Spruce horse, planting and care. Spruce Konika - a universal tree for the site and home cultivation

If a gardener dreams of decorating a live Christmas tree with his own hands every New Year, then great solution there will be a planting of a conic spruce. A low cone-shaped tree goes well with various types flowers and shrubs. Landscape designers plant a plant singly, as well as in small picturesque groups. The combination of Canadian firs of Konik and Echiniformis in sunny glades is considered a classic.

A little about the fluffy beauty

Canada is famous for its dense forests. More than a hundred years ago, travelers brought a small copy of the huge Canadian spruce - Konik. The latter grows up to three meters only if all the rules of planting and quality care are observed. The compact tree is popular among breeders for its unpretentiousness and great decorative effect.

Tip: if a tree in a pot is bought on the market, then planting can be delayed. A seedling with an open root system requires immediate placement in the hole.

Konik spruce grows only a few centimeters per year. As the plant matures, growth also slows down significantly. Gardeners rarely notice large cones (5.5-6 cm) - with proper care, the tree spends all its strength on the formation of shoots and needles of an unusual gray-emerald color. The needles are soft, not prickly, short (2 cm) and fragrant.

What is the best breeding method?

The easiest way to get a spruce tree in your house is to buy a copy you like on the market. But it is important for a true lover of green spaces to grow a tree himself. Konik spruce, like Echiniformis, can be obtained from seeds. In autumn, ripe cones are collected, the seeds are dried and planted in seedling boxes to a depth of 1 cm. In a cool place, with moderate soil moisture, the first shoots will appear in three months.

Tip: young plants can be planted immediately in large pots. Over the summer they will grow up, but the transplant at further care not required.

Stronger seedlings are obtained from cuttings, new trees will retain all the features of the original sample. Together with a piece of bark, the lower branch of the spruce is cut off, and then the excess is removed, leaving 8-15 cm with a “heel” from the bark. After drying the cutting, it is immersed in a solution of any growth stimulator for several hours. At this time, prepare the soil mixture from equal parts:

leaf land;
bottom peat;
river sand;
turf.

Cuttings are planted in separate flowerpots, deepening by 2-3 cm. For high-quality care of seedlings, it is necessary to find a bright, cool place. Young plants need to be watered as the top layer dries, the conic needles also love spraying. IN closed ground the tree will be 3-4 years, and then it's time to settle the Canadian beauty on the lawn.

The best place for a Christmas tree

Great choice for boarding canadian herringbone there will be a plot near the house. Soft diffused lighting prevails here. These trees, like Echiniformis, can be planted in open space, but only if hot summers are not typical for the area. Cold piercing winds do not have the best effect on the Christmas tree of the horse.

Tip: trying to protect the plant from the heat, you should not plant it in a shady place. Even with quality care, a compact spruce will always stretch out, and the needles will fall off.

Like its forest counterparts, the tree loves acidified soil, enriched with nutrients. Landing on the ground with slightly alkaline PH values \u200b\u200band also will not bring catastrophic consequences, but if there is an excess of lime on the site, it is better not to plant Canadian spruce at all. The hole must be made wide (up to 1 m), but shallow (up to 0.5 m), bring a bucket of rotted manure into it and dig it well.

Easy care

In the summer, you need to pamper the Konik spruce by giving it a soft shower from a hose. You can water the tree abundantly, 2-3 waterings weekly in the early morning or evening are enough. Young plants in closed ground are watered and sprayed often in summer, and in winter they only slightly moisten the soil. Waterlogging of the plant will inevitably end in death from rotting of the root system.
Spruce is sick if:

The branches were covered with brown spots (rust).
There is a rapid fall of needles (rot).
The needles began to acquire a reddish tint (tracheomycosis).

Sick trees must be dug up and burned. Intact specimens are treated with a solution of the drug with fungicidal activity. The root system of the Canadian spruce, like the roots of Echiniformis, is not deep under the soil surface, so loosening should be accurate. When loosening, you can apply organic fertilizers or complex top dressing.

Advice: late autumn it is necessary to wrap the canadian spruce crown with a breathable material (burlap). Reflected from ice crystals, the rays of the sun burn fragile needles.

The Canadian herringbone has a remarkable quality for care - it requires little to no pruning. The conical crown of the tree grows evenly, if you have to cut it, then only a couple of protruding branches. In spring and autumn, gardeners carry out a routine inspection of the plant, and also remove dry shoots and needles. You can immediately mulch the surface of the soil under the spruce with peat, leaves, sawdust.

