Forest aroma. How to grow a Christmas tree at home

Spruce is the most beautiful and capricious tree that you can try to grow at home. After all, it requires special care. IN natural conditions The coniferous beauty is resistant to frost and does not tolerate the warm air of home conditions at all.

To under New Year Do not buy a barbarously cut down tree; you can grow it yourself. It is known that under natural conditions a tree can live for 200 years. A spruce grown at home after three years should still be transplanted into open ground. But until this time comes, you can enjoy your personal coniferous masterpiece.

In order for a tree to grow, it is necessary:

Landing
Watering and fertilizing
Temperature
Proper care
Lighting

As a rule, many people dream of growing a spruce tree on their own, but before you start this difficult task, you need to be confident in your abilities. Painstaking work and proper care will provide you with two or three years of monitoring the growth of the forest beauty.

There are three ways to grow a coniferous beauty at home:

seeds
cuttings
seedlings

Breeding spruce from seeds

Under natural conditions, seeds fall from the fruits of the tree, cones, which fall to the ground in the fall. Then they remain under a layer of snow all winter and only towards the end of February, at the beginning of May, they begin to germinate.

At home, you can speed up this process, due to the fact that there is no snow at home, the seeds are sown in a container at a distance of 5 - 6 cm. The sand should be moist, but the water should not stagnate, otherwise the seeds may rot. This container is placed in the refrigerator on the door or in the vegetable drawer. You can keep it for a month, but it’s best until spring.

When the daylight hours become longer and last up to approximately 17 hours, the container with the seeds should be taken out and placed on the windowsill near the radiator. This will bring the crops closer to natural conditions. During this period, the seeds need abundant watering, since in nature the snow begins to melt and the soil is quite moist. Those who germinate seeds for the first time need to be patient, because after 12 - 16 days there will be shoots on the window.

Young shoots must be watered so that the soil is moist. During this period, you can introduce irrigation with fertilizers. Under natural conditions, humus of pine needles and cones is fertilizer.

As soon as the young seedlings get stronger, they need to be transplanted into separate pots. It is best to dig up the soil in a coniferous forest; if there is no such thing nearby, a substrate of soil for cultivation is purchased coniferous plants.

As soon as the young shoots began to grow together, place them in the window and make sure that there is enough lighting. It is necessary to darken only when direct rays of the sun hit the plants. They can cause burns to young shoots.

Direct Sun rays deform the branches and can lead to the death of the plant

As soon as the cold weather passes and stable warmth sets in, usually in May, small spruce trees can be taken out into the open air: balcony, terrace or loggia. At the first frost, bring the trees into the house, and winter period Make sure that the plant is in a bright room with a maximum temperature of 15 degrees.

Breeding spruce cuttings

Before planting cuttings, you need to prepare nutritious soil. It is best to cut the cuttings from a tree that is 6–9 years old. You need to take a one-year-old twig from above. Clear the tip of needles, place it in a weak growth stimulator for 5-10 minutes and then transplant it into the soil at an angle of 30 degrees. Cover the planting immediately with film. Planting of cuttings is carried out only in spring or autumn. Watering the seedlings should be done as the soil dries. Don't forget about fertilizers.

Trees grown from cuttings take root much faster, but they will not stay at home for long, and after only a year you will have to say goodbye to your home spruce, since for its normal existence it must be planted on the site.

Planting coniferous seedlings

Seedlings are purchased in stores or greenhouses. It is best to buy them in spring or autumn time. You will not have any worries about growing it; the finished tree will delight you for two to three years.

“After purchasing seedlings, they need to be transplanted into another pot, while making sure that the roots of the plant are not exposed and that the lump of earth is intact. It is necessary to replant to the same depth as before.”

Watering and fertilizing

Spruce is a capricious tree, so it must be properly cared for, especially watered. The earthen ball should be constantly moist. Overwatering or dryness can lead to the death of the plant. The plant should be watered with the addition of mineral fertilizer from May to September. Fertilize twice a month. When the dormant period begins from November to March, fertilizers are completely cancelled.

During the winter period of rest there should be special care For spruce, if it is at home, you must spray the needles with a fine sprayer if there are heating devices in the room.

Watering is reduced to 2 times a month if the regime is maintained from 5 to 15 degrees. If the spruce is in a cool room, in which the temperature is about 0 degrees, watering once a month will be enough.

