Spruce Konica is a miniature coniferous tree, which is a dwarf variety of Canadian spruce. Due to its compact size and decorative effect, this mini-Christmas tree is successfully used in landscape design for coniferous landscaping of small areas, the area of \u200b\u200bwhich does not allow the placement of trees of large species.
Outwardly, the tree looks extremely attractive - the lush crown has the shape of a cone, the length of soft bluish-green needles is from 6 to 10 mm. Growing in diameter up to 75–80 cm, Konika grows very slowly in height, adding about 6–8 cm per year. As a rule, active growth is observed in the first 10 years of a tree’s life, growth slows down over time, and the height of an adult plant rarely exceeds 180 -250 cm. The root system of the Christmas tree is located in top layer soil, which greatly facilitates its transplantation. In addition, the baby is undemanding in care and has a high frost resistance. To ensure a comfortable stay of the tree on the garden plot, suitable conditions should be created for it.
Location
For planting Koniki, fertile loamy soils are suitable that retain moisture well, and the acidity of the soil in this case does not matter, but the tree reacts extremely painfully to excessive alkalization.
As a "place of residence" for a miniature beauty, a shady place protected from the wind should be determined, while avoiding hills and swampy lowlands. It does not build to plant Konika in places with groundwater close to the surface.
Dwarf spruce looks great both in a single planting and in a group. Thuja, juniper and other conifers are suitable as neighboring species for Konika. In combination with them, miniature Christmas trees are used to create "dense" coniferous corners on the site. Geometric group plantings of mini-spruces look very impressive in the design of a trimmed lawn. A single baby Christmas tree will decorate the front lawn, and during the winter holidays it will perfectly cope with the role of a Christmas tree.
Landing
Christmas trees that have reached the age of 3-4 years are subject to transplantation into the ground, all this time they are kept in pots to form the root system. However, Konik should not be grown as a home potted plant; with age, it is difficult to tolerate room conditions.
It is recommended to plant a mini-Christmas tree in cloudy cool weather. Planting dates are determined depending on the form in which the seedling was purchased - a closed root system allows planting from early spring to late autumn, including the summer months, and a plant with open roots can be planted in the ground only in autumn and spring period s.
Before planting, the soil must be well moistened. In order for the baby to recover faster after transplantation, you can add half a bucket of rotted organic matter to the soil or feed the seedling complex fertilizer for coniferous crops. For several days, the newly planted tree should be sheltered from direct sunlight.
Care
Due to the unpretentiousness of Konika, serious care is not required for her; for her well-being, it is enough to take the following measures:
- Watering- the soil under the baby Christmas trees should always be well moistened, its drying out is highly undesirable, since Konika does not tolerate a lack of moisture. In dry periods, it is recommended to water the tree through the crown, especially such a shower is shown to young Christmas trees. 2–3 days after the procedure, the soil of the near-stem circle should be loosened, preventing the formation of a dried crust on the surface of the soil, blocking the access of air to the roots.
- top dressing- in the first days of spring, it is recommended to feed the plant with a complex fertilizer suitable for conifers ("Epin", "Zircon") or sprinkle trunk circle rotted peat compost. It should be remembered that the roots of the mini-Christmas tree are located in the upper layer of soil, therefore, in no case should you tamp the soil of the near-stem circle.
- Shelter for the winter- despite the excellent winter hardiness of Koniki, the most dangerous period for her is the end of winter and early spring. It was at this time that the first hot rays of the sun, reflected from the snowy surface, strongly burn the soft needles of the fir trees. To avoid unpleasant consequences exposure to the sun, it is customary to cover Konika for the winter, using burlap, lutrasil, wooden and cardboard shields for this purpose. It should be ensured that the covering material does not cover the spruce too tightly, since natural air circulation must be maintained inside the structure. The surface of the near-stem circle of Koniki is mulched with peat for the winter (layer thickness is about 5 cm). In the spring, the mulch is buried in the ground, providing the tree with additional nutrition.
Important! The plant retains its beautiful pyramidal shape on its own, so no additional work cutting and shaping is not required.
Pests and diseases
- If Koniki is affected by tracheomycosis, it will not be possible to cure it, at this moment all actions should be aimed at saving neighboring plants from infection. The diseased tree is dug up by the roots and burned.