Konik spruce, like Echiniformis, is so unpretentious that it can be planted in the fall. The species is frost-resistant, suitable for planting in the middle latitudes of our country. In one place, spruce grows for about three hundred years. So, grandfather can safely tell his grandson about caring for a tree.

Caring for the Konik spruce is equivalent to a health walk. Inhaling the aroma of needles, a person receives a charge of vivacity for the whole day. If tall trees are planted in the background, and a flower bed is planted in front of the spruce, the garden will look elegant. A magic tree in a pot for the New Year will be a surprise for the household.

Thanks to right kind crown and neutral green color, conifers tend to fit harmoniously into any landscape.

For example, Konik spruce looks great in both simple traditional front gardens and artsy newfangled modern garden styles. How to plant it on the site, how to provide proper care can be found in the article.

Appropriate photos, a description of the conifer, 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.

Horse grows very slowly. Young trees add 6-8 cm per year. By 10-12 years, 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, the maximum height of the conic reaches 3-4 m. In Russian latitudes, this figure is even less - 1.5-2 m. Such a small increase 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. Due to the beautiful conical crown, this tree is used in the USA as the main decoration for Christmas in the most important places countries.

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 purchase 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:

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.
The place should be chosen sunny. In the shade, the correct crown of the plant may change, and the spruce will become less decorative.
Considering small size horses, it can be safely planted near the house.
The landing pit should be prepared in advance. The bottom must be strewn with a layer of rubble or broken brick.
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.

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! It is impossible to allow the destruction of an earthen coma during 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 cover it 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 in the region of the near-stem 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 the horse loves sunny places, in the spring the plant can get significant sunburn. This is manifested by browning of the needles. Experienced gardeners recommend wrapping in spring period crown with gauze, burlap, etc. 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;
At the playground.

A dwarf spruce is good both in single and in group plantings with fellow tribesmen or with conifers of other species. Such groups especially decorate the site in the off-season. At the foot of the conic, a calm green lawn or contrasting antennaria, survivors look great.

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

Carry out preventive treatment of spruce

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

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.
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. In 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.

Canadian Spruce Konik: video

Source: https://dachadizain.ru/derevya/el-konika-opisanie-posadka-uxod.html

El Konika: planting and care in the open field

1 Location
2 Landing
3 Care
4 Pests and diseases

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 which does not allow the placement of large trees.

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. 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 garden plot, suitable conditions must 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 petite beauty a shady, wind-sheltered place should be identified, while avoiding hills and swampy lowlands. Does not build to plant Konika in places close to the surface ground water.

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.

Before planting, the soil must be well moistened. In order for the baby to recover faster after transplantation, half a bucket of rotted organic matter can be added to the soil or the seedling can be fed with complex fertilizer for coniferous crops. For several days, a newly planted tree should be sheltered from direct sun rays.

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.

Source: http://OnWomen.ru/el-konika.html

Spruce horse, planting and care

Evergreen beauties have always been considered the best decoration garden, and their decorative forms are just perfect for landscaping and creating garden compositions.

The most popular conifer in Lately counts Canadian spruce and her undersized conic form. This tree will certainly become the highlight of your site, thanks to its amazingly regular crown shape and needle color.

Konik spruce is an amazing tree that can grow perfectly in open ground and in a pot, delighting you with its beauty all year round.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the features of the Canadian Konik spruce, learn all the nuances of growing agricultural technology and describe everything in more detail. possible ways using such a beautiful coniferous tree.

Konik spruce: features and description

Konik spruce is a decorative form of such a popular type of spruce as Canadian. This tree has several more names, which are also often found in the literature and in everyday life among experienced gardeners: gray-gray spruce, spruce, white horse, spruce, glauca horse. All these names describe very accurately appearance spruce, which has needles with a bluish tint.

Canadian spruce conica is considered miniature copy gray spruce and great for landscape design. The first mention of this coniferous tree was recorded in 1904, when a similar spruce was found in the mountains of Canada.

After that, it quickly spread throughout the world. And not in vain.

After all, it is very difficult to plant a large coniferous tree in your yard, and in this situation a decorative Christmas tree comes to the rescue, which fits perfectly into any landscape design.

