How to grow blue spruce: a review of the technology of growing from seeds and cuttings. Growing spruce: stylish, beautiful, healthy. How to grow a spruce in a summer cottage: basic rules for planting and care. Is it possible to grow a Christmas tree?

Not every amateur gardener wants to grow on his own personal plot decorative spruce. Since this matter cannot be called simple, since the coniferous tree requires special care. And it will take a very long time to wait until they become big and can decorate the garden with their beauty. Spruce can be an excellent find for those gardeners who live in northern latitudes. All its species are not susceptible to severe frosts and dark, cloudy days. You can try to grow such a tree with seeds, seedlings or cuttings.

Which variety to choose for growing

If you create proper growing conditions for spruce, it will be a beauty on your site. We will talk about these parameters below. But it is worth remembering that the success of this business depends on the choice of variety. Currently, many more have been released different varieties spruce, which can be grown in almost any climate zone. When choosing a particular type, you should focus on its decorative properties and maximum dimensions tree. If you have a very small garden plot, you should not grow tall varieties, since the spruce, after it grows, will occupy the entire plot. Low, small spruce trees are best suited for growing ornamental varieties. And there are a lot of them. Now we present to your attention the most suitable types of spruce trees that will be suitable for private cultivation on a personal plot:

Norway spruce (European). With proper care, a spruce tree can reach up to 30 meters in length. The diameter of the needles is 5 meters. There are varieties that are significantly smaller in size (up to eight meters), and dwarf (no more than one meter). Representatives of this species are best suited for creating hedges. They can easily withstand severe frosts and lack of sunlight. Beautiful in appearance decorative varieties Spruces of this variety are Columnaris, Inversa, Compacta, Elegans, Nana, Gregoriana, Clan-brassiliana, Echinaformis.

Prickly spruce (blue). It is a fairly popular species for landscaping garden plots. The spruce has a pyramid shape, and sharp needles, 2-3 cm in length. It can reach 25 meters in height. Representatives of this species prefer light and are not susceptible to severe frosts. You should pay attention to such varieties of prickly spruce - Hoopsii, Glauca, Iseli Fastigiata.

Serbian spruce (Balkan). Trees with a low-growing crown. They can grow up to 30 meters in length. They can grow well in the shade and tolerate drought very well. As its branches grow, shoots of new growth begin to hang down in the form of a beautiful fringe. Due to this, the spruce looks quite original. The most famous varieties are, Gnom, Karel, Pendula Bruns.

Canadian spruce (gray, white). It is the most winter-hardy, early-fruiting variety. Not picky about soil. In the wild it can reach a height of up to 30 meters. Currently, many low-growing ornamental varieties have already been bred - Albertiana, Pendula, Conica, Alberta Globe.

Siberian spruce. This type of spruce can adapt perfectly to the harsh northern conditions. The crown of the tree has a cone-shaped shape. And bright dark green needles can decorate any garden. The most popular of all existing ornamental varieties is Glauca.

Tien Shan spruce. This type of spruce has a narrow crown. It comes from China. The tips of the branches are drooping. The needles reach a length of up to 4 cm. Spruce prefers high humidity and lots of sunshine. The decorative variety of spruce Globosa is popular in our country.

Where to plant spruce

After reading this article you can learn about how to grow a spruce tree in the country. The choice of landing site is very important in this case. If possible, a lighted area can be set aside for growing this type of spruce. It can take root well in the shade, but it achieves intensive growth only in the light; under these conditions, the crown of a small tree will develop a crown correct form. A highly decorative miniature varieties Spruce trees cannot do without the sun at all. You should first make sure that the soil in your garden plot is well aerated and drained, since excess moisture young tree might just die. Spruce, like all other gymnosperms, loves alkaline soils (pH 4.5-6.0), where various fungi multiply very actively. If there is increased acidity in the soil, then various bacteria will form there, which will negatively affect the future development of the coniferous tree. The soil must be rich in various microelements. Then the plant will be able to take root even in sparse areas.

Growing spruce from seeds

Trying to grow a spruce from seeds is very difficult. This growing method is not very popular among amateur gardeners. But if they can provide the landings necessary care, then the plant will be able to sprout and grow well on the site. The planting material you can easily purchase it at any specialty store. But in this case, there are risks of buying low-quality seeds that simply will not sprout. For this reason, if you have free time, collect the pine cones yourself and prepare the seeds for sowing.

The seeds were eaten.

Seed collection should be done at the end of October, beginning of November. You need to dry the collected cones at home and remove the seeds from them. Next you should do the following:
The collected seeds should be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate and placed in a container with calcined sand to a depth of approximately 1.5-2 cm.
The pot must be placed in the refrigerator. This way, you can create optimal conditions for the seeds to germinate.