- Schutte's disease is a fungal infection that affects needles. Treatment is carried out with the help of copper-containing preparations.
- Rust - in this case, pathogenic myceliums, similar to orange growths, settle on spruce branches. To save the ephedra, fungicidal sprays are used.
The activities discussed above are quite enough for the full development of the dwarf Christmas tree, however, their absence or untimely implementation can affect the health and appearance of Konika in the most negative way.
Spruce "Konika" in the garden.
New Year loved and inevitable, every family on the eve of the main holiday tries to solve the problem of acquiring a Christmas tree. At the end of the last century, many switched to artificial fluffy beauties, but today the fashion for everything real and genuine has suddenly returned.
Special chic - own Christmas tree, which will please not only on the holiday, but will continue to grow after it ends. You can buy green beauties as a pot culture in a store, for yourself or as a gift for relatives, friends, acquaintances.
There is a problem: the plant needs care, otherwise the needles will simply crumble and the tree will die. The leader of New Year's sales is the Konika spruce. In many countries, such as Holland, Denmark, Poland, the cultivation of such crops is put on stream.
Ephedra are almost unsuitable for growing at home, they need a long hibernation period, low temperatures. Konika is a dwarf hybrid of gray spruce, which was formed as a result of mutation and selection of breeders.
The tree grows well in middle lane, it has good winter hardiness, small growth allows you to settle the plant even on small plot. At favorable conditions spruce can reach a height of three meters, but more often it grows up to one meter. Most of roots are located close to the surface, such agricultural practices as loosening are best done with some caution.
For two weeks of the New Year holidays, the spruce will be able to withstand the heat, then it needs to create such conditions so that the plant survives until spring and landing on the street.
Konika - the struggle for life
You were given or you bought a Konika and you need to do everything possible so that it survives home conditions.
Location selection
It is necessary to find the coldest place in the house, most likely it will be a window sill on the north side of the building, if available - a veranda or a glazed loggia, a place inside double frames. Ideal temperature regime three to five degrees. Each degree higher is a decrease in the chances of survival, necessary in winter time peace can only be ensured by a low temperature in the room.
"Konika" can be decorated like a real Christmas tree: with tinsel, beads, small toys, but it is brought into the heat only during the holiday, for several hours. During this time, the tree will not have time to experience stress due to an unusual temperature difference. If the loggia, where the spruce will be constantly located, freezes, it is necessary to wrap the pot itself with an old scarf or sweater, any woolen cloth. This will not allow moisture to freeze on the roots, the crown is not afraid of frost.
Humidity and watering
The plant will be able to develop normally with an increased level of humidity. The crown is sensitive to dry air, you can put a humidifier or bowls of water near the container. Needles need to be sprayed several times a day. Watering should not be plentiful, the roots are sleeping and do not need excess moisture. The soil can be covered with a sheet of newspaper, a paper circle will not allow moisture to evaporate quickly. Spray the plant with water room temperature. There are radiators under the windows, they can be temporarily closed, and the plant itself in a pot can be raised to an elevation, for this they use a pan, homemade stand made from what is at hand.
Spruce "Glauka Konika" in a pot.
Lighting, sun protection
Ephedra are very sensitive to sunlight, especially if they are direct. On the north side of the house, such problems will not arise; on the remaining window sills, it is better to create the effect of diffused light. a sheet of white paper can serve as a homemade shelter. This is especially true in February and early March, when the sun is already beginning to bake. Once a week, the spruce is turned so that all sides receive light “feed”, otherwise the needles may turn yellow and crumble.
Ephedra transplant
Potted plants are transplanted immediately after purchase, an earth ball cannot be transported across the border, for this reason the trees are forced to sit in coconut fiber or sterilized peat. Such a substrate is not able to provide normal conditions for development, it is called a transport substrate. Seedlings in the nursery are watered and fed by airborne droplets; at home, this type of care is difficult to provide. Herringbone requires acidified soil from a coniferous forest. To rid the soil of possible diseases and pests, it is sterilized in microwave oven within ten minutes.
"Konika" does not like transplants, the damaged root system takes root with difficulty. This process can take up to three months. The tree is transplanted in the spring, if in winter the seedling is in a cold room, it will live until March in the transport substrate.
