Most often, it is common spruce in its many varietal variations that is used for hedges. It perfectly tolerates shaping, gets along on all soils, except for pronounced calcareous ones, creates a thick impassable fence - just what you need for a summer residence! In addition to its decorative function, spruce will also protect the rest of the plants on your site from the wind.
A hedge of Christmas trees can grow both naturally, without much participation of the gardener, or strictly under his direction, transforming into precise geometric shapes. It is important to observe the style from the moment of planting - you can not change direction after the plants have taken root and have grown naturally for several years. Cutting such trees can lead to their death!
Christmas tree hedge - planting and care
If we planned to create a formed hedge, then we need trees no more than half a meter high for planting - usually these are 3-5 year old plants. They can be both purchased and dug in the forest, if there is one nearby. Landing, as in most cases, should fall in autumn (September-October) or spring (April-May). Planting material must be good ball earth at the root system, necessarily wet. If you are digging seedlings yourself, take as many as possible with you. polyethylene film- in it you will wrap the root system of freshly dug Christmas trees.
If you buy seedlings in containers, then the task is even more simplified - you can plant such plants for at least a whole year, but it is better to follow the generally accepted terms.
It is important to plant container plants with the whole root ball taken out of the plastic container in the most gentle way. Planting holes should be dug at a distance of one to one and a half meters - of course, at first it will seem to you that such a distance is too big, and the hedge comes out empty.
But after all, we are planting a fence not for one year, but with the prospect of decades! Try to imagine how they will grow during this time. The landing holes should be 10-15 cm deeper than required, and the width should be the size of an earthen coma. If you have to plant plants in clay soil, then you need to add a little peat and sand to the pit. After planting, compact the soil and water thoroughly. It is not necessary to apply fertilizer. By the same principle, it is planted from Scots pine.
Spruce and Pine Hedge Care
The most difficult thing only begins after planting, the whole secret of a good spruce and pine hedge is in the correct and timely manner. For the first time, this procedure must be carried out in the second year after planting - by this time the seedlings will take root properly. You need to cut only with garden shears, because the brush cutters leave too torn cuts.
First of all, the haircut aims to create a dense crown, stimulates the appearance and growth of side shoots. Experienced gardeners it is recommended to pinch young shoots immediately after their appearance and cut off one third of the growth within a year. Throughout the year, it is also necessary to remove broken and dried branches. The process is repeated year after year until the optimal height- trees that are too tall, above 2-3 meters, will be more difficult to care for. It is very important not to cut branches older than three years - this can make the trees seriously ill and even disappear.
In addition to shearing, young trees also require regular watering in hot weather so that the young shoots do not dry out. If you are confused by a hedge that is rare at first, you can plant annual plants behind or in front of it, but at a distance of at least half a meter so that they do not interfere with the development of the hedge.
- not only an original and aesthetic fence of your territory, but also reliable, effective protection from uninvited guests. After all, to overcome, for example, the correct hedge from Norway spruce (Picea abies) only the birds or squirrels that have chosen your garden can do it.
Types and benefits of living coniferous fences
There are molded and unshaped hedges with a linear planting of tree and shrub plants. Molded, they are sheared live hedges, regularly cut to obtain classic geometric shapes. In turn, uncut hedges, which also include spruce hedges, are those that grow freely, forming a relatively even planting line. For them, plants are selected with the same height and regular compact form crowns.
Ordinary or european spruce- a plant with a "correct" vertically oriented, and not an outstretched crown shape, and therefore hedges from Norway spruce - good option fences made of natural trees. You get a dense high hedge up to 3 meters, which over time will grow into a "green wall" with a height of more than three meters.
A hedge made of European (ordinary) spruce can not only protect from prying eyes and decorate the garden, it also protects the plants in it from strong drafts, gusts of wind and dust. Spruce needles are one of the few types of foliage that trap dust throughout the year, and not just in summer. Also, the spruce fence occupies the 3rd position after thuja And pines on the effectiveness of reducing the level of street noise on the site.
Rules for creating living coniferous fences
Remember that when planting fir trees in an unformed hedge, the gap between the seedlings should facilitate the free development of trees, and the crowns should only partially overlap. As a rule, this distance is 85% of the width of the bush.
In addition, when creating a hedge from common spruce, it is necessary to analyze how shaded the area near the hedge will be, which plants and in what order it is better to place next to the spruce shoots.
