The shape and size of the root system of one-color fir. Landscape design of the site. How to form a crown at a fir

Fir is considered the owner of presentable green needles that do not change color during the season. She takes root quickly, does not require much attention to herself. With fir, which is not worth worrying about planting and caring for, any suburban area becomes stronger and more individual.

Acquire planting material can be both in specialized stores and in local nurseries. Before buying, you should clarify about the varieties that take root best in your area. The best option for beginners is to purchase undersized or medium-sized winter-hardy fir. Beginning summer residents should not risk buying rare ornamental varieties with a low level of frost resistance. In this case, the risk of losing a seedling in the first year is high.

When buying, pay attention to several signs:

seedling not younger than 4 years;
the container is proportionate to the size of the plant - this is a guarantee that it has grown in a pot and has not been transplanted before selling;
the soil in the container is moist, without mold;
the color of the needles is even, there are no brown spots on the branches and white flakes at the base of the needles;
lack of mechanical damage and dry branches;
shoots are elastic, bend when tilted.

If you do not want to spend money in vain, then you will have to immediately abandon the idea of \u200b\u200bbuying an ephedra with an open root system. Such a plant rarely survives. The only possible option is to purchase a seedling in the container in which it grew.

If there is a plot of more than 6 acres landscape designers recommend planting 1 large and several dwarfs. From massive trees choose fir, spruce, berry yew, pine. The tree is planted at the gate or in the center of a manicured lawn. Of the undersized species, compositions are formed in the flowerbed, at the curbs, near the playground.

Selection of varieties:

Blue Glauka, motley Variegata and neatly creeping Prostrata successfully take root.

Pickup time and place

The dormant period is a good time for planting acquired conifers. AT middle lane and the southern regions of Russia, it is recommended to plant them at the end of September or at the beginning of October. In the northern latitudes, the spring planting of firs in the country is favorable.

Conditions for successful acclimatization:

soil of moderate moisture, not frozen;
air temperature not lower than +5 °C, but not higher than +12 °C;
spring recruits will need partial shade, autumn recruits will need shelter from wind and frost.

Sort Brillant

Fir of any variety quickly takes root in partial shade in a drained and fertile place. The open area and the sun do not suit her. For seedlings, shady areas are a prerequisite for successful growth. Mature plants will be able to form their typical crown only with sufficient sunlight, so shady areas are not for them. It should be noted that firs have a powerful root system that goes far inland.

On heavy clay soils roots form branches and grow superficially, oppressing their neighbors.

To prevent this from growing roots around the perimeter of the site, landing pit drained and enriched with fertile soil.

How to plant acquired fir: a step-by-step description of the process

Coniferous plants are presentable, distinguished by endurance and relative unpretentiousness in care. To achieve this, you need to properly plant the purchased tree. Before planting a fir, a place for it is prepared 2 weeks in advance. To do this, dig a planting hole 2 times the volume of the container in which the plant is located.

Distance between conifers:

when growing medium-sized trees, a distance of 2-3 m is observed;
the alley group needs more space, so they leave 4 m between the seedlings.

Planting fir in several stages:

The pit is abundantly spilled with water (2 buckets). A drainage layer of broken brick or small gravel is laid at the bottom to prevent moisture stagnation at the roots. The height of the drainage should be 8-10 cm.
A fertile soil mixture is prepared, consisting of peat, sand, humus in a ratio of 1: 1: 3. Additionally, granular fertilizer for conifers or 200 g of nitrophoska is added. Fill the hole halfway with the substrate.
After 2 weeks, landing is carried out. The shrub is taken out of the container, placed on a mound of soil, its roots are straightened and sprinkled with the remaining substrate. It is important not to destroy the earthen lump removed from the container, since mycorrhiza has managed to form on the roots, which is favorable for the growth of the tree.
After planting, the soil is compacted and abundantly spilled with water to avoid the formation of voids.
The trunk circle is mulched with pieces of bark, cones, needles.
If work is carried out in the fall, then you need to cover the tree with spruce branches before frost. In March, when the weather becomes more sunny, the crown is covered with non-woven material to prevent burns.

AT further care for fir comes down to watering, crown irrigation at least once a week, seasonal pruning of old and weakened branches. Top dressing starts from the 3rd year of growth, fertilizers for conifers are applied 1-2 times per season.

Video about the formation of a young shrub.

Organizing a transplant of an adult fir is more difficult than planting a purchased shrub. In this case, you will have to remove a massive earthen ball without damaging the roots. A year before the planned work, the soil around the tree is bayoneted with a shovel at a distance of 1 m. During the set time, young roots will grow on the root system, allowing them to successfully gain a foothold in a new place in the future. Planted before or after the active growing season ( in early spring or in September) on fertile soils. When transplanting into a pre-prepared pit, add the soil from the previous place of growth.

Common pests and diseases

Fir is a hardy plant, with proper care there are no problems with it. To prevent the death of a young conifer, a novice gardener should consider a few recommendations:

The near-stem circle is not loosened, it is enough to confine itself to mulching. When loosening, small processes (capillaries) come off at the roots. As a result, the amount of nutrition decreases, fir dries out in 1-2 years.
Fresh manure, bird droppings should not be used as fertilizers. From such organic matter, part of the roots is burned.

The cause of diseases is insufficient feeding and poor moisture, mechanical damage to the bark and sudden changes in temperature. Rust is a common disease of coniferous trees. As a result of infection, the needles turn brown, and the crown thins. Rusty neoplasms form on the branches. Affected shoots and fallen needles are burned, the cuts are covered with resin or pitch, and the fir itself is treated with a solution of copper sulphate.