A warm room makes its own adjustments. Peat at high temperatures dries instantly, reducing the chances of survival. If there is no cold veranda, the Christmas tree still needs to be transplanted into a container bigger size and fill the sides and bottom with ordinary, forest soil, without disturbing the lump with roots.
Spruce "Konika" in the nursery.
Transplantation should not be postponed if the plant has released a lot of new needles, that is, it has started to grow. Fresh shoots are a sign of despair, the plant was woken up at the wrong time, "Konika" is trying to give offspring - tender twigs with a lighter color. Not only the crown, but also the roots will give all their strength to the vegetation, they can rot in a stray substrate, from which moisture evaporates poorly and oxygen does not enter. A Christmas tree that has started to grow must be transplanted immediately after purchase, it is better to shake off the substrate from the roots. After transplanting, the tree may shed some of its needles, this is a normal reaction of a plant that wakes up at the wrong time of the year. Temperature maintenance environment no higher than 10 degrees will ease stress.
Plant nutrition
Immediately after transplantation and during hibernation, plants do not need to be fed. In the spring, the Christmas tree is treated with stimulating biological products, they will wake up the sleeping buds and help the tree restore its former decorative look. For irrigation, fertilizers are used for this type of plant, which are able to maintain the desired soil acidity. Top dressing is carried out from April to mid-July once every two weeks.
Tree for the house: how to choose?
If you are mentally prepared for the difficulties of care, then Konik spruce must be chosen according to the following criteria:
- you can’t buy a tree decorated with artificial snow, sparkles, they are applied with aerosols, and the spruce will die anyway;
- try to shake the trunk, if it staggers in the container, it means that the plant was recently transplanted, the roots could be damaged, there is little chance of survival;
- if the crown is too large in relation to the pot, there is also a possibility that the spruce was transplanted and cut off part of the roots, and the upper part was kept alive with stimulants;
- open the soil from the side, the roots should be braided into a tight lump, such a seedling will live;
- the found stumps of the roots indicate that "Konika" was grown for the sake of several holidays, in the future it will not grow;
- young shoots - a signal that the growing season began at the wrong time and the plant will get sick;
- a healthy, full-fledged Christmas tree has evenly colored and dense needles, the trunk is not bare from below, roots should not stick out of the drainage holes.
Spruce "Konika" in a pot.
The best pot culture for creating a New Year's mood is araucaria. This conifer is designed for home growing, he will calmly endure all the hardships of winter on the windowsill. The needles of this plant under the New Year's tinsel look no less interesting.
If the Koniki seedling still begins to die, you need to pick healthy branches up to 10 cm long from the Christmas tree with your hands and put them in a glass of water, to which a growth stimulator is added. It is better to pick branches with a “heel”. By spring, some of the cuttings will sprout roots, and you will have your own planting material.
"Konika" near the porch.
Landing in open ground
Planted near the porch, will bring no less wonderful Christmas mood, how house tree. "Konika" grows slowly, adding no more than 10 - 12 cm per year, a meter-long copy of the tree will be obtained in ten years. Container Christmas trees are planted in the spring and two months before the onset of stable sub-zero temperatures. In this case, it is better to use the transshipment method.
'Konika' likes well-drained moist soils. The best option is loam. Stagnation of moisture, waterlogging - the certain death of the plant. You can try to fix the lowland area with a layer broken brick, coarse sand, expanded clay. A shaded area is desirable so that the needles are not under direct rays, spruces can be planted near the fence, against the background of the wall of the house, in a group with other conifers.
Landing procedure
- The Christmas tree is carefully removed from the container, without destroying the earthen ball, for an hour or two the roots are immersed in water.
- If planting is done in spring or summer, the root system is freed from the remnants of the substrate, the roots are straightened and planted on fertile soil, filled with a slide. Land can be brought from a coniferous forest or bought at a specialized store.
- Planting in the summer is best done in rainy weather, the seedling should get out of stress before the heat starts. A canopy is made of non-woven material over a young Christmas tree.
- In autumn, the roots are not cleaned, but only slightly straightened so that the injured plant has time to get stronger before the onset of cold weather.
- After planting, the soil is sprinkled with peat to retain moisture and warm the root system.