Temperature for normal growth of spruce

“Spruce loves cool weather and does not tolerate warm air in winter"

IN summer periods the temperature may be different, the young tree will endure everything, but if there is stagnation of air, it will begin to hurt. In summer, the room where the spruce grows must be ventilated.

In winter, coniferous plants must be given a period of rest, otherwise they will become depleted and quickly die. Optimal temperature keeping in winter 5-15 degrees. Although a tree can easily tolerate a drop in the thermometer to zero or below, the main thing is to ensure that the earthen lump does not freeze.

Proper care

Observing everything necessary requirements By keeping spruce at home, you can enjoy the smell of pine needles. But those who like the forest beauty can grow it every year, and when the tree reaches maturity, plant it in open ground. This is necessary because the spruce root has a wedge shape during the first 15 years, and only then does it dry out, leaving behind lateral branches. The deeper the root goes into the ground, the longer the spruce will grow. Unfortunately, at home we are not able to provide sufficient depth for the root.

Don’t be sad, because new shoots are sprouting on the window, and I will decorate the three-year-old beauties personal plot, and will become a wonderful memory for your heirs.

Lighting

Spruce is a light-loving plant, but young seedlings do not tolerate direct sunlight on the needles. But mature trees love the sun and are drawn to it. In winter, young trees must also be provided with lighting, since if there is not enough light, the tree will die. During the dormant period, spruce undergoes photosynthesis processes, but at a slower pace.

If you care for the spruce with love, then the spruce will respond to you with its love and beauty.

Quite often, people looking for new green pets are looking for something unusual that not everyone grows. At least update the options for planting, but we suggest trying to grow a real spruce at home. Not only will the air in your home be saturated with pleasant pine aroma, so the eternal New Year's problem will be solved. Don’t cut down Christmas trees in the forest every year and don’t be sad in the company of artificial tree. Everyone wins – both natural lovers and conservationists.

Seeds are more reliable

Oddly enough, the most reliable way to grow spruce is from seeds. The tree will be in your home from its very birth and will be able to quickly adapt to environmental conditions. In addition, it will cost a considerable amount, and the conditions in the nursery are different.

Spruce seeds prepared for planting

However, it is best to purchase spruce seeds at a nursery - the people who work there are knowledgeable, and the products there are, as a rule, of high quality. If you want to complicate the task, go into the forest yourself in late autumn and collect fir cones. The seeds extracted from them will become material for future work.

You can collect the cones in winter, bring them home and dry them until they open on their own - then remove the seeds.

There is one important point associated with growing spruce at home. It's about constantly warm temperature, which will not give the spruce time to rest, which is usually easily achieved by outdoors. At home, coolness can be ensured with the help of a balcony, where during cold weather you will need to take the coniferous beauty out, gradually accustoming it to the cold. If you do not have a balcony, it is better to abandon the idea of growing a spruce.

However, if you are growing a spruce at home for further growth, the first two warm seasons will not ruin things.

Spruce varieties

The choice of spruce varieties does not create problems, since the buyer’s attention (unless you yourself are looking for planting material) Christmas trees are offered with different colors, needles and shape. It remains to add that if you are going to plant a future spruce on your plot, you can purchase seeds of any variety. If the Christmas tree does not leave the house, then, of course, the choice will be limited. For example, an ordinary Russian spruce, even in cramped conditions, can grow so tall that no ceiling height is enough. Therefore, you will have to choose among decorative dwarf species.

Blue spruce "Misty Blue" Norway spruce

In general, among the variety of varieties, in addition to Russian spruce, blue spruce, a very unpretentious beauty, as well as the Canadian one, which is much more difficult to grow, and the white-sided one is an amazing creature with wonderful colors.

It is best to grow blue and regular Russian spruce in our area; they have already been tested by nature itself for many years, and there should be no problems with their cultivation.

Growing from seeds (video)

So, since growing from seeds allows you to achieve the best results, we run to the nursery, forest or store and buy seeds. They need to be soaked in warm water for 2-3 weeks so that they swell, and then plant them in the ground.

To be on the safe side, the seeds can be soaked in a manganese solution for a day and planted in the ground - this method is quite logical if you found the seeds in nature yourself.

They say that best land for the Christmas tree - soil from the native forest. If the brought volume is diluted by half with peat, you will also enrich the soil with microelements. It is better to avoid other fertilizers, and especially chemicals, when growing spruce at home.