At the beginning of March, you can briefly take out the container with the seeds and place it in a lighted, warm place. For these purposes, a window sill would be an excellent place. In a warm place, spruce seeds should sprout first shoots no later than in a month. Throughout this period, it is necessary to water the soil abundantly. After the first shoots appear, it will be possible to reduce the watering regime for young spruce. To ensure protection, you need to protect the plant from various diseases and pests. Before you decide to plant the plant in open ground, the area can be treated with insecticides and fertilizers.

A sprout sprout has hatched.

Move a young spruce to permanent place You can start growing it already at the beginning of May, when the weather is warm outside. It is necessary to prepare the hole for planting the Christmas tree in advance. The depth of this hole will depend on how many centimeters in length the sprout stretches. At the bottom of the hole you should pour various mineral fertilizers and compost. Next, place the seedling in the prepared hole and sprinkle it lightly with soil. In order for the tree to quickly take root in its new conditions, cover the seedling with polyethylene or a plastic bottle. Every lazy day you should open this mini-greenhouse. After one week you need to remove it altogether.

Growing spruce seedlings

Trying to grow a spruce from a seedling is much easier. But you should be prepared for large financial expenses; in specialized nurseries, good quality planting material is very expensive. As a rule, they are sold in pots. It is best to plant them in an area with a lump of native soil. Key indicators of a healthy seedling:

The needles on the spruce should be shiny and smooth.
The soil in the container is slightly moistened.
The roots should not protrude beyond the boundaries of the container.

Plant a seedling in May, and with the onset of winter it will be able to get used to its new conditions. It is necessary to prepare a hole up to 60cm deep. drainage (pebbles or broken brick), and a layer of nutrient substrate (peat, turf and leaf soil, sand). The substrate will take up approximately 2/3 of the hole. If you purchased several seedlings at once, you should place them at a distance of 2.5 m from each other, since in a couple or three years the Christmas tree will grow. The only exceptions can be dwarf varieties Spruce trees - you can plant them no more than one meter apart. The plant should be deeply deepened into the hole so that the root bud remains at soil level. After planting, you should sprinkle the trunk with peat and water the soil.

Growing spruce by cuttings

Spruce can be grown in two ways. But in any case there should be competent landing V open ground And good care. In addition to growing spruce from seeds, it can be grown from cuttings. Spruce cuttings are the most popular propagation method among gardeners. The cost of planting material is not very expensive. And you can pick a branch in the park or forest closest to you. Lignified shoots that are one or two years old can take root well. You should pay attention to the fact that the cutting must have an apical bud. Unfortunately, without it, the small tree will not grow in height. The length of the shoot is 7-10 cm.

The cuttings were eaten.

Planting should be done immediately after cutting cuttings - in autumn or in the spring. All needles should be cut off from the bottom and placed in a special solution for good strengthening. After a day, you can plant the cuttings in a nutrient substrate made of perlite, sand and peat. The cutting must be deepened into the soil 4-5 cm at an angle of 30 degrees. Next, you can water the branch a little for two weeks, create greenhouse conditions for it, covering it with polyethylene or plastic bottle. After two or three years, you can take cuttings from a slightly grown tree and increase the area of spruce plantings.

Growing spruce: care rules

Young plantings will require proper care from you, since even well-rooted seedlings in the absence necessary conditions the contents may simply die. The basics of growing young spruce trees and caring for them are as follows:

Watering. Spruce can tolerate dry weather well and can live without soil moisture for several weeks. But the WTO, as for highly decorative varieties of trees, will not tolerate such treatment. They require 10-12 liters of water every week. When watering seedlings, try to avoid getting moisture on the needles. To ensure sufficient moisture and avoid rotting of the root system, it is better to mulch the tree trunks of young Christmas trees. You can use bark or pine sawdust as mulch.

Mulching spruce tree trunks with stones.

Feeding. If you provide the necessary care for your spruce, it will be able to develop well without fertilizers. You can feed highly decorative varieties once a season with various complex fertilizers. Newly planted seedlings must be constantly watered with growth stimulants.

Trimming. It is imperative to form a crown. This procedure can have a positive effect not only on the appearance of the Christmas tree, but also on its health. In autumn and spring, it is necessary to remove diseased branches from the tree. When carrying out this procedure, you should not get too carried away; excessive pruning can simply destroy the young spruce.

Transfer. The Christmas tree will not always grow in its designated place - occasionally the Christmas tree should be transplanted to another area of the garden. Considering the fact that as it grows, the Christmas tree forms a fungal root in the soil (the tree's bark system connects with fungi), replanting should be done together with a lump of soil. The most important thing is not to damage this very fragile system during transplantation. You will not need to prepare a very deep hole for planting, since the roots will develop in breadth. The new area of the Christmas tree will require special care - constant watering of the soil and shading. A large number of Spruce trees are not afraid of very severe frosts. But still, decorative varieties will need to be protected in winter - the branches can sag under heavy snow and ice. And young Christmas tree seedlings will require mandatory shelter. Tree trunk circles needs to be mulched well late autumn, so that the root system is completely covered. You can cover the crown of the tree non-woven material, or craft paper.