Since after a while the lower branches of the common spruce die off, and the hedge becomes bare, then when creating it, this fact must be taken into account and a two-row version of the hedge should be used. To do this, a low hedge of stable shrubs is planted in front of the line of fir trees.
When breaking down a hedge from an ordinary spruce, it is important to withstand correct distance to other objects in the garden. So, from the tree trunk to the path, the distance should be at least 0.7 m, the distance between the site fence and the hedge is sufficient at 1 meter. Usually communications are laid here: a gas pipeline, cables, drainage, etc. Plant plants in this place or lawn does not make sense, this is a “technical zone”, but leaving it unennobled is also not good. Of course, after a while, the tops of the hedge trees will close this place from above, but on the soil it is better to spread the mulch from wood chips or pine bark.
You should also process the area under the crowns of fir trees and with inside garden. After all, if the lawn directly approaches the hedge, then this will complicate the process of normal feeding and watering. That's why trunk circles or entire trunk strips in a hedge are best left mulched. Such a “decor” looks even better if you use high-quality mulching material.
Rules for planting and caring for a coniferous hedge
A favorable time for laying coniferous hedges is the second half of August. At this time, active root formation begins in the common spruce. Therefore, the plant has time to get new roots before frost and can be fed with moisture thanks to this. If you start planting a spruce hedge later, then the root system does not have time to develop, the plants, evaporating moisture, can dry out without recharge.
In the spring, in March - April, the time of spring vegetation begins, which is also favorable for planting a hedge of Norway spruce. Young trees survive the stress of traveling from the nursery to the site without consequences, and the damaged root system can recover well after a new planting.
Breakdown and preparation of a place for planting a hedge
In place of the future hedge, a trench is dug out of the fir trees (not holes). The width of the trench varies depending on the row of hedges: single-row or double-row. The average width of a single row is 40-50 cm, a double row is 70-90 cm with a trench depth of 50-60 cm. Then the soil at the bottom of the trench is loosened with a shovel so that the substrate is better mixed with the existing soil, and the substrate for conifers is filled up. It should be poured at a level of 0.10 - 0.15 m above the soil surface, since after a while it settles.
After preparing the soil, one line of twine is stretched for planting a single-row hedge from an ordinary spruce and two parallel twine for a two-row hedge, after which holes are dug in the substrate separately for each seedling with a funnel diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the root system of the plant itself.
Usually on one running meter a single-row hedge has 3-5 pits. With a two-row hole, they dig in a checkerboard pattern. Then the twine is removed and young trees are planted in the prepared holes, most often these are 2-3-year-old shoots.
Pruning spruce branches
It is not necessary to prune a young Norway spruce hedge in the first year of planting. Conifers can wait one to two years for pruning. It is carried out in the summer, more precisely, when the growth of shoots ends at the common spruce.
As a rule, frequent pruning of unshaped spruce hedges is not required, but pruning is necessary to keep the plant thicker and more aesthetically pleasing. Norway spruce - unpretentious plant suitable for almost any conditions. Therefore, a hedge of Norway spruce can be formed on any garden soil, with the exception of calcareous. At the same time, sunny areas are desirable, of course.
It should be remembered that over time, spruce grows too much and may lose its attractive appearance. The branches of the lower tier, dying, expose the trunk and violate the decorative effect and the very purpose of the hedge. To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to pinch the apical shoots. Also, given the future shape of the hedge, you can pinch and even break out the side shoots if they start to go beyond the contours of the spruce fence. Pinching and trimming should be done regularly. Trimming twigs three years old and older can ruin the entire plant.
We care correctly
Further care of the hedge consists of sprinkling, spraying against diseases / pests, as well as shaping and sanitary pruning. Sanitary pruning of fir hedges is carried out annually, weak and diseased branches are removed.
Sprinkling is especially useful for coniferous hedges, because. dust that lingers on the needles clogs the mouths of the needles and prevents gas exchange. Each needle lives an average of 3-5 years, and "choking" the life of green needles decreases, it turns yellow and falls off. jet of water under with great pressure reaches the tops of the fir trees and washes off the stubborn dust well.
Care should be taken not only for the above-ground part of the hedge, but also for the underground. This means regular loosening, mulching, watering, fertilizing, weeding.