The main thing to remember when germinating seeds is that they are difficult to germinate. The hatching period ranges from a month to a year, so even the well-known leisurely strawberry is a real bamboo in terms of development speed compared to spruce. Therefore, if you planted a seed, and after a month or two you have not seen a sprout, do not rush to abandon your business. Sooner or later he will appear. If, of course, the seed is alive and of high quality.

And here are the young shoots of spruce - very thin and so tender. But these shoots have already grown stronger, which means everything is going fine

The seed must be planted immediately in a large pot. Small glasses are not suitable if the sprout has already been born - here things will go faster, and the tiny Christmas tree will quickly become cramped. And a transplant at such a tender age is disastrous for her.

After planting, watering the seeds is required once a week, and after the sprout appears, watering is stopped. Spruce is not the most moisture-loving tree, and therefore periodic spraying from a spray bottle will suffice.

What’s interesting is that the greatest growth of spruce is observed in winter time under thick snow, so placing a young tree on the windowsill with the onset of cold weather will harden it and stimulate its development.

In order for the Christmas tree to delight you with beautiful needles and a pleasant aroma in the first years, do not place it in direct sunlight. Only in the fourth or fifth year of life, when the Christmas tree reaches a height of 30 to 50 cm, can it be gradually accustomed to the bright sun.

From the window to the site

If you are growing a Christmas tree for your summer cottage, and the time for replanting (and this usually happens two years after hatching from seeds) is already approaching, it’s time to accustom it to fresh air. Periodically, the plant needs to be exposed to the street, gradually increasing the intervals. This period of adaptation should last a couple of months, after which the Christmas tree will be able to live in the open air.

This Christmas tree is ready to be transplanted

When planting on a site, it is advisable to add a little forest soil to the hole, and after the Christmas tree has found a new place, you need to water the tree for some time before it takes root. Once the tree is established, no watering will be required, except during dry seasons.

Growing a Christmas tree from seeds is not as difficult as many other plants. However, the result of your efforts will grow not in one, or even two years, but over decades and even centuries. This is precisely why the Christmas tree is very different from other plants, and its planting in open ground is carried out once and for a long time.

What you need to know about spruce trees?

Before you start planting seeds, you should learn a few interesting facts about this plant. I’ll say right away that growing spruce at home is oh so difficult! The thing is that this plant does not like heat too much; spruce trees prefer frosty air, especially in winter. It is very important that there is a place in your home where the temperature does not rise above 10 degrees in winter. And if there is none, then you should refuse to plant spruce, and no special care will help here.

When planning to grow spruce from seeds, be sure to make sure that the tree's seeds are fully ripe. It is a mistake to believe that if a cone has opened, then the seeds are 100% ripe - even unripe ones open in the warmth. It is better to collect spruce seeds from the cones of the current year's harvest, preferably in late autumn before the first frost.

For growing spruce from a branch, only the tip is suitable. Of course, you can try to root a side branch, but then, most likely, the tree, when it grows up, will be a little “short” on one side.

Planting spruce from seeds

It is recommended to plant spruce seeds by the end of April, but these seeds must first be prepared. To do this, we remove them from the cone and inspect them externally to reject damaged ones. Good seeds soak them in a slightly pinkish solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour, then dry them before germination. To “deceive” the seeds, we put them in the refrigerator until spring.

We remove future Christmas trees from the refrigerator and soak them in cold water for a day. It is best to plant seeds in the “native” soil of a coniferous forest. We do not deepen the seeds, but simply place them on top of the black soil, lightly covering them with soil on top. Protect the tray with seeds from direct sunlight. A month after the emergence of seedlings, they can be carefully planted in separate pots. During the first year, it is recommended to add a weak solution of mullein to the water as a mineral fertilizer when watering.

Planting spruce from the top

For this method we need a one-year-old shoot from the top of the spruce. We carefully cut it off, removing all the needles from the bottom by 5-6 centimeters. The peeled part of the branch should be placed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour. For rooting young plant It is recommended to plant it in the spring in a greenhouse or an improvised film greenhouse. Ideal soil mixture for these purposes it is considered ordinary land, collected in a coniferous forest, diluted by a third with washed river sand. During the rooting period, it is recommended to irrigate the seedling two to three times a day using a sprayer. You should also carefully ensure that the soil in the greenhouse does not dry out and that direct sunlight does not fall on the young Christmas tree. After the first roots appear, spray twice as often and cover the tree from the sun only from lunch. Experts recommend not replanting a seedling for 3-4 years, only in this case we will get an adult, healthy tree, which will transfer its “relocation” to permanent place.