At improper care firs suffer from hermes (yellow aphids). As a result of the defeat, the needles turn yellow and fall off. Rogor and Antio preparations help prevent the invasion of pests. Trunks are treated with a solution of insecticides in the ratio of 20 g per 10 liters of water in early spring (late March - early April).

In rare cases, the Siberian silkworm can visit the ephedra. He eats needles, young cones and bark, leading to drying out. Caterpillars on branches emerge from laid eggs before bud break, they eat needles for a couple of months, then pupate. From August, butterflies begin to appear to lay new eggs. It helps to get rid of the pest by treating the crown with any insecticide and biological product. Usually use the drug Bi-58 or Clipper.

Being engaged in the cultivation of conifers, one must remember about the irrigation of the crown in the hot season and preventive treatment necessary drugs. Then pests will rarely appear on the site, and caring for plants will become much easier.

Choosing a site for successful cultivation

The common fir is a rather undemanding tree. Too young plants cannot tolerate abundant sunlight, which is why the rooting site of the cuttings should be shaded. For successful rooting and cultivation of fir on garden plot, in the country, or in any other place, you need to take care of the quality of the soil in advance (the soil must be fertile) and make good drainage. Ideally, the plant feels very good near water bodies.

Replanting grown trees should already be in a bright area. The tree perfectly tolerates windy weather, thanks to its powerful root system, which takes root deep underground.

Seedling selection and planting

At the time of planting in the soil, the seedling must be at least four years old. If you plant younger seedlings of the tree, there is a high probability that they simply simply cannot take root. On the this moment, fir can be ordered on the Internet, purchased in special nurseries, or on the market. At the time of sale, the root system of the seedling must be in a special container. When choosing a seedling for planting, it is imperative to pay attention to the color of the needles - in a healthy plant, it should have a rich green color. If places with yellowed needles are noticeable on the tree, it is better not to buy such ones.

How to plant fir (process description)

As described above, the best period for planting fir, autumn or spring is considered. First of all, you need to prepare a landing site (in the country, in the backyard, etc.). Given the diameter of the root system, it is necessary to dig an appropriate hole. 2 buckets of water are poured into the planting hole. After the water is absorbed into the ground, a layer of soil should be removed from the bottom of the hole, about half the bayonet of a shovel. Instead of a removed ball of soil, a layer of broken brick or rubble (about 5 centimeters high) is filled up, which will play the role of drainage.

After carrying out these manipulations, a fertile mixture should be introduced into the pit, somewhere in half of the dug hole. 200 grams of nitrophoska and 10 kilograms of sawdust are added to the prepared soil. 2 weeks after preparing the hole, you can plant a future tree in it. The roots of the seedling need to be straightened, the free space is covered with soil, the pit is compacted and watered.

If several trees are planted on the site at the same time, the distance between the seedlings should not be less than 3 meters. Planting fir to create an alley of several specimens - the distance between the planting holes is at least 4 meters. From correct location trees, their future development will depend, since the availability of the necessary space ensures that the fir receives all the necessary nutrients.

Care

Caring for fir does not require much effort, but in order to grow it in your country house or plot beautiful tree, several simple rules. Care of young seedlings is regular watering, loosening the soil, weeding and applying organic fertilizers.

Watering. Fir does not like an excess of moisture, which is why many species of this tree can do without natural precipitation. But, for example, some varieties of this coniferous tree need regular moisture, they should be watered about 2-4 times per season. It is enough to pour 2 buckets of water on one tree.

After each infusion of water, it is necessary to loosen the soil to a depth of 10 centimeters in order to ensure the normal passage of air to the roots. So that cracks do not appear on the soil from drying out, you can mulch the ground around the trunk with peat or sawdust. Not recommended for use decorative crumb, because of her negative impact for the proper development of the seedling.

Top dressing. Young seedlings that are grown for only 1 or 2 years do not require top dressing, as they are placed in a sufficiently nutritious soil when planted. It is best to carry out top dressing in the spring, with the help of mineral fertilizers, applying 100-120 grams of fertilizer around the trunk circle.

Pruning. The fir crown is very sensitive to sudden changes in weather conditions, as a result of which the branches of the tree are damaged and dry. It is recommended to prune the tree in early spring, before the onset of sap flow. During pruning, all dry, diseased, as well as branches that stick out in different directions are removed. Such actions help to form a compact crown.

Transfer. Unlike many other plant species, fir has a special degree of survival, and easily tolerates the transplant process. In order for the transplant to be successful, everything must be done quickly and correctly, especially with the root system.

Transplant process young tree very simple. To begin with, you need to pierce the soil with a shovel in a circle from the trunk, the distance from the tree to the circle line should be 30 centimeters. After that, the shovel is deepened under the bayoneted circle, so that it would be possible to touch the plant from below. As a result, the fir is taken out along with the root. At correct execution this procedure, the earthen ball will not crumble, and the tree will easily take root in a new place.

Transplantation of an adult tree is a little more complicated than that which is carried out on a young specimen. You need to start bayoneting the ground a year before the transplant (so that the damaged roots have time to recover), and the distance should not be 30 centimeters, but about 50. It is very difficult to transplant a perennial tree, since you will have to extract a fairly massive earthen ball with roots. Given such conditions, at least 2-3 people are needed for transplantation. The main condition good result transplantation, is the preservation of the earthy coma.