Careful loosening, which should be performed after watering, allows you to retain moisture in the soil for a long time. However, loosening should not be particularly deep, a depth of 5 cm is enough. Another effective way moisture retention in the soil - regular mulching and weeding.
In green building and architecture, a spruce hedge is a very important component. landscape design, and in horticulture - a proven protection of plants from winds and possible spring frosts. A well-groomed spruce hedge will not only make the garden more beautiful, but also create comfort, mood, a special aura for you and a microclimate for plants.
Spruce hedge is an important part of landscape design, protecting plants from wind and frost. A well-groomed hedge of fir trees decorates and creates a healing microclimate.
Although the merit coniferous plants easily turn into disadvantages, many prefer to make hedges from conifers. In winter and summer in one color - on the one hand, dignity, because even in a dull winter, the site will stand out favorably with a dense green wall. But it will be so in spring, and in summer, and in autumn - no variety. Although if you like stability, then a coniferous hedge is an ideal choice. Given the fact that coniferous plants grow rather slowly and are expensive, before arranging a hedge from them, it is necessary to find out as much as possible about the types of plants and the technology for their cultivation.
Types of hedges from coniferous plants
A coniferous fence reliably protects the site from dust, noise, exhaust gases and wind at any time of the year. The healing smells of resins released into the space serve as a kind of antiseptic, preventing the reproduction of harmful bacteria and viruses. Also, coniferous plants live for a long time, which means that it will not be necessary to update the fence soon.
There are many options for organizing a coniferous fence on the site. It all depends on several factors: the height of the plants, the type of plants, the shape of the crown and whether it is necessary to trim the hedge. Let's take a look at what kind of fence can be made in the country.
Depending on the height of the plants, coniferous hedges are:
- High. Plants taller than 2 - 3 m. Usually planted along the border of the site.
- Medium. Plants with a height of 1 to 2 m. Used for zoning the site.
- Low. Plants up to 1.2 m high. Planted inside the site for decorative zoning.
- curbs. Plants from 0.5 m to 0.8 m high. Planted along paths or around a pond.
Taking into account the fact that tall coniferous plants may not close the crown sufficiently at a low height, quite often they are planted not in one row, but in several. In total it is possible to distinguish 3 types of hedges depending on planting conditions:
- single row hedge. Landed if the creation of a dense green wall is not required. Thuja and juniper are commonly used.
- It is able to protect the site well from adverse factors: dust, exhaust gases and wind. Plants are planted in a checkerboard pattern, with an offset.
- Three row hedge. Usually tall conifers are not planted in three rows. The maximum number of rows is 2. So the crowns of both rows are well illuminated by the sun's rays. But sometimes conifers are planted in three rows. Only the extreme row should be from undersized plants.
Also plants in coniferous hedge differ in the type of needles:
- Soft. The needles are soft, like a thuja.
- prickly. The needles are prickly, like those of spruce or juniper.
A barbed fence can also serve as a living barrier, even the most desperate uninvited guest is unlikely to climb through it.
According to the method of care, a coniferous hedge is:
- molded hedge. The crown of plants is cut in the form of some form. For example, a rectangular crown, triangular, square, oval, trapezoidal or artistic, in the form of some kind of animal or object. Such hedges require increased attention to themselves, and their pruning takes not only a lot of time, but also requires some skill.
- . Plants develop in any form. For example, pine is not moldable at all, so it must be allowed to grow as it wants. For a free-growing hedge, it is necessary to choose such plants so that their natural crown is beautiful and looks well-groomed.
In order to plant a hedge of coniferous plants, you first need to decide what exactly you want to see and how much time, effort and money you are willing to spend on maintaining the hedge. How tall do you want the hedge, how many rows should the plants be in, will you trim the plants regularly to form a crown or not? Answer these questions and start choosing plants that fit your criteria.
Coniferous hedge plants
Coniferous plants differ in different parameters: height, crown shape, soil requirements and sunshine, frost resistance or vice versa - susceptibility to frost. The easiest way to start is to select plants for the hedge, based on the desired height. Below are the most common plants in their category with their features and preferences.
tall coniferous plants
Tall coniferous plants are usually used to equip a high hedge at the edge of the site in order to hide it from prying eyes and protect it from many negative factors. environment. They can be planted both along the fence and instead of the fence. The optimal distance between plants depends on the method.
- Thuja western.