Description of Konik spruce:

Konik spruce belongs to coniferous evergreen trees.
It is an ornamental form of Canadian gray spruce. The decorative value of this tree is its height and the correct shape of the crown.
In height, the conic spruce reaches 1 meter, which is ideal for home conditions. At favorable conditions cultivation can grow up to 3 meters.
It can be up to 2 meters in diameter.
It grows very slowly. In the first 10 years of life, it can grow by only 6-10 cm per year. After this period, the growth decreases significantly - up to 1.5-3 cm.
Konika is a long-liver, in one place it can grow up to 300-500 years.
decorative shape Canadian gray spruce has a unique correct form crown, which in its appearance resembles a narrow cone. the peculiarity of spruce is that it practically does not need care for the crown, it takes shape in a natural way.
The crown is very dense, consists of short needle needles, which are up to 1 cm long. The color of the needles is bluish-green. The needles do not prick at all, so the spruce is absolutely safe for children and animals.
Cones on conic spruce appear very rarely and have an oblong conical shape, reaching a length of 6 cm.
The root system is superficial, so you need to be careful when loosening the soil around the tree.
Spruce glauka konik has several mutant varieties: Alberta Globe, Laurin, Elegance Compacta, Gnome.

Reproduction of spruce conic

Konik spruce is propagated by cuttings and with the help of seeds. Any of these methods are quite lengthy and it will take a long time before you get a young seedling.

This method is used very rarely and is very unreliable, since the conic spruce grown in this way practically loses all its decorative maternal features. From one cone, only a couple of seeds can inherit the characteristics of the mother tree. But still, this method has the right to exist.

It is necessary to collect seeds from well-ripened cones. The optimal time for collection is autumn-winter.
Next, you need to prepare nutrient soil with high level acidity. To do this, combine peat, leafy soil, soddy soil and sand in equal proportions.
Seeds are sown to a depth of 1 cm.
After sowing, the container is placed in a cool time that resembles natural growing conditions.
Such optimal conditions the first shoots may appear in early spring.
If properly cared for, the seedlings can reach approximately 20 cm in a year.
Young spruce can be grown at home or planted in the ground after growing.
The seed method of growing Konik spruce is always successful, as it has a very high level of similarity.

Propagation of spruce conic by cuttings

This method is used much more often and has quite good results. The young plant will have all the maternal characteristics. Of course, this process is quite lengthy.

It must take more than one year to get a suitable one for landing in open ground seedling.

Breeding and cultivation of spruce Konik experts recommend to carry out on outdoors- this will correspond as closely as possible to the actual conditions of tree growth.

Cuttings must be carried out in June, so that in a few months the cut on the cuttings has time to overgrow and after that the tree begins to actively take root.
For cuttings, be sure to cut only the lowest branches.
The length of the cuttings should be no more than 10-12 cm.
The main thing is to correctly separate the cuttings from the mother tree: the cutting must necessarily be with a heel, i.e. the separation must be carried out together with a part of the bark of the tree. Otherwise, the seedling will die.
Next, place the cuttings in a growth stimulant solution, for example, Kornevin solution. To do this, liquid is poured into the container and cuttings are placed there for at least 2 hours.
Subsequently, the remaining solution can be diluted with water and used to water the cuttings.
Prepare a fertile substrate. To do this, you can mix peat, leafy soil, soddy soil and sand.
Cuttings are buried in the soil by a maximum of 2.5 cm.
Further care consists in moderate watering and maintaining the necessary humidity.
Konik spruce is planted in a permanent place in open ground only after 4-5 years.

Preparing before planting spruce konik

To get a healthy and beautiful evergreen coniferous tree, you must definitely prepare carefully. The first step will be the selection and purchase of quality seedlings or the preparation of self-grown ones. It will also be important to find right place for landing.

Selection of seedlings

Most often, seedlings of Konik spruce are purchased in specialized nurseries, less often they are grown on their own. When buying, it is important to follow some rules:

It is best to purchase a seedling in a pot with a closed root system. Then you can plant it at any time from spring to autumn.
If you purchased a seedling with an open root system, you will need to plant immediately.
At the same time, pay attention to the root system, it should be with an earthy lump and covered with burlap. This will prevent damage to the roots.
Carefully inspect the seedling. It should not have damaged branches or dried ones.
It is best to buy seedlings in specialized nurseries, so you will be sure that you are purchasing.

Choosing a place for planting Konik spruce

Konik spruce prefers to grow in open sunny places with little shading, as it can sometimes be prone to sunburn. If it is planted in the shade, then the coniferous tree will quickly lose its decorative properties and needle color.
It is also important that the place is protected from the winds and there is no close occurrence of groundwater under it, because the conic spruce does not tolerate stagnant water.
It is important to consider that they do not grow nearby big trees. Otherwise, there will be little space for spruce and it may lose its decorative properties.
The choice of a place for planting Konik spruce will depend on the desired composition in the garden and landscape design.
It is important to remember that it is not worth planting Konik spruce in the city - it does not tolerate air pollution and may die.