Obviously, growing spruce at home is a task for the strong-willed. But I assure you, you will succeed if you follow the advice of professional gardeners.

Winter holidays are approaching.

And, of course, not a single New Year is complete without the forest beauty of spruce, which brings all children into indescribable delight, and helps adults return for a few days to the distant land of childhood, where fairy tales live and their most cherished desires come true.

Shortly before the New Year, felled Christmas trees appear on sale, but after installing a coniferous tree at home, within a week it begins to crumble, even if it is standing in a bucket of wet sand.

But the holidays last much longer and we want the Christmas tree to please us all this time.

This is really possible if you purchase live Christmas tree in a pot with soil. In Europe, such New Year trees have long become popular, although they are more expensive than cut ones. Here are some tips on how to care for your potted Christmas tree so that it feels comfortable in your home.

Before you finally install the spruce in the room, you need to gradually accustom it to home warmth. To do this, keep it for several days in a cold garage or on glass loggia. But just place the pot on a wooden board, not on cement.

And in case of frost, it is advisable to wrap the pot with something warm, because... the ground may freeze along with the roots. It is in the ground that she is warm in winter, and in small pot she might freeze.

When you bring the tree into the room, place it away from heating devices. It is advisable to place an electric humidifier or at least a vessel with water in the room, because... The coniferous beauty needs moist air.

You can decorate the Christmas tree only with the lightest New Year's toys.

Water the Christmas tree in a pot moderately as the soil dries (about 2 times a week), avoiding the substrate from drying out or becoming waterlogged.

It is also necessary to spray the Christmas tree regularly. It is better to use melted or at least settled water at room temperature for spraying and irrigation.

But even in such conditions, it is not advisable to keep the Christmas tree in the room for more than 3 weeks, because Most of all, the coniferous beauty suffers from dry air. Unfortunately, no matter how much we want, a Christmas tree cannot become a houseplant.

It requires cooler temperatures to grow it. bright conditions and moist fresh air.

You can, of course, try to place her on a glassed-in loggia, only if you don’t have sunny side. But still, there are no guarantees that it will take root there. It is better to plant the Christmas tree in the ground on a frost-free day, for example, in the country house or in the yard (if you have your own private house).

When you plant it in the ground, do not go too deep - you need to leave the root collar at the same level as in the pot. When planting, do not disturb the earthen ball under any circumstances; spruce trees do not tolerate transplantation well.

But if you still want to decorate your own Christmas tree every New Year, you can purchase one of the coniferous plants that are easiest to adapt at home.

Such plants are: cypress, thuja, araucaria and some others. For a Christmas tree, give preference to araucaria, as it comes from the subtropics and is also more like a Christmas tree.

In any case, it’s up to you to decide which tree will decorate your home on New Year’s Eve.

Description of the coniferous plant

An interesting dwarf Christmas tree was discovered in Canada at the beginning of the last century. After a series of studies, scientists came to the conclusion that this tree appeared because Picea glauca (Canadian gray spruce) mutated. By appearance Canadian spruce conica looks like this:

the crown is cone-shaped, very dense and fluffy;
needles up to 1 cm in length of a light green shade densely cover the branches;
in the lower (widest) tier the crown diameter averages 80 cm;
The roots are not long, located close to the surface.

The growth of conika is very slow, young “individuals” add about 6-8 cm per year. At the age of 10-12 years, the height of the seedling is approximately 1 meter. After this peak, the growth rate noticeably decreases, and each year the height increases by only 2-3 cm. A Christmas tree can live for about 300-500 years.

Buying a seedling in a pot

Modern trends dictate the fashion for preserving natural green spaces, so you can decorate your room for the New Year by buying a konica spruce in a pot. In order not to spoil the holiday, you should adhere to some rules.

When installing a conic as a New Year's tree, you should find a place that will be removed from all active heat sources.
The tree only occasionally needs to be turned towards the light.
If the room where the Canadian guest is standing is heated, it is necessary to spray the crown from time to time.
Wood requires increased air humidity, so it is better to place a bowl of water near it.