Ornamental coniferous plant 5 - 10 m high, undemanding to soils, frost-resistant. Due to its plasticity, it is easy to mold. Prefers shady areas. As planting material it is better to use seedlings aged 7 - 10 years. The fact is that up to 10 years, thuja grows very slowly, and after 10 years it is much faster and the annual growth is much larger. It is necessary to plant at a distance of 50 - 70 cm from each other.
Tui seedlings should be formed in early spring, but not earlier than the plants converge in crowns. Especially pay attention to the regularity of pruning. If the plantings from below are thickened or vice versa - bare, it will be almost impossible to fix it. Even at the expense of a strong anti-aging pruning.
Please note that in some varieties of western thuja, the needles turn brown for the winter, it becomes, as it were, rusty. In summer, the normal color of the needles is restored. Two years after planting, the thuja must be protected from the scorching sun, the plants can be covered with burlap or other nonwoven fabric. Tui varieties with an unusual color of needles: "Semperaurea" (Semperaurea)- golden color of needles, "Smaragd" (Smaragd)- emerald green, "Brabant" easily tolerates even a radical haircut, varieties are also good "Column", "Holmstrup". A thuja hedge can be grown by planting mature seedlings, as well as independently growing them from seeds or cuttings.
- Red cedar.
Pleasant-looking coniferous plant up to 3 m high. The shape of the crown is conical, the needles are soft blue color. Seedlings aged 5 years are best suited. It is necessary to plant at a distance of 50 - 80 cm to a depth of 60 cm. Suitable varieties:
"Skyrrocket" (Skyrocket)- gray-blue needles.
"Pyramidalis" (Pyramidalis)- almost columnar form, green needles, needle-shaped at a young age, scale-like at an old age. Winter-hardy, drought-resistant plant, easily withstands heat. Looks great when landing in the form of an alley.
"Pyramidiforms" (Piramidiformis) also tolerates heat and drought well. The needles are gray, the needles are very small, scaly. Height up to 5 - 10 m.
"Glauca" (Glauca)- gray-green needles. It grows quickly, is not afraid of drought and frost.
"Tsanaertii" (Canaertii)- narrow-columnar plant, needles scaly dark green. Against the background of dark needles, bluish-white bright fruits look beautiful.
- Prickly spruce.
An ornamental plant at any time of the year up to 15 - 25 m high. The crown is pyramidal, the branches form dense even tiers, evenly spaced from the beginning of the trunk to the very top. Needles happen various colors: from green to light blue, almost silvery. By the way, prickly spruce is sometimes called “silver spruce”. Spruce is photophilous and demanding on soil fertility.
"Argentea" (Argentea)- silver-white needles.
"Glauca" (Glauca)- Another name is "gray", the needles are bluish-green.
"Hopsi" (Hoopsii)- bluish-white needles.
"Bonfire" (Koster)- bluish-green needles with a light wax coating.
"Oldenburg" (Oldenburg)- needles of blue-steel color.
"Spek" (Spek)- blue needles.
- Scotch pine.
The difficulty of using pine is that it only grows upwards and cannot be molded. The pruned branches do not form side shoots, so it can only be grown as a free-growing crop.
"Watereri" (Watereri)(pictured above) - needles of a pleasant blue color. A plant with a twisted spherical crown, grows to a height of up to 4 m. It is best adapted to the southern warm climate.
"Pinus Silvestris" (Pinus sylvestris)- green needles, collected in bunches. The plant is columnar in shape, not demanding on soils, any well-drained will do. It also withstands frost well.
medium-sized coniferous plants
A hedge of medium height conifers looks good both at the end of the garden, and near the fence or in the middle of the site.
- Canadian spruce. (pictured below)
For example, spruce "Conica" (Conica) grows slowly, looks very attractive, therefore it is always popular. It has a branched crown.
- Yew.
Yews are ancient plants that look very elegant. They grow very slowly, so seedlings older than 10 years are used for planting. Yew is a shade-tolerant plant, so it can be planted both in the depths of the garden and on the north side of the building. Beautiful cone-berries delight with their bright orange or red color.
Yew berry "Fastigiata" (Fastigiata)(pictured above) grows up to 3 - 5 m. The crown has a wide-columnar shape, and the top is slightly drooping. The needles are black-green in color, 2 - 2.5 cm long, spirally located on the shoots. This variety is best planted in a place protected from the wind.