Selection and preparation of soil for planting

Konik spruce is not particularly picky and will grow almost anywhere. However, to preserve its decorative features and the bright color of the crown, you need to pick up fertile land. The soil should be loose and light, well pass air and moisture. Well, if the soil is enriched with organic matter. Also, before planting, the ground must be carefully dug up.

The process of planting spruce conica

It is possible to plant spruce Canadian horse in open ground in spring, autumn and summer. However, you should be aware of a few nuances, because landing in different periods varies slightly.

In spring and autumn, seedlings should be planted with open roots. Summer is a must planting material should be with a clod of earth, as there is a risk of damage to the roots. The root system of the Konik spruce does not tolerate hot dry air.
You need to start planting with soil preparation. Suitable for spruce soil mixture, consisting of peat, leaf soil, sod land and sand in equal proportions. You can add some organics.
Next, you should dig a planting hole, the size of which will depend on the size of the seedling and its root system.
At the bottom of the pit, you can put a layer of drainage, which consists of broken bricks or rubble.
Next, a part of the prepared soil is poured out, into which a little complex fertilizer can be added.
A seedling is placed on this soil and sprinkled with the remaining earth.
After planting, it is imperative to water the seedling, there should be 10-12 liters of water per tree.
After that, be sure to mulch the near-trunk circle to retain moisture. Peat can be used as mulch.

Features of caring for Konik spruce

Further care of the Konik spruce does not require much effort and some complicated actions. However, it is worth paying attention to the tree, so that in the future it will please you with its chic crown and bright color of the needles.

Watering

Konik spruce needs constant moderate watering. Especially in the hot season, it is imperative to water young trees 2 times a week, 10 liters of water for one seedling. Spruce also loves sprinkling, so using a hose or watering can, you can spray the needles 1-2 times a week. However, be careful not to flood the root system.

Loosening and mulching

Periodically, the trunk circle can be loosened, but you need to do this very carefully. After all, the root system of a tree is close to the surface, and you can damage it. After loosening, be sure to mulch the ground. Peat or compost can be used as mulch. This mulch will protect your tree from drying out and a large number weeds.

Shelter and protection of spruce konik

Young seedlings of Konik spruce need protection from sunlight, as they can get burned and die. Cardboard and burlap can be used as protection. It is necessary to cover in the fall for the entire period of frost, while leaving the lower part of the tree open.

Konik spruce top dressing

If, when planting, you added organic matter to the soil and complex fertilizers, the first time the seedling does not need to be fed. Further in the summer, you can feed the spruce organic fertilizer, diluted in water.

pruning

Konik spruce has a regular conical crown shape, which practically does not need pruning. In autumn and spring, sanitary pruning can be carried out, during which damaged, broken and dried branches are removed.

Disease and pest control

Diseases of Konik ate:

Tracheomycosis. This disease is very serious and cannot be treated. The first signs of this disease are the reddening of the needles and its fall. The only way to fight is to dig up the tree and burn it.
Rust. Signs of this disease are considered orange growths on the branches, yellowing and falling of the needles. To combat the disease, you can use special drugs, such as Vectra.
Shutte. Signs of the disease - blackening and white coating on needles. For the fight, a solution of copper sulfate is used.

Conic spruce pests:

Konik spruce is very loved by landscape designers for its decorative features, so it can often be found on sites.

Ways to use Konik spruce in landscape design:

This decorative spruce would look great as a small hedge. Due to its correct crown, it does not need to be looked after.
Konika can be planted in various garden compositions such as rock gardens or rockeries.
It will serve as an excellent background for flowering plants.
Konik spruce can be planted in pots and containers. At the same time, in the cold season, they can be easily taken indoors. The advantage of such cultivation is the ability to use such a Christmas tree for the New Year and Christmas.

Photo of Konik spruce in landscape design

All the features of the use of Canadian Konik spruce in the design of garden plots can be seen in the following photos.

Spruce horse in a garden composition

Konik spruce as a low hedge

Konik spruce can be planted along the walls of the house, on both sides of windows or doors.

Great Canadian spruce conica looks in pots

Konik spruce is one of the most beloved evergreen coniferous trees, which is great for landscaping the site. Due to its compact growth and beautiful crown, it will become a real decoration and will be able to delight you with the bright color of the needles all year round.