Diseases and pests of spruce

To make the spruce beautiful, use proper care and proper cultivation in order to prevent diseases in the plants. Even highly decorative varieties of spruce can be safely classified as resistant plants. They can very rarely be affected by diseases and attacked by various pests. But despite this, there is still a danger of damage coniferous trees, especially if they are not properly cared for. Below we will tell you about the most dangerous fungal diseases:

Schutte. The needles of a tree infected with this fungus begin to turn brown and fall off. You can easily identify this disease by the very dark color of the transverse stripes on the needles.

Gray mold. Most often it affects young plants of dwarf forms. This disease begins to manifest itself by the appearance of a gray-white coating on the branches. If the necessary measures are not taken, the fungus can completely cover the entire crown of the tree. As a rule, fungi begin to develop due to excess moisture. This is what spruce doesn’t like. Plantings should not be overly neglected and young trees should not be overwatered. If you have found traces of damage, you need to treat the spruce crown with fungicides.

Among the pests, the most dangerous are:

Spruce mite. It is very difficult to see a bug in the lush needles because it is very small. The tree begins to lose its appearance. Needles are acquired Brown color. Mechanical methods struggles in this case will be powerless, since it is impossible to remove all the bugs and larvae on your own due to their small size. Here special preparations - acaricides - can help you.

Hermes. This insect promotes the growth of needles into galls. Aphids begin to develop rapidly in these galls. You can fight Hermes by cutting off the formed galls and treating the plant with insecticides.

Spruce sawfly. Very dangerous pest. It is capable of infecting young Christmas trees. The needles turn brown, and a mud coating appears on the branches. In order to completely get rid of the sawfly, you will need to treat the affected spruce branches with an insecticide at least three times.

Bark beetle It is quite difficult to combat these pests. Much easier to use in practice effective ways prevention. It is necessary to constantly monitor the health of your Christmas trees, as bugs begin to attack only weakened plants. With the onset of spring, it is imperative to treat the plantings with insecticides.

Spruce aphid. You can detect these insects with the naked eye. This pest is a small green bug. The aphids begin to feed on the spruce needles, sucking out all the juices from it. As a result, the branches begin to become bare. The use of insecticides also works well in practice in the fight against aphids.

Finally

Now you understand the technology of growing spruce. Try to take care of the planted Christmas tree, and then no pests or diseases will be able to prevent it from growing and developing well!

An easy way to grow spruce from seeds

You can decorate your yard with a small coniferous tree if you grow a spruce from seeds. It's cheaper than buying a seedling. Planting and care will not cause difficulties if you follow the rules and take into account the characteristics of the plant.

Growing spruce at home from seeds

At first glance, planting a seedling is faster and more convenient. If you want to save money, dig a small tree in the forest and bury it on your property. But this operation is not entirely legal, forest spruce trees are protected by the state, and replanting can be disastrous for the plant.

Source: Depositphotos

It is easier to grow spruce from seeds collected from trees growing nearby.

But no one will stop you from taking cones from the trees you like, even those listed in the Red Book.

Planting should be done in the following sequence:

Collect planting material. In winter, take unopened cones from different, preferably not very young trees, put them in a dry, warm place and wait until they open and the seeds fall out.
Prepare the seeds. Remove the lionfish from them, rinse under running water and treat with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, then dry. Place in a sterile jar and refrigerate for 2 months. This procedure, stratification, will strengthen the plant’s immunity and stimulate germination. If the seeds were collected at the end of February, you can skip it.
Prepare the soil. You can collect it from where you collected the cones, calcinate it, sprinkle it a little with a solution of potassium permanganate and mix it with peat, or buy ready-made soil for coniferous plants.
Soak the seeds. In March, fill the spruce nuts with warm water, and add a root formation stimulator if desired.
Plant the seeds. Place a layer of drainage in a large pot and fill it with soil. Place the grains on the surface, sprinkle with a thin layer of soil, spray with a spray bottle and cover with film. Place it on the windowsill next to the battery.

The time for emergence of seedlings can range from 2 weeks to several months.

Caring for spruce grown from seeds

Spray the emerged seedlings with water so that the soil does not dry out, but is not wet either. The optimal temperature for them is about +15 °C. Delicate plants do not like straight lines sun rays and frosts. When they stretch out a little, thin them out, leaving the stronger ones.

As the weather warms up, move the seedlings into fresh air. Water regularly, mulch, fertilize 1-2 times a month. They grow slowly and gradually become stronger. Next spring, plant them in the ground at a distance of 20 cm, adding some pine needles to the holes.

For blue spruce, it is considered normal for half of the seedlings to disappear in the third year.

Replant three-year-old trees, increasing the distance between them to 1 m. Now it is enough to water them occasionally and feed them twice a year. In a few years, another transplant will be required - to a place where the spruce will grow constantly.

The seeds produce strong, hardened, frost-resistant trees. It will take time to grow them, but the resulting beauty will enliven the area, create comfort, and become a decoration for the New Year's holiday.