Tees medium "Hicksie" (Hicksii)(pictured above) grows up to 3 - 4 m. Shrub with a narrow columnar crown shape, which can reach 2 m in diameter. The needles are dark green shiny above, and lighter below. This variety is considered relatively fast growing.
- Thuja western(pictured below).
It forms into a beautiful compact ball, the branches grow vertically in relation to the trunk. With timely pruning, a very compact plant.
- Yew golden(pictured below) .
The crown is bowl-shaped, the needles are golden or yellowish green. A shade-tolerant plant, it gets along well next to tall and short conifers.
- Red cedar.
"Albospica" (Albospica)(pictured above) - whitish needles. Easily withstands high summer temperatures and dry air.
"Aureospicata" (Aureospicata)(pictured above) - golden needles. The bright color of the needles appears at the time of blooming of the needles and persists until late autumn. Then the needles turn bright green.
"Burkii" (Burkii)(pictured above) - the needles on top have honey-blue stripes and a thin green edge, the bottom color of the needles is green. In autumn, the needles become steel blue, and in winter - purple. This is one of the most beautiful decorative species juniper.
"Grey owl" (Grey owl)- blue needles.
Low-growing and creeping conifers
Low-growing coniferous plants do not grow up, but in breadth, so it is necessary to provide a lot of free space for them. In fact, a low-growing coniferous hedge is more like a coniferous lawn.
- Norway spruce "Lombers". (pictured above). A plant of extraordinary beauty with emerald-colored needles.
- Thuja western "Tini Tim"(pictured above). After trimming the crown, it looks like a ball that has rolled out onto the road. Likes sunny areas, but does not require frequent watering.
- (pictured above). Expands in breadth. If it's cold outside, the buds take on a reddish-brown hue.
- Pine mountain "Mini Pug". Looks like a fluffy pillow.
- Prickly spruce "Mall"(pictured above). The crown is wide-conical, strongly branched. The needles are bluish-white.
- Prickly spruce "Mongomery"(pictured above). dwarf plant with gray-blue needles.
- Juniperus Virginis "Silver Spreader" (Silver spreader)(pictured above) - covers the ground, silver-green needles.
- Juniper virginsky "Reptans" (Reptans)- squat shrub. The needles on young shoots are bright green, and on old ones they are blue.
Fast growing conifers for hedges
Coniferous plants cannot be called fast-growing, such as willow or weaving annuals, which are capable of braiding a hedge in one season. It is difficult to create a quickly dense, fairly high coniferous hedge. However, there are coniferous plants, the rate of development and growth of which is somewhat higher compared to others.
- Weymouth pine(pictured above). The plant prefers well-drained soil and does not like dryness. The needles are bluish-green in color, needle-like and soft. The crown can be pyramidal or conical.
- False suga tissolifolia(pictured above). Only suitable for warm-temperate humid climates. Likes sunny areas. The needles are brilliant green above and slightly lighter below.
- Pseudo-suga yew-leaved Glauca (Blue)(pictured above) is more resistant to frost, so it can grow in Russian cities.
- Larch(pictured above). The needles are light green. Prefers fertile lands and sunny areas.
- Serbian spruce(pictured above). It is exceptionally decorative. The needles are dark green with white stripes below. It is undemanding to soils, drought- and frost-resistant.
- Thuja folded giant(pictured above). Prefers damp places, sheltered from the sun; there are no special requirements for soils.
- Metasequoia glyptostrobe. Also prefers moist soils. In winter, the needles fall off, but during the season they change color, like leaves: in summer they are dark green, and in autumn they turn red-brown.
Choosing fast growing plants for hedges, be sure to consider their frost resistance. After all, if at least one plant suffers from frost, the entire hedge will look ugly.
Coniferous hedge: planting and care
Coniferous hedges can be easily grown by yourself, without resorting to the help of specialists. Some breeds of conifers are propagated by seeds and cuttings, such as thuja. It can be propagated in your own area, by independently growing both 200 and 500 seedlings for a large hedge, saving a lot of money. But a lot of time will be lost, so you have to choose - grow it yourself or buy it in a nursery. It is best to purchase seedlings in special nurseries, ignoring the market.