Now it has become popular to give the most unusual gifts for the New Year. A sapling of Canadian Conica spruce (Picea glauca Conica) - is this not the win-win option for those who do not have a land plot, but really want to have one indoor plant? 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 Conica (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 the New Year, when they cannot be planted in 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, loggia, 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 above zero outside the window, Konik should be kept 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 b cloth.

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 cut 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 even in ready-made sell). 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 conifers for home growing and interior decoration for the New Year is considered araucaria, cryptomeria, cunningamia and cypress.

In contact with

The decorative Konika is unusually beautiful - a dwarf form of Canadian gray spruce. It was her attractive appearance that opened the door to the world of gardening for this little beauty, where she was joyfully and unconditionally accepted. Today, this mini-Christmas tree adorns the most different corners of the Earth.

It grows well in the middle zone of our country. Being winter hardy, Canadian Konika spruce can grow wherever ordinary spruces grow. A small growth turned out to be a great advantage, allowing the tree to settle even in a small area.

Description of Canadian spruce Konik

Konika is a decorative form. Under favorable conditions, the height can be up to 3 m, but more often it grows up to 1 m.

The crown is narrow-cone-shaped, dense. The needles are bluish-green, soft, thin and short. The root system of Koniki is represented by a compact, weakly expressed tap root. The predominant part of the roots is located close enough to the soil surface, so loosening should be careful.

This tree grows very slowly - only 3-4 cm per year. But some specimens can still add up to 10 cm in height per year. At the age of five, the height of the Christmas tree reaches only 20 cm, but already at this age it differs in decorativeness from the same-aged seedlings of common spruce. By the age of 10, the herringbone grows up to 80 cm. Good growth persists up to 10-15 years, when the plant height is about 1 m. Later, the growth rate decreases and is only 2-3 cm per year. This growth will continue into old age. By the age of 20, the height is 150 cm, the crown in diameter at the base is about a meter.

Spruce Canadian Konica Maygold (Maygold) - a variety of gray spruce, which is characterized by yellow growths. In other characteristics, the variety is similar to Konika and Daisy White.

How to Care for a Canadian Konik Spruce

This spruce variety is convenient in that its care is minimal. Konika does not need crown care - it does not need pruning. Natural soil fertility and natural rainfall are quite sufficient. But if the Canadian spruce Konik grows on the site, care for it, albeit minimal, should still be. This will only enhance its decorative properties.

In case of excessive drought, irrigation through the crown is useful. After 1-2 days after this, it is advisable to loosen the soil under the tree shallowly. With the advent of summer, you need to feed the spruce. To do this, you can add 5 kg of rotted organic matter to the root zone and mix it with the soil. With the advent of October, it is recommended to mulch with a layer of peat compost 5 cm thick.

So the plant will overwinter better. In early spring, the mulch is embedded in the soil. To prevent spring browning (burning in the sun), Christmas trees should be wrapped with burlap or some other material that will protect from the sun without disturbing ventilation.

Spring browning of needles is not a disease. This is just a reaction of the plant to the spring solar activity against the backdrop of frozen soil. In other words, the seasonal vegetation begins at the tree, and the soil that has not melted is not yet able to provide the roots with the necessary nutrition, so the needles begin to turn brown. But at the beginning of the movement of juice and with sufficiency in nutrition, the color of the needles tends to recover.

Planting a Canadian Spruce Konik

Canadian spruce can be transplanted throughout the growing season. The horse, landing of which is not so difficult, still requires compliance with certain requirements. So, at the beginning of spring and in autumn period the best is a transplant with an open root system.

In the summer, it is recommended to transfer the plant on its roots with a clod of earth. It is best to do this on a cloudy day. Within 2 weeks after planting, the Christmas tree needs protection from direct sunlight and maintaining the soil at an optimal level of moisture. The transplant is better tolerated at a young age.

Application of Konika

Spruce Canadian Сonica is very popular in the landscape design environment. She is good both in a single performance on the lawn and in a group. Due to its slow growth, it is practically not used in flower beds, but when it reaches a certain height, the tree looks great in mixborders.

Canadian spruce pygmy Konika effective in a variety of compositions. It can often be found in a container on the roof ("green" roof), terraces, near houses, when decorating gardens. The decorative form is good in large rock gardens. Looks great in the background flower arrangements, and also harmoniously combines with the rest of the conifers of low growth. Konika looks especially beautiful on a flat mowed lawn.