At the end of the holidays, be sure to put the spruce on the balcony or loggia, since in winter this plant requires a temperature of no more than +10 degrees, and this is extremely difficult to achieve at home. Cover the top of the crown with burlap to create an optimal humidity regime for the tree. Wrap the pot with insulation to prevent the soil from freezing.
Dwarf Canadian blue spruce conika can grow at home for the first 3-4 years so that it can finally get stronger. After this, the tree is ready to be transplanted into the open ground of the site.

Planting a seedling on the site

Glauca conica spruce, like all representatives of its genus, cannot tolerate drying out of the roots, so when purchasing, pay attention to seedlings that are sold in a container with moistened soil. Planting koniki spruce is the most crucial moment on which the further growth and development of the tree depends. When planting, you should adhere to the following rules:

Planting conics in the garden should be done on a cloudy day at the end of spring.
Choose a sunny place without drafts. In the shadow correct form the crown may become distorted, and the tree will become less attractive.
The hole for planting must be prepared in advance. The bottom must be covered with a layer broken bricks or crushed stone.
The soil mixture should also be prepared in advance. For this purpose, a mixture of sand, garden soil, humus and peat in proportions of 1/2/1/1 is suitable. It wouldn't hurt to add a little mineral fertilizers, for example: Zircon, Epin.

The landing process looks like this:

Soil is poured into the hole on top of the drainage in such an amount that the soil from the container can then fit. Waters well.
The plant is carefully removed from the container and immersed in the prepared hole.
The trunk is well aligned on all sides.
The free space is filled with the prepared soil mixture.
The filled hole is well watered; this will require about 10 liters of water.
Finally, a small hole is created near the trunk for further watering, and the trunk itself is covered with a 5-centimeter layer of mulch (pebbles, gravel and other covering materials).
It is better to cover the tree at first so that the unaccustomed needles do not get burned in the sun.

Caring for decorative spruce

If you are wondering how to care for konica spruce, then care can be characterized as minimal. House conika does not require pruning, replanting or additional crown maintenance. Despite its unpretentiousness, a little proper care will additionally ensure the preservation of the beauty of the conica Christmas tree.

In not very hot and dry summers, moisture is provided by natural precipitation.
On hot days, water the plant regularly (as the top layer dries), while spraying the crown.
The first two months require weekly watering. If a crust forms on top of the soil, be sure to loosen the top layer.

Attention! The tree's roots are located close to the surface of the earth. Therefore, the plant cannot easily tolerate soil compaction or trampling of the earth in an area with a diameter of 1 m around the crown.

Sonica is resistant to frost, but, nevertheless, the first couple of years should be thoroughly mulched for the winter in the area near the trunk.

Important! Even though the tree can be grown in open ground, in the spring it can get significant sunburn. Burns manifest themselves as browning of needles. Professional gardeners recommend wrapping the crown with material in the spring so that it diffuses the sun's rays and does not interfere with the passage of air.

Where is the best place to plant a Christmas tree?

Decorative spruce konika in open ground looks most advantageous in the most prominent areas:

near the gazebo;
at the entrance to the house;
At the playground.

The dwarf guest looks great, both in single compositions and in group plantings in combination with coniferous trees other types. The trees are especially interesting in the off-season, when there is a green lawn at the foot, or contrasting ones.

The plant looks beautiful when new shoots appear, as the tree turns into a bright green cone of fabulous beauty. In Russian latitudes, this period falls in May.

The most common diseases of Canadian spruce

Decorative conika spruce can be affected by various infections, and only timely detection of sores and their immediate treatment can save it.

Rust—orange growths begin to appear on the branches, and the needles quickly turn yellow and fall off. The photo shows how badly the tree can suffer. Treatment of the crown with special preparations such as “Vectra” and “Glyokladin” for a month, once a week, is suitable as a treatment.

Schutte's disease is caused by a fungus. The needles darken, then become covered with a whitish coating and fall off. Initially, you can save the tree by spraying it with a solution of copper sulfate, then treating it with Trichodermin and Alirin-B, and in advanced situations all that remains is to dig up and burn the seedling.

How much does a tree cost?

The price of an ornamental tree depends on its size and age.

A 3-year-old seedling 13-18 cm in height costs about 200 rubles;
you can buy a 6-year-old plant 65-75 cm in height for 1,500 rubles;
the cost of a 13-year-old mature seedling 155 cm in height is about 6,000 rubles.