The New Year holidays are coming to an end, and it is a pity to throw away their main symbol - the fragrant living Christmas tree. Flora lovers in many countries liked a successful alternative - a Christmas tree in a pot. It can be stored indoors until warmer weather sets in, followed by replanting on a plot of land.

In order for the plant to take root and develop normally, you should study and adhere to the basic rules for its acquisition and care.

Plant selection

When purchasing a variety of coniferous tree seedling, you need to take into account its adaptability to life in the cold conditions of our country. climate zone. Best suited:

regular spruce or pine;
dwarf spruce konika in a pot;
prickly spruce, Serbian;
decorative blue spruce of Dutch, Danish, North American or Russian varieties;
fir growing in Siberia, Korea or the Caucasus mountains;
columnar

When choosing a seedling, you need to make sure that it was not transplanted into a pot or tub yesterday. To do this, just gently move the trunk, rake upper layer soil. If in doubt, ask the seller to carefully pull out the plant, inspect the root ball and the condition of the root system. It should be intact and densely branched.

Spruce trees love being kept in acidified peat-based soil mixtures. If the tree was grown in one container from the very beginning, the roots of the plant will be evenly distributed throughout the pot. Its size should be proportional to the crown of a living Christmas tree in a pot. Miniature tubs and pots most often indicate the use of various growth stimulants and the low probability of successful further transplantation of such coniferous plants onto summer cottage near the house.

Dense, uniformly colored needles and a strong root system indicate the health of the seedling and good prospects for its further growth.

Reliable places to buy spruce are nurseries and specialized gardening stores. Now in big cities the most humane way use of Christmas trees. After being grown in special nurseries, they are offered to buyers to rent for New Year’s celebrations for a period of 17 days. After this, the tenant returns the plant to the nursery, where it is cared for by experienced specialists, and with the onset of warmer weather, spruce trees are planted in forest parks, alleys, and other designated places.

To avoid damaging the branches and trunk of the tree, do not overload it with toys, decorations and garlands.

Christmas tree in a pot: how to care for it in an apartment

Ornamental coniferous plants are capricious and sensitive to lighting, moisture, and maintenance at the optimal temperature.

After purchasing, you should not immediately install the tree in a warm place of honor for the New Year. A few days in a cool room with sufficient air flow will allow him to better adapt to the new conditions. For the holiday, place the Christmas tree away from radiators and other heating devices.

After the New Year and Christmas, it is better to immediately move the Christmas tree to a glazed balcony.

Spruce in a pot at home requires careful care. The soil for its maintenance must be regularly kept moist, avoiding drying out or waterlogging. Treat needles and twigs constantly (at least 5 times a day) with a water spray. Low humidity can lead to drying out and death ornamental plant. To ensure that the tree is evenly illuminated, it is recommended to periodically rotate it around its axis. This will ensure uniform color of the needles and reduce the risk of disease. To avoid burns, the plant should be protected from direct sunlight.

Spruce trees are especially susceptible to temperature changes. It is necessary to ensure their constant maintenance at a temperature of 0 to 10 degrees Celsius, constant influx fresh air. If it becomes very cold on the balcony, you can additionally wrap the tree with a warm blanket, straw, or hay.

In winter, potted Christmas trees are dormant, so you should not fertilize or feed them.

Features of individual varieties

Serbian (Balkan) spruce is considered the most slender among conifer lovers.

Its decorative varieties Gnome (up to 1.5 meters in height when mature) and Nana (up to 3 meters in height) look great at the New Year's party.

Among blue (thorny) spruce trees in a pot, decorative varieties are in great demand:

semi-dwarf Edith with harmonious forms and blue-gray needles;
Fat Albert with bright colors and regular crown;
green and blue Glauka Globoza with a spherical crown.

Many Russian florists know how to care for the popular Canadian Christmas tree Konica in a pot. It grows very slowly, the annual growth is up to 5 centimeters. Even in adulthood, the height of the plant rarely reaches one meter. Nutrient soil for the plant is earthen turf mixed with leaves, a small amount of peat and sand. Konica is less capricious than other varieties of coniferous plants. It can grow in a tub (pot) for several years.

An analogue of the variety is the decorative Canadian cone-shaped Christmas tree in a pot, Sanders Blue. The spruce has soft, bluish-blue needles, with an annual growth of up to 7 centimeters. At proper care It grows for 50 years, reaching a maximum height of 3 meters. Loves light, moist, fertile soil. In open ground it can withstand frosts up to 40 degrees.

Miniature varieties of Korean fir fit well into the interior:

Caucasian and Danish varieties of fir are distinguished by their strict conical shape and soft fluffy green needles. On New Year Golden, erect, and bluish varieties of fir are also installed.

Farmers from Denmark have successfully mastered growing beautiful Nordmann fir in tubs, which is in great demand in capital cities on New Year's days.

