Spruce Nidiformis (Picea abies Nidiformis) is an ornamental dwarf shrub with an interesting cushion shape. She comes from Germany, where she was bred at the beginning of the 20th century. The herringbone is very unpretentious, but for successful cultivation it is useful to know its features and the rules of agricultural technology.
Norway spruce Nidiformis
Brief information about the variety
- Colour: juicy green.
- Height: 1.3 m.
- Crown width: 200 cm.
- In which regions is it growing: recommended for central Russia, also takes root well in the south.
- Landing features: in a sunny place, in partial shade, can grow in the shade.
- Immunity: tall.
- Life span: 250 years.
General characteristics
Dwarf spruce Abies Nidiformis does not grow more than one and a half meters. Usually its height is 1-1.3 m, and the average width is 200 cm.
Crown shape - pillow-shaped or nested. Short dense twigs are slightly curved, giving the shrub a nest-like appearance. Above, the bush is slightly flattened, and sometimes it is concave like a nest.
The color of the needles in spring is juicy light green, and then it darkens. The needles are pointed, but thornless, up to 10 mm long. Small cones appear only in the 6-7th year.
The tree is highly resistant to cold weather and is recommended for the 4th zone of frost resistance and warmer places. These conditions are met by the regions of central Russia: Chernozem, Central, Volga, North-West.
When grown in the southern regions, it is necessary to shelter the thuja from sunburn, regularly water and carry out evening sprinkling.
Landing
The best choice for planting would be a seedling with a closed root system. Often these trees are sold in containers with already fertilized soil. The plant should have an elastic crown without damage, dried twigs and dark spots.
Landing place
Norway spruce Nidiformis is a light-loving plant. She feels great in the sun (but not in direct sunlight) or light shade. The bush can grow in full shade, but its crown is thinning.
It is desirable that the Christmas tree receives at least 6-7 hours of sunshine daily. It is unpretentious to the soil, but prefers moderately moist and fertile loam or sandy loam, located away from groundwater.
Landing technology
The diameter of the planting hole should be 1.5-2 times the size of the earthen coma. The depth in sandy loam soil - 0.8 m clay or black soil - about a meter, since 20 cm will be occupied by a drainage layer of sand or pebbles.
A bucket of water is poured inside and moisture is allowed to be absorbed. The plant is placed so that the root collar remains at soil level. The Christmas tree is covered with earth, compacted, watered and mulched again.
The roots of an adult Nidiformis shrub are highly branched and cover about 3 m of area. This space should be left in the possession of spruce and not occupied by other perennials.
Care
The shrub is easy to care for
The unpretentiousness of this shrub is known to many gardeners. Caring for it is very simple, and additional measures can be taken at will. The main attention should be paid to the correct watering of the plant and mulching the trunk circle.
Watering
In spring, watering is carried out weekly, in hot periods of summer - 2 times a week. For each bush use 12-15 liters of water. Sprinkle the crown in the evenings.
Watering should be regular, but moderate - the Christmas tree does not like dryness and waterlogging (in the latter case, the risk of fungal diseases increases).
Mulching
This simple agronomic technique greatly facilitates maintenance and reduces moisture evaporation. The trunk circle is mulched with peat, crushed bark, needles, dry foliage or sawdust.
Often, when planting, the ground is not fully covered, leaving 4-5 cm on top for laying mulch.
Top dressing
The shrub is fed twice a season. In spring, he needs more phosphorus fertilizers, and at the end of summer - in potash. For both dressings, you can use special mineral complexes for conifers.
Pruning
The dwarf herringbone is slow growing and naturally correct in shape. It needs only minimal sanitary pruning, which removes dry branches and damaged shoots.
Forming the plant is not necessary, although it can be done if desired. The crown is dense enough to create a variety of shapes and tolerates a haircut well.
Preparing for winter
A compact spruce with hard branches and a dense crown does not deform under the snow. Usually only young plants are covered.
The trunk circle of 8-10 cm is insulated with peat, and in February and March, the shrubs are covered from the bright sun (to avoid burns). If autumn leaves are entangled in the thick "hat" of the Christmas tree, they must be selected before winter so that the needles do not rot under them.
Reproduction
Reproduction of the Christmas tree is carried out in a vegetative way. Cuttings can be done from the last days of April to early May. Twigs with a "heel" 12 cm long are cut from the middle part of the plant. Before deepening into the soil, their ends are immersed in water and dipped in Kornevin.
The nutrient substrate is prepared from soil, peat and special fertilizers for conifers. The cuttings are deepened, moistened and covered with foil (or plastic bottles). Rooting takes place within 2-5 months - at this time, the cuttings need regular watering, spraying and airing.
Diseases and pests
Spruce is highly immune to disease
Due to its high immunity, the spruce rarely gets sick, but at high humidity it can be attacked by fungi, most often by the snow shute. Preventive measures include proper watering, drainage, mulching, spraying with Bordeaux liquid.
If there are signs of the disease, it is necessary to treat the tree with copper-containing preparations.
Among the pests, the spruce sawfly, hermes and spider mites are a potential threat. According to popular recommendations, the needles can be washed with a solution of laundry soap to remove the first insects that appear. However, in severe cases, spraying with insecticides and acaricides is necessary.
Application in landscape design
Due to its interesting shape, compactness and slow growth, spruce is widely used in landscape design.
The crown is left in its original form or shapes are formed - from simple geometric to unusual fantasy.
A dwarf herringbone looks organically in rocky and heather gardens, rockeries, alpine slides, near water bodies. The plant is planted separately or create whole "carpets" from a group of shrubs, dense hedges or curbs.
The compact tree is often grown in containers, which allows landscaping of homesteads with little garden land. Sometimes it is grown in the bonsai style, which is much easier than in cases of forming taller specimens.
A pillow-shaped herringbone is often used for greening roofs, thus obtaining not only a beautiful design, but also an additional covering. In landscape decoration, this species looks great in combination with junipers, golden and blue dwarf fir trees.
Reviews of gardeners
According to the descriptions of gardeners, the Nidiformis herringbone is often the most unpretentious coniferous plant on the site. She grows well and looks great even with minimal maintenance.
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It is noticed that the spruce rarely gets sick and is almost not affected by pests, even if similar problems overtake the closest neighbors.
It is not recommended to plant this shrub in places where people and animals constantly walk, trampling the ground. The Christmas tree does not like trampled soil and other "intrusions" into its legal three-meter territory.