Preparing for winter. Work in autumn

In order for the fir to overwinter successfully, it is necessary to begin preparations in the fall. The first step is to cover the soil around the stem ball with spruce branches. Adult specimens do not require shelter. When the frost is nearing completion, and the weather becomes more sunny and hot, it is necessary to cover the crown from sun rays any material other than fabric.

Diseases and possible pests

This coniferous tree is very resistant to the influence of diseases, but in some cases the crown may lose its decorative effect. A similar picture is often observed under the influence of a pest (spruce-fir hermes) - a kind of aphid. They negatively affect the crown of the tree, because of which it turns yellow. It is possible to carry out the destruction of Hermes with many drugs, for example, Antio, Rogor. The period of activity of female aphids begins in early spring, and it is during this period that treatment is recommended.

The appearance of yellowing on the needles may indicate that the tree is damaged by rust - a fungal disease that begins with young fir shoots and passes to lignified branches. To combat this disease, it is necessary to prune all affected areas of the tree, and treat open wounds with var. In the fight against rust, a 2% solution of Bordeaux mixture has proven itself well.

reproduction

Many gardeners are interested in how to grow fir, on a personal plot or in the country on their own? The tree can be propagated using two methods: using seeds (a method suitable for species firs), and using vegetative propagation(more suitable method for decorative species).

Reproduction using seeds. It is best to collect seeds at the beginning of the cone ripening period. Due to the fact that the cones grow on the top of the tree, it is not very easy to get them simple task. But, if you still managed to pick an unripe cone, first you should dry it and only then remove the seeds. You can store them on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator so that they go through stratification. It is best to sow seeds in the fall, but you can also in the spring. Seeds need to be immersed in the soil to a depth of 2 centimeters, and then cover the planting site with a film (so that the growth process occurs more quickly).

Around the third week of growth, the first shoots should appear. The film is removed and the first watering is done. During the germination of small sprouts, one should observe the growth rate, remove weeds in time and loosen the soil. Young seedlings are very sensitive to frost, so they are covered with spruce branches for the winter.

Vegetative propagation (using cuttings). To produce successful rooting, it is necessary to prepare an annual cutting from the top of the tree, with the presence of one kidney, 5 centimeters long. It must be with a “heel”, for this it should be broken off, and not cut off with a pruner. It is necessary to pull out the stalk with a sharp movement.

For more successful cuttings, it is best to wait for cloudy weather. It is recommended to break off a branch from the middle of the crown, preferably from the north side. Before planting in the soil, it is immersed in a 2% solution of potassium permanganate for 5-6 hours. For planting, a mixture of leafy soil, humus and sand (in equal proportions) is prepared in advance, the cutting is placed in this mixture and covered with a jar. After some time, the jar needs to be raised to ventilate the cutting and remove condensate from the jar, since rooting is a very long process, and moss may appear on the surface of the soil.

In order for the rooting process to be completed more quickly, it is advised to make lower heating. In the first year of planting, white convex dots should form on the bottom of the cutting, roots begin to appear only from the second year.

Fir belongs to the coniferous trees of the Pine family. AT wild nature it can be found in various regions of the Northern Hemisphere, from temperate to tropical. natural environment fir habitat is quite diverse.

Most often it can be found in coniferous forests, but can also grow in both mixed and deciduous forests. In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about fir when grown in a summer cottage.

Did you know? The name of this plant has German roots. The Russian name is derived from the German word Fichte (spruce).

Fir: plant description

The genus of fir is far from being the most numerous, in the literature you can find a description of about 50 species. Fir is in the form of trees, the height of which can reach 80 m, and shrubs that are not higher than 50 cm.

The plant has a powerful, tap root system. Although fir belongs to evergreens, it cannot boast of good resistance to frost. In addition, it does not tolerate dry air, as well as smoke and gas.

The bark of a young fir is smooth and thin, with age it becomes thicker and cracks. The characteristic of fir cannot do without a description of the crown, which has a conical shape and starts right from the base of the trunk. The branches of this plant are horizontally ringed.

Fir needles are soft, entire, narrowed at the base. Unlike many other conifers, fir needles do not appear dirty red in winter, and two white stripes can be seen below each needle.

The female cones of fir are cylindrical or ovoid. Male specimens look like earrings made of knobs. Fir can grow from seeds, but this process is too laborious and time consuming, most often this plant is grown using cuttings.

Did you know? Fir cones stick up, while the rest of the conifers hang.

Pollination occurs with the help of wind. Fir in culture can live up to three hundred years in one place. Next, we will look at how to grow this plant on your site.

How to choose a location for fir

Fir is not a capricious plant; every gardener can grow it. mature plant is not afraid of the winds, but the roots of younger trees do not go so deep, and strong wind can pull the plant out of the ground. Therefore, it is worth protecting the plant from strong winds.

Planting is best done in spring, in April, but fir can be planted in the first half of autumn.

fir lighting

strong sun can damage the plant, so partial shade is best for fir. Landing can be done both in groups and singly.

Is fir demanding on soil

For fir, there are no special requirements to the soil, but it is better to choose fertile ones. The only thing that is not suitable for the soil is stagnant water.

Important!Although fir loves moisture, its stagnation will adversely affect the development of the plant, so the soil must be well-drained.

How to plant a fir in a summer cottage

Planting fir in your summer cottage is within the power of everyone, there is nothing difficult in this.

Planting hole preparation

Before planting a fir, you need to take care of the planting pit. Preparation must begin a couple of weeks before planting. The dimensions of the pit should be approximately 60x60x60 cm, but these figures may be different, depending on the size of the roots of the seedling.