Firs are easy to care for and durable. Home care consists of regular watering (without waterlogging), sufficient soil drainage. When planted in open ground, they grow 30 centimeters annually and can live up to 100 years.

Compacta mountain fir with flat needles and glossy silvery iridescence of needles is in great demand. Along with the proportional conical shape, the unusual color shades made it the leader in sales of live spruce in pots in many regions.

The most colorful of the blue spruces, Hoopsie, is the leader of New Year's celebrations in Europe. Its main advantages are the strict cone of the crown and silver-blue needles. Loves light, is frost-resistant, unpretentious in conditions of increased urban gas and air pollution.

Among the series of varieties of ordinary Christmas trees in a pot, the German spruce Kupressina stands out. It has an original narrowed ovoid crown, emerald green color of needle-shaped needles. The variety showed good resistance to blizzards and snowfalls.

Spring transplant

With the onset of warmth and sufficient thawing of the soil, you can transplant your winter beauty from the pot into open ground. It is advisable to do this before the plant begins to flow sap. A free, well-lit place is best suited for planting. We carry out the transplant sequentially:

When planting, fertilizer is used individually, taking into account the characteristics of the variety and the health status of your tree.

Gradually, after each New Year, a new coniferous seedling will appear on the plot. Christmas tree alley long time will please your eyes and warm your soul.

How to care for a Christmas tree in an apartment - video

Date of publication: 11/10/2015

Another question immediately arises: is it even possible to grow a Christmas tree at home? Yes, it is possible if suitable conditions are created for it. But for this, desire alone is not enough; correct and regular actions are also needed. However, the result will justify all your efforts: for the New Year you will have a real, living, homely beauty.

New Year is just around the corner. When we see that Christmas trees are on sale, we buy them. Most often, of course, you want the real thing, live Christmas tree. Our idea of the New Year holiday is most associated with it. For many people, after celebrating the New Year, the tree stands until March, until it crumbles; it’s such a pity to part with the symbol of all that is most pleasant and bright.

But this tree has no roots; it was cut down, so it crumbles. But you can grow a real living one - at home. She will delight us and our children for several years in a row. Such a Christmas tree can be remembered by children for the rest of their lives. They will always remember what a wonderful Christmas tree they had in their childhood.

If you decide to grow a Christmas tree at home, you can start by collecting seeds from a common spruce tree in our forests - the common spruce. There is also a prickly spruce, there is a blue spruce - from its seeds a blue spruce will not necessarily grow again, an ordinary spruce may grow.

First, the cones are collected from November to the end of February. You can collect cones in the forest and in the park. They need to be dried in a warm place until they open. The cones of the spruce will open, whether the seeds in them have ripened or not. Therefore, not all seeds will be viable.

Based on this, you need to sow several seeds (or even a lot), but so that later during thinning you do not disturb the plant that you choose for further cultivation, that is, you need to sow rarely, not in heaps.

Before planting, spruce seeds must first undergo stratification. Therefore, after treating the seeds with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, mix them with wet sand and keep them in a closed container in the refrigerator for 2 - 3 months. For stratification, you can take the pots with seeds outside under the snow. In nature, spruce seeds germinate in early spring, even when the snow has not yet melted everywhere. Therefore, if the seeds were in the refrigerator for stratification, you can sow them at the end of April.

The soil for sowing is prepared in advance. It should be slightly acidic. To do this, either buy special soil for conifers, or you can prepare it yourself by mixing equal parts ordinary soil with soil from a coniferous forest.

To sow, nuts are soaked for a day in warm water. They sow shallowly - 1 - 0.5 cm, that is, they crush the soil. The soil must be well moistened and maintained without over-wetting or drying out. You can cover it with film for a while, this makes it easier to maintain humidity.

For the entire period of seed germination, pots and boxes with sowing should be kept in a cool, ventilated place. Shoots may appear in 20 - 30 days. But it happens that the seeds can hatch and sprout only next year.

As soon as the shoots appear, all attention is paid to light, watering and temperature, that is, to caring for the Christmas tree.

Young seedlings should be kept in a well-lit place, but so that direct sunlight does not burn the plant. It's better when the light is diffused. If the lighting comes from one side, then you will have to turn the pot once a week so that the branches develop evenly.

The Christmas tree should be watered regularly, abundantly, but should not be over-watered. The lump of earth must be constantly moistened. Overdrying is also harmful.

It is good and necessary to regularly spray with a fine sprayer. For spraying, use soft water; coniferous trees do not like lime. The water can be settled, boiled or used from rainwater. In addition, ventilation must be done.

From autumn to winter, it is necessary to create conditions for the Christmas tree under which it will go through a period of rest. The Christmas tree should then be in a cool place. It is believed that the winter temperature for it can be kept at +5 - + 10 degrees C. The tree can easily withstand temperatures dropping to sub-zero, but the lump of earth should not freeze.