Dangerous time - the end of winter. The sun and its reflection from the snow cover can severely burn the needles, it will turn yellow and crumble. Burns are difficult to heal. To avoid such a development of events, in early February, seedlings cover nonwoven fabric or burlap, simply tying a twine to the crown, you can sew a bag in the form of a cone.
If the summer turned out to be hot, a water hose with a sprinkler is installed near the Konika and turned on several times a day.
Buy a spruce in a pot if you have a plot on which you can later plant it or give it to friends who have such conditions. Ephedra cannot live at home, they are intended for the conditions in which they were born and formed, you should not torment the plants with an unusual atmosphere.
Photo spruce "Konika" in the design of the garden
Spruce "Konika", group planting.
Among the 50 species of all coniferous trees growing on the globe, Canadian gray spruce is in a special position. The tree is loved by landscape designers and gardeners for the unusual color of the 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 of Canadian spruce.
- 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 thickets. Exudes an amazing aroma, has soft light green needles, with needles 6-9 mm.
- Spruce Pendula("Pendula") represents the weeping form of Canadian spruce varieties. 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 intensity of the color of the needles: in a healthy plant, it is bright and lively.
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 transfers. It reacts poorly to compaction and trampling of the soil, does not like the close location of groundwater.
Advice! To obtain a 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 a 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 both 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! A bit of shading, which can be provided by planting the tree against the side of a house or next to taller trees, will help you create the perfect light pattern 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 Sun rays, but not disturbing ventilationA decorative mini-arrangement in a concrete pot with a Canadian Christmas tree in the title role is a great decoration for your home
- 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.
Now it has become popular to give the most unusual gifts for the New Year. Spruce seedling of Canadian Konica (Picea glauca Conica) - is this not the win-win option for those who do not have land plot, but really want to have such a houseplant? Perhaps, but you should immediately familiarize yourself with the basic rules for caring for spruce at home, because growing it at home is not so easy.
Spruce Canadian Conica (Picea glauca Conica): description
Spruce Canadian Konica(Picea glauca conica)- This is a dwarf coniferous plant with a regular conical (cone-shaped) crown shape.
Worth knowing! When you buy a very low young seedling, it does not have a conical shape and its needles are quite rare. Nose every year Konika will become denser and eventually acquire the necessary conical shape!
The main characteristics of the Canadian spruce Konik:
- Needles- soft, light green color.
- annual growth in height- 4-10 cm, 3-5 cm wide.
Note! If you decide to grow Konika at home, then you should know that it will give a maximum of 4-5 cm of annual growth.
- Max Height- 3-4 meters with a crown diameter (width) of 2 meters.
According to experimental data, at 35 years old some specimens reach a height of 3.6 meters, and at 60 years old - 4 meters.
Growing Requirements for Canadian Spruce Konik:
- Light- According to some reports, photophilous, but easily tolerates partial shade. It grows well in sunny places, but is very prone to sunburn (it will burn on the sunny side without shelter or shading).
As a rule, in diffused light or partial shade, Konika grows (behaves, or rather, feels) much better than in bright light.
- Moisture- sensitive to drought.
- The soil- does not tolerate compaction and waterlogging of the soil (moisture stagnation).
- Care and protection- protection from strong winds and from winter-early spring sunlight is required (in other words, it should be covered).
- Frost resistance- very frost-resistant (USDA zone 3 - up to -37.2..-39.9 degrees).
Is it possible to grow spruce Glauka Konik at home
Important! Despite the fact that Canadian Konik spruce appears on sale in November-December (before the New Year) - this is not a house tree, which can grow safely at home. This exclusively outdoor, not indoor plant.
It should be understood that the plant growing business is quite cruel, in fact, like the people who generate such demand. After all, many people buy such live Christmas trees solely for the sake of 2-week fun (for New Year and Christmas), and then simply throw them away. Thus, pot Koniki sold in supermarkets are temporary decorative Christmas trees, which are subject of New Year's commerce and commonly used like disposable plants.
For growing in the garden, it is better to purchase container seedlings in special nurseries in the spring.(and not on New Year's, when they cannot be dropped off at open ground).