To prepare the soil itself, it is necessary to add to it:

1 part peat;
3 parts of humus;
1 part sand;
2 parts clay;
250 g of nitrophoska;
10 kg sawdust.

Fir seedling planting scheme

The roots of the seedling are lowered into the hole in such a way that root collar was level with the surface.

Before planting, the roots of the seedling must be straightened. After planting, the soil is well tamped, and then the plant must be watered.

For growing fir alleys, the distance between seedlings should be 4-5 m; when planting in groups, seedlings can be placed closer (about 3 m for loose and 2-2.5 m for dense groups).

How to care for fir in the country

Fir care is simple recommendations. It will not take you much time, and in return you will get a beautiful tree or shrub.

How to water fir

Fir is absolutely not demanding for watering, with the exception of moisture-loving varieties. They require watering several times per season if the weather is dry. The rest of the species will have enough natural precipitation, they will not need artificial watering.

Fir top dressing

Top dressing should be started no earlier than 2-3 years after planting. This procedure is performed in the spring, as a fertilizer in trunk circle contribute 100-125 g of "Kemira-station wagon".

soil care

For the normal development of seedlings, do not forget to regularly remove weeds and loosen the soil. The depth of loosening should not exceed 9-12 cm. It will also be useful to mulch the soil around the trunk circle. To do this, use peat, wood chips or sawdust, which are laid out with a layer of 6-8 cm.

Important! In this case, it is necessary to ensure that the mulch does not lie close to the root neck.

Fir pruning: how to form a tree crown

Fir itself has a strict crown shape, but sometimes it may require additional shaping. All these procedures are carried out in the spring, before the start of sap flow. AT without fail severely damaged and dry branches are removed.

Fir breeding

Reproduction of this plant is not a problem, since fir can be grown from a twig. The stalk should have an apical bud; annuals are best suited for planting. During the first 10 years, fir grows slowly, but then the process accelerates.

plant description
The most popular varieties
Where is the best place to plant?

In modern landscape design, fir is one-color, having Latin name"abies cóncolor", used very widely. This plant is unpretentious in care, it feels great in the difficult Russian climate, grows quickly and pleases with its beautiful beauty for a long time. fluffy look. There are several types of single-color fir, each of them differs from each other in some external parameters (growth, different shapes of needles and branches). Therefore, there is a need to talk about the different varieties of the described plant, about the features of planting and caring for it.

plant description

In a normal growing environment, a single-colored fir grows up to 60 meters in height. She tolerates frosts well, feels good on sandy soils, during growth, the entire tree from the bottom to the crown has the same color (this can be clearly seen in the photo), for which abies concolor got its name. Fluffy branches adjoin the crown, which has a conical shape and a very dense one-color structure.. Branches in relation to the ground are located almost horizontally, this plant differs from its close fluffy relatives.

Fir needles can be of two types:

Acuminate on reproductive shoots.
Rounded on vegetative.

Fluffy needles smell like lemon. And this is another one feature abies concolor. It will not be possible to see the cones on the tree immediately, only at the sixty-fifth year of life. Cones are divided into male and female. You can tell one from the other by location. Male grow on last year's shoots (they are painted in dull colors). Female cones can be seen on the upper parts of the fir (they are painted in a bright purple color with a red tint).

The root system of concolor fir (concolor) penetrates very deep into the soil, so the tree survives in the driest seasons, for the same reason it is not afraid of high wind loads.

The most popular varieties

Designers, decorating the landscapes of clients, use to compose simple and complex compositions different varieties fir single color. When choosing something specific, it is important to know the external characteristics of the variety and the basic requirements for the soil for planting, as well as for light during the day.

Fir Violacea(violacea) grows very slowly (the maximum height is only eleven meters, the diameter of the crown is from two to six meters), its needles have a bluish-blue color, the size of the needles is 6 mm. Planting Violacea is best on sunny side, where the water does not stagnate in the depths, but seeps well through all layers of the soil.

Sort Compacta(compact) - dwarf tree. His maximum height is only eighty centimeters. The needles are shaped like a sickle and have a beautiful blue color with a silvery sheen. Each needle is two centimeters long. The Compacta variety shows high winter hardiness, it is best planted where it is provided high degree lighting, but it is possible to darken it slightly. The direct rays of the scorching sun often burn the plant, so it dries quickly. Fir varieties Compacta should not be planted in soils with high density and high humidity threshold.

If you need to plant a plant that can provide rapid growth, you should choose fir varieties Aurea. It has almost white needles with a silvery sheen, its crown has the shape of a cone, it is very dense in texture. This variety does well in loam.

A young plant does not tolerate cold well (when frostbite, it almost always drops its needles), but growing up, it will delight its owners with a beautiful fluffy look in winter. It is best to plant a tree in well-lit places.

WinterGold- Another fast-growing variety that has a symmetrical shape, similar to an even cone. The maximum height of the plant is eighteen meters. WinterGold fir has the longest needles (needles grow up to six centimeters) and a solid emerald color. Such a single-colored fir grows well only on loamy soil with a high content of humus. Stagnation of water and waterlogging kills the plant.

Another common type

Fir Conica grows in partial shade, it feels great only on drained loams, on fertile soils from which water does not linger. Outwardly, Conica is very beautiful, it has a small compact size, fluffy dense needles, the length of which does not exceed four centimeters. The choice of Conica is justified when it is necessary to seat on the site dwarf trees having a clear geometric shape.