During the dormant period, watering is reduced. At a temperature of +5 - + 10 degrees C, watering is allowed once every 2 - 3 weeks. If the temperature is about 0 degrees C, water up to once a month. If the room is heated, do not stop spraying.

For better growth You can feed the Christmas tree with universal fertilizers.

It happens that when growing a Christmas tree, the needles begin to turn yellow and fall off. The branches become bare, and new needles will never grow in place of the fallen needles. This means that these are errors in care: it may be due to sunburn, or improper watering, or something is broken somewhere temperature regime. Then you need to slightly change the growing conditions. You can spray with bio-regulators to increase the plant's immunity. If the needles lose their shine and wrinkle, it means not enough sour earth. You can remove the top layer of soil without exposing the roots, and add soil from under coniferous trees. The soil is added so that the soil around the root collar remains at the same level as it was.

You can grow a Christmas tree at home for 2 - 3 - 4 years, but the time will come when it will grow so big that you will have to part with it. In nature, this is a large tree and it needs space. In order not to throw the Christmas tree into a landfill, you can try replanting it near your house or in the country.

Spruce is difficult to transplant. The lump of soil near the spruce must be well moistened. Try not to expose the roots, do not shake off the soil from them. The roots do not need to be cut or torn off. Replant at the end of spring. Well watered. When replanting, you need to place the tree so that the root collar remains at the same ground level as it was.

If you want to quickly have a homemade Christmas tree, you can buy it at a nursery. Of course it will be more expensive. In the nursery you can choose coniferous dwarf spruce trees. Eat Canadian spruce Conica, the height of a 10-year-old plant is about 50 cm, there is a spruce Nidiformis - 30 cm. These spruce trees can fit in an apartment, but their appearance is somewhat different from what we are used to.

You can buy araucaria, it grows naturally in Chile and Argentina. Araucaria grows in the form of a small tree with a pyramidal crown, but does not tolerate dry air. Therefore, the pot with it is placed in a tray with moistened expanded clay or the ground is covered with moss and periodically moistened. The plant itself is often sprayed.

Good luck to you in choosing and growing Christmas trees!

Latest tips from the “Home and Cottage” section:

How to grow a Christmas tree in a pot?

Spruce (Picea)

Family- pine (Pinaceae).

Origin - North America, Northern Europe, Northeast and Central Asia, Western and Central China.

Growing a Christmas tree at home is not at all easy, but today many are following this path, trying to protect millions of young trees from a ruthless custom. Some people bring home a Christmas tree in a container purchased from a nearby greenhouse, others try to grow a Christmas tree from seeds.

When growing spruce at home, the most difficult thing is to provide the tree with a period of winter dormancy. This requires a cool, bright and well-ventilated room, which is difficult to find in a heated apartment. In the heat, the Christmas tree cannot “sleep”; its natural cycle, which leads to the appearance of uncharacteristic painful shoots or drying out.

Also, do not forget that in nature spruce is a large, powerful tree that cannot be locked in a pot forever. A two or three year old tree must be transplanted into its natural habitat, no matter how sorry it is to part with your pet.

Types of fir trees

For those who decide to grow a Christmas tree at home, it is better to pay attention to such unpretentious and inexpensive types, like common spruce or prickly spruce. Serbian spruce is very hardy, the dark green needles of which are illuminated with silver below.

When you click on the picture it will enlarge!

Norway spruce

Prickly spruce

Serbian spruce

There are dwarf spruce species: Canadian spruce Conica (the height of a ten-year plant is about 50 cm) or common spruce Nidiformis (30 cm), which can fit in an apartment, but their appearance is somewhat different from the traditional one.

Caring for spruce at home

Lighting. Spruce prefers bright, diffused light. Young trees should be grown in a well-lit place, protected from direct sunlight. Spring sunburn is especially dangerous.

Temperature. Moderate, requires coolness in winter. The optimal winter temperature is +6 -+10°C. Spruce can easily withstand a drop in temperature to below zero (at night on the loggia), but you need to make sure that the lump of earth does not freeze. In summer, ventilation is necessary.

Watering. Regular abundant watering from spring to autumn. The lump of earth must be constantly evenly moistened. Drying out or waterlogging is unacceptable. During the dormant period, watering is reduced to once every 2-3 weeks (if the room temperature is +5 - +10°C). If the temperature is about 0°C, then watering is reduced to once a month.

Periodic spraying from a fine sprayer is necessary, especially in winter in a heated room.

Fertilizers. Fertilizing with universal fertilizers for growth.

Earth mixture. In order to grow spruce from seeds, acidic soil is needed. You can buy special soil for coniferous plants, or prepare it yourself by mixing equal parts universal soil mixture and soil from a coniferous forest.

Transfer. Transplantation is extremely difficult for spruce. It is necessary to maintain the integrity of the earth clod and prevent exposure of the roots. Transplantation is carried out every two years at the end of spring.