However, many enthusiasts manage to grow Canadian Konik spruce at home with relative success (at least for the purpose of preserving it until spring planting in open ground). Especially if you have no choice, and you have nowhere to land it, but it's a pity to throw it away.
Interesting! In the video below, the author talks about the experience of caring for and growing Konika, bought in the winter for the New Year, in room conditions during a year. Interestingly, the author does not conduct frequent moistening, and, in her opinion, the spruce feels normal.
Author's comment about caring for Konika: “I water in the morning 1 time in 4 days, watering is moderate. I spray once a day, in the morning. In winter, it grows in an apartment, near balcony door, at temperatures from +17°C to +22°C. In the summer I take it out to the balcony. I put it in a corner. In the morning - the sun is 3 hours, and then partial shade, and so on until winter. I use fertilizer once a month marked for coniferous trees.
Video: the experience of growing Canadian spruce Koniki at home
By the way! For growing at home, Konika is not very suitable for another reason - she has potentially quite large. For this purpose, for example, spruce canadian daisy white(at the age of 10 reaches only 80 cm in height). But then again, eat a place in the garden, not in the apartment!
How to decorate the Canadian spruce Konik for the New Year
Ideas for New Year's decoration Canadian Spruce Koniki:
Important! Of course, if on the afternoon of December 31 and on the morning of January 1, Konika stays in conditions that are not very suitable, then nothing bad will happen. But after the holiday, it is better to immediately remove it to the balcony or to another specially designated place (with the right microclimate).
How to keep spruce Glauka Konik at home
If you nevertheless bought a Glauka Konik spruce or gave it to you for the New Year, then you can and even need to try to keep it at home in winter. To do this, you will need to create certain conditions (microclimate), as close as possible to the street.
And in the spring it is very desirable to plant Konika in open ground (on own dacha or somewhere in the yard of an apartment building).
Transplanting to a new pot
If you are definitely going to transfer Konika in the spring to open ground, then you don’t have to transplant it into another pot, but the conditions will have to be created as suitable as possible.
After a purchase (or a gift), it is advisable to transplant the spruce into a larger pot soon (better even immediately). In a large pot, an earthen lump will dry out much more slowly, and the evaporation of moisture on the needles will go throughout the volume.
Worth considering that Konika doesn't like transplants. Therefore, if you are going to grow it at home, then immediately choose a pot that will permanent place conifer residence for several years!
Especially it is impossible to plant a spruce tree in open ground in the spring, and take it home for the winter, transplanting it into a pot.
Naturally, one should not forget that the land for the conifer needs a certain composition and structure, namely, it should be sour. So it suits you ready-made substrate for violets or gloxinia, as well as special land for azaleas, rhododendrons or conifers (it is always acidic). However, you can dig up acid earth and in coniferous forest.
Important! Don't forget to do drainage holes in the pot, and even better, additionally lay out a small (2-3 cm) drainage layer, for example, from expanded clay. Naturally, the pot will need a pallet where excess moisture will pour out.
Must be transplanted along with an earthen clod, optimal transfer method. Before transplanting, water and let stand for at least half an hour (in principle, you can water in the evening and replant the next day). Then pull out the spruce along with the lump and quickly move it to another larger pot. After that, cover with earth. In no case should you shake the earth from the roots. If you damage the root system, then the plant will hardly be able to take root, especially at home.
Attention! Be prepared for the fact that after transplanting, Konika will shed part of her needles. It will remain dull and pale for quite a long time, and the young tips of fresh branches will dry out.
By the way! If you notice that Konika is in the active vegetation stage, in other words, it has a lot of young shoots (or previously swollen buds) that have a bright light green color, then such a plant should be taken under special control (transplanted and / or provided with maximum suitable conditions). It should not give "offspring" in winter. It is obvious that the plant is not in a dormant period, which means that its life rhythm (cycle) has been knocked down, and in this way it is trying to survive, giving life to new shoots, which begin to draw everything they can from the old needles, which begin to turn yellow.
Place in the apartment and temperature conditions
It should be understood that in winter all coniferous crops have a dormant time, and it can only be provided with low temperatures. Therefore, the place where the spruce will stand should be cool. It needs to be at least +15 degrees (or better even less to +12 degrees, the ideal range is +5..+12 degrees). If the temperature rises higher, then this will adversely affect the coniferous plant: it will begin to crumble and gradually die.