Variety Extra- this, on the contrary, is a large-sized ephedra of bright blue color. The tree grows up to fifteen meters in height, the diameter of the crown in the widest compartment is five meters. It is necessary to plant a plant in a sandy loam belt, where there is a rich supply of minerals. Extra, like any other monochrome fir, loves good lighting and does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil.

glauca fir(glauca) - a dwarf tree, prostrate form. She has thick and non-thorny needles, the length of which does not exceed two and a half centimeters. The tree loves the sun, moderate moisture. The glauca variety is incredibly beautiful, but it does not tolerate cold, so it can only be planted in the southern regions, where the place is reliably protected from any wind.

How to plant and care for fir?

When describing the varieties of abies concolor, the most important conditions planting: requirements for illumination and soil composition. After the landing site is determined, you can begin the main work. The action algorithm is as follows:

Since the roots of the tree go deep into the depths, it is necessary to dig a very deep planting hole measuring 80x80 cm.
At the depth of the pit is formed drainage system: crushed stone twenty centimeters high is poured.
Then there is a layer of mineral fertilizers. It's easy to make your own nutritional formula. To do this, you need to take two parts of clay, three parts of humus, one part of peat and sand. Mix everything, add sawdust (ten kilograms for each hole) and any mineral fertilizer(300 grams).
The root neck of the seedling does not need to be sunk into the pit, it should be flush with the ground.
It is necessary to water the tree only in the first weeks (ten liters per watering right under the root) after planting, then you need to water the monochrome fir when there is a dry heat in the yard, when there is no precipitation for two weeks or more. Instead of watering a big tree just top sprayed with water once every two weeks.
When three years have passed after planting, it is important to make the first feeding of the plant. Before you give fertilizer to the roots, you need to weed and loosen the soil around the fir, loosen the soil to a depth of twenty centimeters. At the time of loosening, any mixture is introduced to feed the conifers, or any other universal fertilizer. After the top dressing procedure, it is important to mulch the entire soil around the tree by sprinkling a sliver. Such care will help prevent the appearance of unwanted insects.
There is no need to give the plant a shape on its own, the monochrome fir during natural growth acquires a fairly regular cone-shaped shape. If necessary, in early spring, before the roots awaken, cut dried branches.

Where is the best place to plant?

It is also not necessary to cover the plant for the winter. Almost all varieties tolerate cold temperatures well. weather, which the harsh Russian climate can boast of. But it is better to cover young seedlings with spruce branches. Otherwise, the characteristic blue color will change and become red.

It is best to plant seedlings in spring (early April) or autumn (early September). When planting an alley, the distance between two trees should be at least two and a half meters. Seedlings that are five years old take root ideally.

The described plant seems to have been specially created for gardens decorated in an aristocratic style. But you need to plant trees correctly. Low-growing varieties, dwarf trees fit perfectly into any landscape. Blue firs, richly covered with cones, look especially beautiful. Around them, it’s easier than ever to build complex compositions that become the best decoration the entire area. Tall large trees - the ability to correctly zone the site without the use of additional buildings and partitions. Any one-color fir is an example of splendor, splendor. This effect is formed due to the ability to keep the lowest layer of branches in splendor for a long time. White-trunked birches, maples, and various shrubs look great next to single-colored fir.

As you can see, a single-color fir is an unpretentious plant, but it almost always adorns any area, becomes the center landscape design. This must be taken into account when buying seedlings of such a tree.

Plant fir (lat. Abies) represents a genus of the Pine family. The Russian name of the plant comes from the German word Fichte, which means "spruce". Spruce-fir is common in subtropical, temperate and even tropical regions of the Northern Hemisphere, including in El Salvador, Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala. Most often, fir lives in coniferous forests, next to trees such as cedar, spruce and pine, but it is also found in mixed and even deciduous forests. The genus includes about 50 varieties - from shrubs 50 cm high to trees 80 m high. Currently, decorative fir is incredibly in demand in landscaping as personal plots and public parks and squares. She is beautiful and unpretentious. Among the shortcomings can be called low frost resistance, as well as intolerance to fir smoke, gas and too dry air.

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Planting and caring for fir (in short)

Landing: planting four-year-old seedlings in the ground - at the end of August or at the beginning of September, but it is also possible in April.
Bloom: grown as an ornamental leafy plant.
Lighting: shade or partial shade, preferably near a reservoir.
The soil: moist, well-drained, rich, best loamy.
Mulching: in the spring with a layer of peat, wood chips or sawdust 5-6 cm thick.
Watering: moisture-loving species are watered 2-3 times per season during the dry season, spending 15-20 liters of water per plant. Other types of fir do not need artificial watering.
Top dressing: mineral complexes, in the spring, from the third or fourth year after landing in the ground.
Pruning: mainly for sanitary purposes in early spring, before the start of sap flow.
Reproduction: species firs can be propagated by seeds, and cultivars can only be propagated by cuttings, since the seed method does not preserve the varietal characteristics of the parent plant.
Pests: spruce-fir hermes (a kind of aphid), spider mites, click beetles, fir barbels, beetles.
Diseases: rust, root rot.