Reproduction. In order to successfully grow a spruce from seeds, it is necessary to collect seeds from open cones collected between November and February. The seeds need to be sown to a depth of no more than 0.5 cm. Before germination, the pot should be in a cool, ventilated room (in nature, spruce sprouts in early spring under the snow).

One-year-old seedlings usually reach a height of 15-25 cm, depending on the variety and growing conditions.

Possible problems when growing spruce at home

Needles turn yellow and fall off. This is usually a consequence of errors in care (temperature conditions, improper watering, sunburn). Affected branches are not restored. You can change the conditions of detention and spray with bio-regulators (preparations that increase plant immunity are sold in specialized stores).

The needles lost their shine and wrinkled. The earth mixture is not sufficiently oxidized. It is necessary to add soil from under coniferous trees to the top layer of soil. You need to be very careful: firstly, do not expose the roots of the plant, and secondly, do not allow the ground level to change, that is, do not plant the tree deeper than it was before.

Irina Surdu specifically for the site All about flowers

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How to grow a spruce from a branch: care tips, growing methods, varieties

There are many types of spruce trees, but almost all of them are propagated by cuttings. Therefore, if you are wondering how to grow a spruce from a branch, first find a young and healthy spruce, no older than 8 years old, from which you can take a branch. They need to be cut from the top of the tree. You only need to take yearlings. Branches from the middle of the tree also have a chance to take root, but there is a high probability that the tree will grow with a crooked crown.

Tricks for growing spruce from a branch:

Usually the branch takes root only in the second year. But if you want roots to grow already in the year of planting, prepare cuttings in mid-spring. The so-called lignified cuttings cut in autumn or winter are stored all winter in a cool, dark place. The length of the branch can vary from 10 to 25 cm. After the branch is cut, remove all the needles from the bottom by about 3-6 cm and place it in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. In order for the cuttings to take root and take root well, it is necessary to make a greenhouse. It's good if it's heated. You can easily make a homemade greenhouse without outside help. Drainage must be placed at the bottom to avoid moisture stagnation. Stones, broken bricks or large crushed stone can be used as drainage. After drainage comes soil and a layer of sand on top, preferably cleaned. The soil can be taken from a spruce forest or purchased in a store. We cover it with film so that there is a distance of no more than 30 cm between the sand and the film. At first, the spruce tree needs shade, so we put another dark covering on top of the film, maybe burlap. You need to plant the branch to the depth to which you cleared it of needles. Plant at a slight angle with an interval of 2 m (if you are planning an alley). Remember that the spruce can grow very large, so do not share with seedlings.

At first, you need to water abundantly and every day, in hot weather up to four times a day. Don't forget to loosen the soil too. When the first roots appear, there is no need to water more than once a day. You can spray the seedlings with a mineral mixture. For the winter it is necessary to cover them with sawdust or leaves.

Growing spruce from seeds

Growing a beautiful Christmas tree from seeds is more difficult than from a branch, but if you follow certain recommendations, you can boast that you succeeded. It is not recommended to buy seeds in a store or order online, since you do not know the quality of these seeds, as well as how much and under what conditions they were stored.

Tricks for growing spruce from seeds:

useful material

At first, the seedling needs a greenhouse. To do this, cover it with a cut plastic bottle. Do not remove such a homemade greenhouse for at least a week. But at the same time, it would be wrong to completely deprive the spruce of air flow. Therefore, periodically remove the bottle to ventilate the seedling and remove accumulated condensation. Do this during the warm part of the day.

Over the summer, your spruce will not grow or become strong enough to survive winter frosts. For the winter it needs to be covered or a greenhouse made. The layer of snow should be sufficient so that the seedling does not freeze.

Caring for young spruce

And now some rules for caring for spruce that will allow you to grow a beautiful, healthy and tall tree on your site.

Spruce trees can easily grow in the shade, as is often the case in natural conditions.

But if you want to get a fluffy tree, and not a long and stunted one, it is still better to choose a sunny place where it is warm enough, humid and there is no strong wind. Then the tree will grow straight and strong. An abundance of bright light is also not desirable.

Proper care of spruce:

Spruce loves moisture. It does not tolerate drought well, but can rot due to stagnation of water. Therefore, it is sometimes necessary to loosen the soil, providing access to water and air to the roots. There is no need to water a mature spruce often; once a week is enough, but you need to pour out at least 10 liters of water. This is the amount that is considered optimal to nourish the roots and prevent moisture stagnation. Air humidity requirements are low. It tolerates humidity calmly, as well as drier conditions. To remove dust and dirt, you can periodically hose down the tree. Then the needles will acquire a rich green color. If you made a mistake with the location the first time, the spruce can be replanted. It will tolerate transplantation well in the absence of bright sun and all conditions are met. But it is not recommended to replant the spruce often. To do this, dig a hole in advance in the desired part of the garden, repeat the whole procedure from the beginning: lay down drainage, pour soil specially selected for conifers, and sand on top. Please note that the root collar should be above the ground. This important condition healthy tree growth. There is no need to frequently feed the tree with fertilizers. Spruce does not need this at all. If you wish, you can fertilize the soil near the trunk in the spring before the shoots appear. Spruce trees are also propagated through seeds or cuttings. If you have a special type of decorative spruce, prefer propagation by cuttings, then you can preserve all the decorative properties of the spruce. Spruce does not like dense soil, so it needs to be loosened near the trunk. Loosen with a hoe or hoe very carefully. There is no need to dig deep; you risk damaging the roots. Follow appearance ate. Remove dried branches in a timely manner and form a crown. If the tree begins to bifurcate, remove one crown.