Important! If you put a spruce in a room where the temperature is about +25..+28 degrees, then no matter how you moisten it, the plant will instantly begin to wither and dry out within 1-2 weeks.
In this case, the place should be bright, but not open (optimally - diffused light). Direct sunlight is the last thing a conifer needs (hence, no southern window sills), because home conditions for a plant are already a lot of stress and a test of vitality.
And do not forget to periodically turn (twist) the spruce with different sides towards the light, otherwise the needles, which will not get light, may turn yellow, dry out and crumble (similarly, if the side is closer to the battery).
Note! It is advisable to find a place insulated and glazed balcony, loggias, veranda or a special room for indoor flowers where there is no heating last resort — the coolest window sill in the apartment or the interwindow space). However, there should not be below zero, otherwise the earth in flower pot instantly freeze and the plant will die (as an option, you can insulate the pot from freezing). This winter. And at other times of the year (spring, summer and autumn), when the temperature is positive outside, Konik needs to be kept on outdoors: on the same balcony or loggia, not forgetting to shade from the bright sun, for example, wrapping it with white gauze or other white cotton fabric.
Note! At low, but not sub-zero temperature(+2..+5 degrees), the need for photosynthesis is minimal, so theoretically it is possible to keep spruce until spring even in a dark room. It is important to accustom the plant to the cold gradually. Naturally, in this case, additional spraying and watering is not needed. Yes, the needles will turn a little pale, but when you return them to the light, they will gradually restore their bright green color. But still it is better that the temperature is a little higher and a little light gets on the plant.
Required humidity
Spruce should be watered often, in other words, constantly maintain an earthen clod of a coniferous plant. in a moderately wet state, in no case should it dry out(But don't over-moisturize so that the moisture stagnates).
However, the air humidity in an apartment with central heating is very low (the air is dry), so in addition to watering, you will have to spray conifer regularly with water(2-3 times a day). Humidity should be at least 50%, and preferably 60-75%.
Advice! Ideal for watering and spraying spruce soft water, for example from the filter. Also, of course, suitable rain and melt water.
Optimal put water containers near the pot with spruce so that the water evaporates and settles on the needles. Or put wet towels on the battery.
Idea to maintain high humidity at home, when it is very cold outside, and hot batteries dry the air with might and main at home central heating! Everything is quite simple - you need to do for your spruce home greenhouse. While the tree is small, it can be covered with a trimmed 5-6 liter plastic bottle. When it grows up, build a real mini-greenhouse - make a frame and fix the film on it. And then spray water inside the greenhouse 2-3 times a day. Such a greenhouse should stand in the coldest place in the apartment!
And don't forget that all conifers love fresh air, therefore, the room where your Konika will be located, you need ventilate periodically.
Another idea! Next to the spruce you can put humidifier, which, in fact, will constantly moisten the air next to the crown.
top dressing
Spruce Konik without fail requires regular top dressing (especially in spring and early summer) with special fertilizers for coniferous plants. As a rule, they are sold in liquid form (but they are also in dry form), you will only need to dilute them according to the instructions and pour them under the root.
It is not at all necessary to use special expensive fertilizers for conifers; the most standard ones are quite suitable. So, in the spring, nitrogen-containing ones are required, i.e. you can use urea (carbamide) or ammonium nitrate, or better - an infusion of mullein or horse manure (now they even sell it ready-made). In the fall, you can potash, for example, potassium sulfate (potassium sulfate).
Important! Spruce (like any other conifers) should not be fed in winter (during dormancy) and immediately after transplantation (after all, the substrate is already quite nutritious). It is necessary to feed only when the plant is sufficiently provided with light, i.e. in late spring-summer-early autumn.
Video: growing spruce at home
Pest and disease treatment
It is very important immediately after the purchase (gift) or a little later, but always in the winter, that is, until spring, carry out the treatment of Koniki from pests.
On spruces during the winter months, often dormant, sits green aphid, which in a month can eat all the needles. On those shoots where the aphid has visited, the needles turn yellow and fall off. In the fight against aphids, a weak Aktara solution (under the root and along the needles) or other similar insecticides can help. A day after processing, you need to shake the Christmas tree so that all the dried harmful insects fall out of it. Green aphid is a very insidious pest, as it has a tiny size and merges with the needles. You can find it only if you look closely (for example, with a magnifying glass), the aphids have reddish-brown eyes.