How to choose planting material
When buying seedlings for a coniferous hedge, you need to pay attention to the root system and crown. The root system must be sufficiently developed, this indicates that the seedling was grown in a nursery where the technology was observed. If the root is short and incised, this indicates that the plant was simply dug up in the forest. Please note that plants from the forest practically do not take root on cultivated garden plots. The thing is that in the forest - this is a whole community, a family, there the symbiotic fungus "mycorrhiza" helps to feed the trees. If such a plant is pulled out of its natural environment, it will simply die, it will not be able to survive.
The crown of the conifer should be about 0.5 m. The age of the seedling is from 3 years old, but the exact age depends on the breed and variety. More precise recommendations were indicated in the description of plants.
It is best to buy a seedling in a container or with a clod of earth wrapped in a wet rag. You should not buy a seedling of coniferous plants with an open root system. He most likely won't survive.
Landing in open ground
Plant conifers in open ground can be in early spring or autumn. Also, seedlings in containers are allowed to be planted from early spring to late autumn, but it is better not to do this. If the summer is sunny hot weather, the transplanted plant may die.
- To plant a hedge, mark the area, pull the rope to get a straight line.
- We dig holes for seedlings along the rope. The depth and width of the pit should be about 2 times the clod of earth on the seedling.
- If the site is prone to flooding, we arrange drainage. To do this, we throw crushed stone or broken construction waste with a layer of 10 cm at the bottom of the pit.
- We prepare a fertile substrate: garden soil, humus, sand. If the plant prefers acidic soil, then add peat, if alkaline, then wood ash.
- We remove the fabric from the seedling that entangles the clod of earth.
- Gently lower the seedling into the pit, after sprinkling the bottom with fertile soil.
- The seedling should be placed in the hole so that the root neck is clearly at ground level.
- We fall asleep with a fertile substrate. Gently tamp the soil with your hand.
- Carefully water the seedling to wet the root system completely.
This procedure is repeated for all seedlings in the hedge. The distance between coniferous plants should be at least 0.5 m, between tall sprawling plants up to 1.5 m. The distance between rows of plants should be at least 1 m.
Coniferous hedge care
Coniferous plants for hedges require timely abundant watering every two days, especially the first time after transplantation. By the way, the first two years of the plant must be covered from direct sunlight on a hot day with some kind of light blown material.
For the winter, seedlings should be covered with spruce branches or agrofibre. Even hardy plants can be damaged by frost or cold wind if they are newly planted in a permanent location.
Important! Many conifers are afraid of cold winds, so try to protect the plantings.
The care of coniferous plants also includes pruning and crown shaping.
When and how to cut a coniferous hedge
Coniferous hedges are usually not cut after planting for 2 to 3 years. If the hedge seems too sparse to you, you can pinch the top and slightly trim the crown, but this must be done in late July - early August. If the plant is planted in the fall, then pruning must wait until next year.
We shorten the upper branches by 10 - 20 cm, the side branches - a little less. Dry and damaged branches must be removed.
A well-established hedge easily tolerates several haircuts per season. Usually sheared twice a year: in the spring, even before the buds open, and in the summer, when new shoots are forming with might and main.
Important! Spruce is cut only once per season. This can be done in the spring when the growths get stronger. Also note that it is impossible to cut any coniferous plants later than August, otherwise the young growth that will grow after pruning will not be able to get stronger and will suffer from frost.
Free-growing coniferous hedges are not sheared at all. If the plant has reached the peak of its height and the lower part of the crown has begun to thin out, then you can cut off the top. Remember, the lower branches of a pine tree, if they shed their needles, will never be green again.
In conclusion, I would like to make some recommendations for color solutions in a coniferous fence. When plants are combined with different shade hell, it might work beautiful composition. If there are three components in the composition, then a maximum of two colors are allowed, if there are five components, three colors can be used, if there are a lot of elements, for example, 25, then they must be combined into compositions of 3. Forming a coniferous hedge, you can create a unique harmonious picture.
Coniferous hedges
Consider which coniferous trees and shrubs are used to form a hedge, the basic rules for choosing seedlings, as well as the compatibility of conifers and the features of their cultivation.
Choosing seedlings of coniferous plants
Three-year-old plants no more than 1.5 meters high, bought in a specialized store or nursery, are best suited for hedges. When choosing seedlings, be sure to pay attention to the roots - they must be sufficiently developed, without obvious defects and damage. If the roots are too short or have an unhealthy appearance, this may indicate disease and non-compliance with the rules of cultivation.