Fir tree - description

Fir is a monoecious, evergreen, heat-loving and shade-tolerant plant. Its root system is powerful, pivotal, deep into the ground. Fir bark is thin and smooth when young, becoming thick and cracked with age. The crown is cone-shaped, starting right at the base of the trunk - this is what distinguishes fir from other conifers. Fir branches are arranged horizontally annularly, fir leaves are flat, whole-edged soft needles, narrowed at the base into a short petiole. Fir needles do not acquire a dirty reddish hue in winter, as happens with many other conifers; from below, each fir needle is decorated with two white stripes. On reproductive branches the needles are pointed, on vegetative shoots - with a slightly notched or rounded tip. male flowers they look like catkins made of cones, and female ones are ovoid, cylindrical or ovate-cylindrical, cones sticking up (another difference between fir and other conifers, whose cones usually hang). Female fir cones consist of a rod on which cover scales sit, inside of which there are fruit scales that carry two ovules. Fir trees are pollinated by the wind. When fir seeds mature, the scales on the cones become stiff and fall off, releasing the winged seeds and leaving only the stems on the tree. In a culture in one place, fir can live up to three hundred years.

Fir planting

When to plant fir

For planting in the ground, you will need fir seedlings at least four years old. They need to be planted in April, and even better in late August or early September, and it is advisable to choose a rainy or cloudy day for planting. The place for fir is chosen in the shade or partial shade in areas with moist, rich, well-drained soil, ideally it should be loam. It is great if there is a reservoir not far from the place where the fir will grow.

How to plant fir

Two weeks before planting fir, dig a hole about 60x60x60 in size, although the dimensions of the hole depend on the size of the root system of the seedling. Pour 2-3 buckets of water into the pit, and when it is absorbed, dig up the bottom for half a bayonet of a shovel and place a layer of rubble or broken brick 5-6 cm thick in the pit. Then fill the pit up to half with thoroughly mixed soil of this composition: 3 parts of humus, 2 parts of clay, 1 part of peat and sand, 10 kg of sawdust and 200-300 g of nitrophoska. After two weeks, when the soil in the pit settles, lower the roots of the seedling into it so that the root neck is flush with the surface of the site - it is most convenient to place the seedling on a mound of soil mixture. Spread the roots of the seedling, fill the hole to the top nutrient soil the composition described above and carefully compact it. Water the fir after planting. If you decide to grow a fir alley, place the seedlings at a distance of 4-5 m from each other. Group planting of firs suggests a distance between seedlings of 3-3.5 m for loose groups and 2.5 m for dense ones.

Fir care in the garden

How to grow fir

When caring for seedlings, loosen the soil after watering to a depth of 10-12 cm and remove weeds. It is advisable to mulch the trunk circle of young plants in a diameter of 50 cm with wood chips, sawdust or peat, a layer of mulch - 5-8 cm, just make sure that the mulch does not lie close to the root neck of the fir. It will be necessary to feed the fir after planting only after 2-3 years, introducing 100-125 g of Kemira-universal into the near-trunk circle in the spring. You will only need to water fir if you are growing a moisture-loving species, for example, balsam fir, which requires watering 2-3 times per season during dry times. The amount of water for one irrigation is 15-20 liters. The rest of the species do not need artificial watering - firs do not like waterlogging, they have enough natural precipitation.

As for pruning, in the spring, before the start of sap flow, dry and damaged branches are removed, and a fir crown is also formed, if necessary. Pruning is carried out garden shears. For one haircut, the shoots are shortened by no more than a third of the length. In general, fir has a natural neat crown that does not require shaping.

Fir transplant

Compared to other plants, conifers adapt quite easily after transplanting. If you decide to transfer young plant, pierce the ground with a sharp shovel at a distance of 30-40 cm from the trunk around the circumference, then pry this marked circle with a shovel at the depth of the bayonet, take it out along with the roots and an earthen clod, transport it on a wheelbarrow to a new pit and carefully move it into it. An older tree needs to be prepared for transplantation: it is necessary to pierce the earth in a circle a year before transplantation, and in this case the diameter of the circle should be larger. In a year, the fir will grow new young roots inside the designated circle and thanks to this it will be easier to withstand the test of transplantation. Only it will be difficult for one person to extract fir from the ground, transport it and plant it in a new place, so look for an assistant. The main thing in this process is not to let the earthen one fall apart.

Pests and diseases of fir

As you can see, planting and caring for fir is simple, and the plant will not require any special skills or efforts from you. Fir is quite stable against such troubles as diseases and pests, however, there are times when fir loses its decorative effect due to spruce-fir hermes, a species of aphid, from whose vital activity the fir turns yellow. To combat Hermes, Rogor or Antio preparations are used: in early spring, when overwintered female aphids wake up, treat the fir with a solution of one of these preparations at the rate of 20 g per 10 liters of water. These insecticides will save your tree from others harmful insects- fir shoot moth and fir cone leaflet.

Sometimes the needles of a beautiful fir begin to turn yellow, and rusty pillows form on the shoots, and the reason for this is fungal disease rust. The affected branches are cut and burned along with fallen needles, the cuts are treated with garden pitch, and the crown is sprayed with a two percent solution of Bordeaux liquid. And carefully inspect the site: there should be no plants such as sapling or stellate where conifers grow.

Fir breeding

How to propagate fir

Species fir is propagated by seeds, which are harvested at the very beginning of cone ripening, and decorative varieties cuttings.