Types and varieties of spruce

Spruce has many varieties: they differ not only in appearance, but also in the color of the needles. Let's look at the most common ones:

interesting decoration

beautiful composition

decorative spruce

violet shade

Application and benefits

It has long been known that pine needles contain a huge amount of vitamins, minerals, essential oils. Therefore, winter needles are often used to make homemade cosmetics. It is in winter that it absorbs all the beneficial substances. They make masks, lotions from it, and take pine baths, which is very beneficial for the skin and blood circulation in general.

Spruce needles are crushed, poured with boiling water and then used to prepare face and hair masks, creams, lotions, and tonics.

It is also useful to drink this infusion. It has a diuretic effect, removes small stones from the kidneys and urinary tract. Almost any part of spruce (cones, buds, branches, needles) can be used in the treatment of runny nose and colds. Inhalations with a decoction of pine needles destroy microbes, ease breathing, and relieve inflammation. Ointment made from healing spruce resin will help get rid of boils. Inhalations can also be done with resin and wax. This is very useful for bronchial diseases. They are cleansed, mucus is removed, and inflammation is relieved.

An infusion of cones is very useful for external and internal use. To do this you need:

Select good cones, chop them, add water and boil for at least half an hour. Then let it brew under the lid. The infusion turns out to be dark brown, not very pleasant in taste, astringent. It can be used for inhalation. If you add lemon during boiling, this decoction can be taken orally to strengthen the immune system. The decoction is stored refrigerated for no more than 3 days.

You can also take spruce branches along with young buds, pour boiling water over them and let it brew. If you regularly take this infusion, you can get rid of bronchitis, radiculitis, and speed up recovery from pneumonia.

It is not necessary to make infusions or decoctions; you can take a few needles, rinse with water and just chew.

In addition to the pleasant pine smell, your breath will become more energetic, your immune system will be strengthened, and your performance will increase. Remember that for peptic ulcers of the digestive system, such home remedies are prohibited. It is recommended to consult a doctor before use.

More information can be found in the video.

How to grow blue spruce from a twig or seeds at home

One of the most expensive and at the same time beautiful jewelry local area is a blue spruce. Thanks to unique color pine needles, lush crown and dense thorny cover, it has a very respectable appearance. And in almost all reputable institutions you can find this coniferous beauty. But buying ready-made seedlings is very expensive. How to grow blue spruce from a twig or seeds at home?

Growing blue spruce from seeds is the most labor-intensive task. Be sure to keep an eye out for a couple of blue beauties this summer. Make sure they have bumps on them. Around November you can go harvesting. Ideally, the pine cones should be picked directly from the tree. Moreover, precisely those that have not yet been revealed. But if it is difficult to climb a spruce tree, because the fruits are formed almost at the very top of the head, then you can collect those that have fallen to the ground. The more seeds you collect, the better. Because only about 40% of germinated seedlings will have the same color as mother plant. There is a high chance that you will get regular green trees.

At home, the cones should be placed in a box and placed closer to the heat source. They should open completely. After a few days, carefully remove the seeds from the opened cones. To do this, just lightly tap the nose of the cone on the table surface. Harvest should be prepared for stratification at home.

To do this, dissolve 1 g of manganese in 100 ml of water and rinse the seeds to disinfect. Dry them by laying them on a towel. Then pour into a linen bag and close it in glass jar. Place in the refrigerator where the temperature is lowest, but not in the freezer. Seeds are planted in open ground in the spring, when there is no risk of sudden frosts. If you want to grow seedlings first, you can get seeds in March. Place them in an aqueous solution with nutrients for a day. And then carefully place it in the prepared soil. In both options, you should moisten the soil in time, do not let it dry out, but also not make it waterlogged. In about three weeks the first shoots will appear.

Plants grown in open ground should be protected from direct sunlight in the summer heat. And take the seedlings outside all summer, placing the containers in the shade big trees. In autumn, seedlings are removed to a cool room. Young trees can be planted only after a year, in the spring, as soon as the ground has warmed up well.

Propagation by cuttings allows you to completely preserve the characteristics of the mother plant. Cuttings should be taken, rather than cut with a knife, from trees more than 5 years old. It is imperative to leave a “heel” on the cutting, that is, a piece from the old tree. Immediately after detachment, the branch is planted in prepared containers. And then they take care of it in the same way as seeds.