Spruce Canadian Konika in a pot in the photo

Growing spruce in a pot is not at all difficult, if you know the technology. To start a “home” Christmas tree, you can buy a ready-made one in the store, you can grow it from seeds or dig a seedling in the forest. Whichever method is chosen, the seedling must be very carefully transplanted into a container. It is important to ensure that the root neck of the plant remains at ground level. Do not allow the root system to dry out. By the way, a Christmas tree bought in a store needs to change the ground.

For all types of spruces, the soil should have the following recommended composition: leafy soil, soddy soil, sand, peat in a ratio of 2:2:1:1. It is desirable to lay drainage (gravel, coarse sand, expanded clay) at the bottom of the container or pot with a layer of 10 cm. When planting / transplanting, it is desirable to apply fertilizer at the rate of 100 g / m 2. General top dressing is applied at the rate of 15-20 g per container 2 times per season.

Although spruces are shade-tolerant, an optimal light regime is still recommended. spruce in winter dove-gray Konika requires sufficient humidity (80-90%) and optimal temperature+5-15 °С. The tree does not tolerate dry soil, but waterlogging is not recommended. To maintain the optimal level of humidity, mulching with peat can be carried out, the layer of which will be 5-6 cm. Periodically, it is mixed with the ground, and mulched on top with a new one. Spruce Canadian dwarf Konika grows slowly and does not need pruning, you can only remove diseased and dry branches.

In summer, it is better to take out a pot or container under trees or shrubs. Irrigation is recommended to carry out drip. Every year, the Christmas tree needs to be transplanted into a pot. bigger size and special compost.

The advantage of dwarf forms is that under favorable conditions they can live for a long time in pots and containers. An ordinary spruce in a container can live no more than 3-4 years.

Konika in a pot for the New Year

Today it is considered very fashionable to have a pot culture as a Christmas tree.

For such a New Year's tree, you need to choose a place away from radiators and other heat sources. It is best to place the pot on a cold window, but given the "New Year's" purpose, this is not always possible. In addition, the south window is not an option, as the young plant is afraid of direct sunlight. Wherever the pot is placed, it is necessary to rotate it periodically in relation to the light.

When keeping Koniki in a heated room, it is necessary to spray the crown. It would be better to try to increase the humidity of the air near the tree itself. To do this, you can place containers of water around the pot. Another way to increase humidity: put the edge of the towel in the supplied container with water, and hang the other edge on the battery. With this method, you will have to constantly add water, as the water will quickly evaporate.

Many have seen these little magnificent beauties in stores, especially before the New Year holidays. "Glauka Konika" is sold very small, often it reaches a height of only 30-40 cm. But with the right maintenance and care, a spectacular plant up to 3-4 meters can grow from such babies.

The main suppliers of these small firs are Holland, Poland and Denmark. At its core, the gray-gray spruce "Glauka Konika" is just a dwarf hybrid of the usual gray-gray spruce, resulting from a mutation. Spruces are practically not intended for cultivation, since they need a hibernation period and low temperatures. Therefore, all small spruces grown in pots are intended mainly for temporary use.

In open ground, this tree reaches its maximum height only at the age of 50-60 years. It grows very slowly. In the first ten years, the annual increase in height is no more than 3-4 cm. After that, even less - from 1.5 to 3 cm per year. Average duration is 300-500 years old.

Plant care at home

Caring for the Glauka Konika spruce is not difficult. If you purchased a very small gray-haired beauty in the winter and want her to survive until she is transplanted into open ground, be prepared to devote a lot of time to her.

Keeping a spruce in a home pot for a long time is a real crime.

If such a little beauty lived to see it, it is recommended to transplant it into open ground. You can do this from spring to autumn.

Transfer

Having brought home a spruce, first of all it is recommended to carefully examine it. Since plants cannot be transported across the border in the ground, coconut fiber or sterilized peat is poured into pots instead of soil. But such a substrate is not suitable for spruce. The best solution would be to choose fertile soil. However, there is a nuance here.

If the spruce is in a dormant state, then it is better to wait a bit until spring and provide it with low temperatures. If she has already "woke up" and releases green needles, then the transplant cannot be delayed.

A normal reaction after transplantation is the shedding of needles. To help relieve stress, it is enough to keep the temperature within 10 degrees and provide humidity.

Conditions in the house

Find the coldest place in the house: a window with a sill on the north side, glazed balcony or veranda.