Propagation of fir cuttings

Rooting cuttings 5-8 cm long should be taken only from young trees, and these should be annual shoots with one (not two - this is important) apical bud and always with a heel. If you want to get a stalk with a heel, then it is better not to cut it, but to tear it off with fragments of bark and wood of an older shoot with a sharp movement. It is necessary to harvest cuttings in the spring, before the start of sap flow, on a cloudy morning from the middle part of the crown on its northern side. Before landing, burrs are carefully removed from the heel. Make sure that the bark on the heel does not flake off the wood. To avoid the further development of fungal diseases, the cuttings are kept for 6 hours in a two percent solution of foundationazole, captan or in a solution of dark pink potassium permanganate. Then the cuttings are planted in a mixture of sand, humus and leafy soil in equal parts and covered with a transparent cap. In order for the cuttings to take root faster, it is advisable to arrange the lower heating of the substrate 2-3ºC above room temperature. You need to keep the cuttings in a bright, but not sunny place, arranging daily airing. For the winter, the container with the cuttings can be moved to the basement, and in the spring it can already be taken out to Fresh air. The cuttings will take root for a long time - the callus will grow first in the fir, and only in the second year will the roots appear.

Growing fir from seeds

Collecting fir seeds is not easy, because the cones of mature trees ripen high, and as soon as they ripen, the winged seeds from them immediately scatter. But if you are lucky enough to get a slightly underripe bud, dry it, remove the seeds and store them until planting in the refrigerator or in the basement at high humidity- before planting, fir seeds need stratification. In April, the seeds are sown in a bed to a depth of 2 cm in the soil of sand and turf and covered with a film without watering to avoid the formation of a crust on the soil surface and accelerate the emergence of seedlings. When sprouts sprout in 3-4 weeks, start watering, loosening and weeding the beds. In the first winter, seedlings are covered with spruce branches. On the next year you can plant a seedling in a permanent place. Seed fir grows very slowly at first: in four years it reaches a height of 30-40 cm, since it develops mainly the root system. But then the growth accelerates noticeably.

fir in winter

fir in autumn

Fir trees, recommended for planting in the middle lane, tolerate our winters well, however, young plants must be covered with spruce branches, and the trunk circle should be mulched with peat or dry leaves with a layer of 10-12 cm.

Wintering fir in the country

Adult plants hibernate without shelter, but at the end of winter, you need to cover the firs with non-woven material to protect them from the spring sun - they can suffer greatly from its rays that are too bright at this time.

Types and varieties of fir

Among a large number species and varieties of fir, there are plants more and less in demand in culture. We offer you an acquaintance with the most popular of them.

Balsam fir (Abies balsamea)

grows naturally in Canada and the USA, its range in the north is limited to the tundra, and in mountainous areas it can be found at an altitude of 1500 to 2000 m. This is a shade-tolerant, frost-resistant fir, which, unfortunately, does not differ in longevity - it lives no more than 200 years. It is a balsam fir tree with a height of 15 to 25 m with a trunk thickness of 50-70 cm. The bark on young trees is smooth, ash-gray in color, on those that are older, the bark is reddish-brown, fissured. Buds are resinous, greenish with a pale lilac tint, ovoid or spherical. Needles, 15 to 30 mm long, shiny, dark green with stomatal lines along the entire leaf, blunt or slightly notched at the top, do not fall off for 4-7 years, when rubbed they emit a pleasant smell. Cones are oval-cylindrical, 5-10 cm high, 2-2.5 cm wide, immature have a dark purple hue, when ripe they become brown, very resinous. This species has been cultivated since 1697. Balsam fir is used in single and small group plantings. Known Forms:

Hudson- dwarf mountain fir with a wide crown, very dense branches and numerous short shoots. The needles are also short, wide and flat, black-green on the upper side, greenish-blue on the lower side. In culture since 1810;
Nana- the height of the fir is not more than 50 cm, the crown is rounded, up to 2.5 m in diameter, the branches are sprawling, horizontal, dense, the needles are short, dense, very dark green, yellow-green on the underside with two white-blue stripes. In culture since 1850. Used for landscaping terraces, roofs, rocky gardens.

In culture, such forms of balsam fir as gray, silver, motley, columnar, prostrate and dwarf are also grown.

Korean fir (Abies koreana)

grows in the mountains of the south of the Korean Peninsula at an altitude of 1800 m, forming pure and mixed forests. At a young age, it grows very slowly, but with age, growth accelerates. The height of Korean fir is about 15 m, the trunk is 50 to 80 cm in diameter, the crown is cone-shaped, the bark of young trees is smooth, ashen, sometimes with a purple tint, and of old trees it is chestnut with deep cracks. The buds are slightly resinous, almost round, the needles are thick, stiff, the needles are saber-shaped, with a notch at the top, dark green on the upper side, silvery on the lower side from two wide stomatal strips. Cones are cylindrical, 5-7 cm long, up to 3 cm in diameter, purple-lilac at a young age. Fir was brought to Europe in 1905. In decorative terms, this beautiful and winter-hardy species with two-tone needles is unparalleled. It was the planting of Korean fir that was described in this article, just as the care of Korean fir was the basis of the subsection on caring for plants of the genus fir. Varieties of Korean fir:

Blue Standard- very similar in characteristics to the original species, only its cones are dark purple;
brevifolia- a slow-growing cultivar with a rounded dense crown, but with looser needles than the original species, swamp-green above and whitish-gray below. Cones purple, small;
Piccolo- the height is only 30 cm, the crown is spreading, horizontal, with a diameter of up to one and a half meters in an adult plant. Needles, as in the original species.

