to pour 15-20 liters under one tree.

To prevent the spring "burning" of the needles, it is customary to wrap the Koniki bushes with burlap or other material that scatters the sun's rays, but does not disturb ventilation. A decorative mini-composition in a concrete pot with a Canadian Christmas tree in leading role - great decoration your house

  • Rust appears on the branches as orange growths. With a significant lesion, the needles turn yellow and crumble. For treatment, Gliocladin or Vectra is used, processing the branches once a week for a month.