If you notice on the needles white coating
, so you know - this hermes. To combat this pest, the following preparations (insecticides) should be used: "Aktara", "Fitoverm", "Confidor", "Spark", "Fufanon" and similar. 
Sometimes on the lower shoots may appear white mycelium, which indicates the existence of such fungal disease, How snow shute. To combat it, treatment with copper-containing preparations (fungicides), for example, Oxyx, Hom or (1%), will be required. After processing, it is desirable to cover the plant plastic bag and hold on for a while.
Video: Spruce Canadian or Spruce Glauka Konika - care and watering at home
Why spruce turns yellow, crumbles, grows bald
As you already understood, low temperature (+5..+15 degrees), high humidity (60-65%), enough light and nutrition - that's 4 main components of your success for the temporary maintenance of spruce at home.
However! We repeat once again, the Canadian Konik spruce is not a houseplant, but an outdoor one. However, if you got it from a store during the Christmas sale, then this is a typical plant for temporary decoration.
Another thing is if you bought a seedling in a special nursery. But even there they won’t sell it to you for the New Year, because plants are purchased for planting in the ground not in winter, but, as a rule, in spring!
It should be understood that growth continues in room conditions, which requires good lighting and nutrition. Otherwise, the crown inside becomes bald and crumbles.
Also, spruce begins to turn yellow and crumble due to:
- heat and temperature difference;
- dry air (low humidity);
- strong drying of the soil, and then produced abundant watering.
To save the ephedra, you can try several times (3-4 times with an interval of 3-4 days) to spray it with Epin. However, it rarely helps, so especially count on the restoration of a neglected plant is not worth it.
Transplantation of Canadian spruce in open ground
Important! How to transplant the Canadian spruce Konik will be described in detail in one of the following articles.
Nevertheless, it should be borne in mind that plants that have lived at home for a long time do not take root well in the open field and often simply do not survive the winter following the landing (even with shelter).
In the meantime, you can watch an excellent video that tells about the rules for planting Canadian spruce from a pot in open ground.
Video: how to plant a Canadian spruce
If you do not plan to plant Konika in the spring in open ground, then with the onset of heat, it is still advisable to take the pot of spruce to fresh air: to the balcony (loggia), terrace or garden, but doing it gradually (increasing the time spent).
As you understand, you will have to go through a lot of trouble to keep the Konik spruce until spring if you are going to plant it in your garden. If in the future you plan to continue growing it at home, then we hope that you understand the responsibility you take on.
Note! More suitable coniferous crops for home growing and interior decoration for the New Year are considered araucaria, cryptomeria, cunningamia and cypress.
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Spruce glauca konica is one of the great ornamental plants that feel wonderful at home. These Christmas trees are especially in demand during the 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 indoors, because in winter 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 the 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 miniature tree most often does not take root in apartments. The thing is, he needs special conditions for living in winter - and firstly, the low air temperature.
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 the windowsill on the 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 you can bring glauca to a conic in winter for no more than an hour or two. In such a 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 warm cloth or an old woolen blanket to protect the tree's root system 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.
So that the heaters do not dry out the soil from below, the pot with the plant is placed 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 dimming 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
- When buying spruce glauca conic spruce, you should pay attention to general state plants. The needles should be of the same color - bright green, and the tree itself - the correct conical shape.
- 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.
- 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, the root system was damaged, and such a tree will be sick for a long time and may not survive.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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, therefore glauca conica spruce is also transported in a transport substrate (peat or coconut 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:
- It is better to choose a place for planting in the shade for Glauka Koniki. This spruce is shade-tolerant, and the spring sun's rays can burn the delicate 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.
- This tree does best in the garden, so it is best not to keep it in the room for a long time. Trees growing in containers can be planted outdoors from early spring to 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.
- In late autumn, a layer of peat or other mulching material is poured into the near-stem circle of these fir trees to protect the tree roots from frost.
- 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.
This tree should be watered regularly during the summer season. 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 die altogether. 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.