When buying seedlings with an open root system, give preference to plants whose roots are covered with a damp cloth, otherwise they will not take root. When choosing a tree, be sure to check the condition of the needles. In healthy plants, the needles stick well on the branches and have a uniform color - without signs of drying out, black and yellow spots.
What conifers to use for hedges
The most popular plants for creating a coniferous hedge are prickly spruce, western thuja, yew and virginian juniper. They are effective appearance, rapid growth and unpretentious care. You need to choose from them, focusing on the growing conditions in your area, as well as general landscape features and garden design.
Prickly spruce (lat. Piceaepungens)
Prickly or blue spruce is a medium-sized tree with a slender, symmetrical pyramidal crown, 5 to 8 m in diameter. The branches of the plant are dense, close to the ground. The bark on the trunks is thin, brown-gray.
The needles are evenly distributed around the shoot, dense, rather rigid and prickly, sharp-conical in shape. Its color can vary from green and blue to silvery white. It blooms profusely and bears fruit with a frequency of 5-7 years. It enters fruiting when it reaches the age of twenty. cones cylindrical shape, light brown, up to 3 cm long.
Blue spruce is not demanding on soil and lighting - it feels great in the shade and does not tolerate direct sunlight. Winter hardiness in spruce is high, especially in the gray and blue forms. Mature plants are able to tolerate temperatures down to minus 40 degrees Celsius. Young trees under the age of 5 years are recommended to be covered for the winter so that they do not suffer from late spring frosts.
Among other representatives of the genus, prickly spruce stands out for its harmony and decorativeness. At a young age, it lends itself easily to a haircut, which allows it to be used to create avenue plantings.
Juniper virginian (lat. Juniperus virginiata)
evergreen shrub or a small tree, reaching a height of 15 to 20 m, with a compact crown. The needles are dark green, small, needle-shaped on the growth shoots and scaly on the side shoots. Flowers can be either monoecious or dioecious. Cones are spherical, dark purple (at the end of ripening), with a characteristic bloom of a bluish tint.
Juniper of this species is undemanding to soil fertility and moisture, grows rapidly and tolerates city conditions well. The plant is easy to cut and retains its shape for a long time. Most often used to create molded hedges. It has several decorative forms, differing in color and shape of needles. The most common ones are Gray Owl and Hetz.
Yew (lat. Taxus)
A tree or shrub with ascending shoots and needles arranged in two rows, 1-3 cm long. The main distinguishing feature is the pungent odor that the needles and shoots emit when rubbed. Among other conifers, yew is the most shade-tolerant and drought-resistant. Mature shrubs tolerate low temperatures well, while young ones require protection from spring sun.
Yew easily tolerates shearing and trimming, it is made beautiful hedges and individual sculptures that can transform any garden into a work of art.
Thuja western (lat. Thuja occidentalis)
An evergreen monoecious tree or shrub, 12 to 20 m high, with a crown diameter of 5 m. The arrangement of the branches is horizontal. The bark on the trunk is dense, smooth, gray-brown or reddish in color. The needles are tightly pressed to the shoots, small, scaly in shape, dark green in summer and brown in winter. Cones are small, ovoid, up to 1 cm long.
Thuja is unpretentious, resistant to frost and the urban environment. It can grow in the shade, but it grows and develops better with good lighting. It tolerates pruning perfectly, which allows you to create from it not only hedges, but also spectacular architectural forms.
Hedge care - pruning and shelter for the winter
The intensity of cutting and pruning conifers depends on the type and place of their cultivation. Juniper is sheared as young growth appears in order to prevent its growth and loss of decorative effect. Pruning is carried out all year round, removing only dry branches. Before winter, plants with a columnar crown must be tied up in order to prevent damage to the branches by snow cover.
At the thuja, dry branches are removed every year, in the spring. Hedges are trimmed regularly, using a pruner or brush cutter, cutting the shoots to a third of the length. In the first year after planting, the plants are covered using spruce branches, spunbond or kraft paper.
Spruce also responds well to shearing. Thanks to the shaping, the tree becomes more slender and dense. Cut spruce in a hedge 1-2 times per season, shortening young branches by 2/3 of their length. The cut is carried out on one of the buds laid on the young shoot.
Outcome
A hedge of coniferous trees and shrubs will decorate your garden with its unchanging greenery and splendor, protect the site from drafts, and also saturate the air with beneficial essential oils.