Caucasian fir, or Nordmann fir (Abies nordmanniana)

is a Caucasian endemic, as it grows in nature only in the Caucasus Mountains. This tree is up to 60 m high and trunk up to 2 m thick, with a dense, branched, low-drooping crown of a narrowly conical shape with a sharp top, which is not so pronounced in adulthood. The bark is smooth, shiny, but from the age of eighty, deep cracks begin to appear on it. Buds are ovoid, almost without resin. The needles are up to 40 mm long, up to 2.5 mm wide, dark green on the upper side, with two white stripes on the lower side, on the vegetative shoots the tops are notched, on the cone-bearing ones they are softly pointed. Cones, up to 20 cm long and up to 5 cm in diameter, green when young and dark brown, resinous when mature. This fast growing species lives up to 500 years. Such forms of Caucasian fir are known: upright, weeping, golden, golden-tipped, white-tipped and gray-gray.

White fir (Abies concolor)

- the queen among firs comes from the North of Mexico and the South-West of the USA, where it can be found in the canyons of the rivers and on the slopes of the mountains at an altitude of 2000 to 3000 m above sea level. This is one of the most drought-resistant species, with a lifespan of three and a half centuries. The height of a single-color fir is from 40 to 60 m, the thickness of the trunk is up to 2 m, the crown is cone-shaped, quite dense in youth, becoming much rarer in old age. The old bark is ash-gray, rough, all in cracks. Spherical resinous yellow-green buds reach a diameter of 5 cm. Bluish-green needles up to 7 cm long, up to 3 mm wide, with a notched rounded top, have stomatal lines on both the upper and lower sides. Cones are oval-cylindrical, up to 14 cm long and up to 5 cm wide, purple or green when immature, light brown when mature. In culture since 1831. Fir looks most spectacular in autumn against the background of yellowing larches. The most famous decorative forms:

compacta fir- shrub cultivar of dwarf size with open branches and blue needles. Sometimes it is called Compacta Glauka;
Violacea- a fast-growing tree up to 8 m high with a wide cone-shaped crown and white-blue long needles. Differs in high decorative effect and drought resistance.

Siberian fir (Abies sibirica)

grows in the northeast Russian Federation uplands and river valleys. This shade-tolerant winter-hardy species is protected by the state. Siberian fir is the most famous representative kind. It is a tree up to 30 m high with a narrow cone-shaped crown. Smooth along almost the entire length of the trunk, the gray bark cracks in the lower part. The needles are narrow, soft, shiny, up to 3 cm long, dark green above and with two white stripes below. Cones erect, light brown when ripe. Varieties: blue, white, motley, graceful and others.

In addition to those described by us, there are subalpine, Fraser, whole-leaved, equal-scaly, Semenov, Sakhalin, Myra, graceful, Kefallin or Greek, high, Vicha, white-bark or bud-scale, white or European and Arizona fir.

Fir properties

Fir is a special plant even among conifers. Its wood does not contain resinous substances, so musical instruments are made from it and ships are built. Fir bark is a raw material for valuable balsam, and needles and branches are used for fir oil. A decoction is prepared from needles and bark, which lowers the acidity of the stomach, increases efficiency and immunity, and relieves toothache.

Fir resin is a good antiseptic used in folk medicine for lubrication of wounds, cuts, abrasions and ulcers. Early settlers to America and its native inhabitants widely used fir resin, which has a pleasant taste, in medicinal purposes: it was treated with bronchitis, cough, sore throat and even tuberculosis, as well as cancer, dysentery, otitis, inflammation of the mucous membrane, some urogenital diseases (for example, gonorrhea and vaginal infections), scurvy, rheumatism, muscle and joint pain.

Medicines containing an extract based on fir cell sap are used in the treatment of rheumatism, inflammatory processes, infectious diseases, chronic and acute heart failure. The use of fir cell juice:

stimulates blood formation;
strengthens the immune system, restores protective function organism;
has an anti-inflammatory effect in the treatment of pulmonary diseases;
serves as a prevention of oncological and cardiovascular diseases;
prevents the development of hypertension;
improves the functioning of the excretory organs;
normalizes the work of the stomach and intestines;
compensates for the lack of vitamins, micro- and macroelements in the body;
protects against the effects of radiation;
relieves stress, has an antioxidant effect and increases the body's resistance to adverse environmental factors.

Fir juice goes on sale in the form of phytococktails, which are ready for use, and in its natural form - this liquid can only be taken internally in a diluted form.

Fir essential oil helps even in cases in which various chemotherapy drugs are powerless, for example, it slows down and even stops the growth of cancer cells. The oil enters immediately into the bloodstream and collects in the focus of the disease, bypassing the digestive organs, and therefore, without decomposing. Its combat component is camphor. Fir oil is a universal remedy in medicine that has a bactericidal, antiseptic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, tonic, calming and tonic effect. It is widely used not only in medicine, but also in cosmetology for the treatment of acne, lichen, furunculosis, swelling, smoothing wrinkles, eliminating skin laxity, warts and other skin problems.

The use of fir and medicines from it requires compliance with certain rules: during treatment, it is necessary to stop using alcoholic beverages, even weak ones, since alcohol neutralizes the effect of drugs. Refuse to take drugs from fir if you find their intolerance to your body. You can not be treated with fir for patients with epilepsy, gastritis or gastric ulcer, with kidney pathology. It is contraindicated for pregnant and lactating women, as well as children. Incorrect use of drugs or violation of the dosage can cause an allergic reaction. If you experience itching, swelling and red spots on the skin, it is better to stop taking the drug. If you do not know how the body will react to fir, do a test: drop 10-15 drops of oil or juice on back side hands or feet and rub thoroughly into the skin. If within the next two to three days the allergy does not appear, you can take the drug, but be sure to consult your doctor about the dosage.

Pine

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