Exquisite landscape decoration - mountain pine
At all times, evergreens were used to decorate the backyard of a country house. The refined mountain pine holds a special place among its relatives. All year round, she does not take off her green outfit, which exudes a pleasant aroma.
The birthplace of the plant is considered to be central and southern Europe. In its natural environment, it occurs on the slopes of the mountains. Mature trees grow up to 6-10 m in height. Mountain pine is actively used to form backyard landscapes and urban areas.
External features of culture
The evergreen beauty is a shrub with graceful short shoots. They almost always point upward, regardless of the variety. Some are creeping in character and extend several meters from the main trunk. The length of the needles is about 4 cm. The needles of a low-growing pine tree in the country are collected in miniature bunches. They are hard and prickly to the touch. The needles are painted dark green. Some varieties are golden or grayish green in color.
During the flowering period, the shrub puts on a "mantle" of light brown paniculate bouquets. See this beauty in May. Cones ripen only the next year at the end of autumn. At first, they are colored gray-green, and then they acquire a brown tint. The minimum size of cone-shaped fruits is approximately 5 cm.
The mountain pine trunk has a unique feature. Its bark changes its color. The young tree has a brownish-gray trunk of a smooth character. Over time, dark-colored scales form on its upper part. Therefore, the lower part of the trunk looks much lighter than the upper part.
In 1 year, the plant grows about 6 cm. It perfectly tolerates heat and winter cold.
Depending on how long the pine tree has been growing, varieties are selected that are ideal for the territory.
There are a huge number of decorative options:
- Algau;
- Benjamin;
- Chameleon;
- Golden Glow;
- Kissen;
- Hesse;
- Cockade;
- Laurin.
Each of them has a unique crown shape, color of the trunk and needles, unique miniature fruits. Since the roots of the pine tree are up to 2.5 m deep, they can withstand strong gusts of wind wonderfully. Various parts of the plant are used in folk medicine to treat bronchitis and nervous disorders. And, of course, culture is a chic decoration of a summer cottage.
Mountain pine: the subtleties of growing
In order for a coniferous tree or shrub to turn green on the site, you need to work hard. First of all, choose a suitable place where there is enough light and air. Otherwise, the plant will not be able to develop successfully, which will lead to its death. Therefore, it is important to figure out how to plant a mountain pine at a summer cottage and properly care for it.
After choosing a site, they begin to study the soil. She may be:
- sandy;
- sandy loam;
- well drained.
However, the ideal option is difficult to find. Therefore, knowing what soil the pines grow on will help create it artificially.
To do this, mix:
- sod land;
- sand;
- clay.
If the site has heavy soil, it is necessary to drain gravel and sand. The maximum layer of the mixture is about 20 cm. To prepare a high-quality soil for pine, it is thoroughly loosened, enriched with oxygen.
Next, they start planting a plant, performing the following operations:
- choose a place for future plants (the interval between plants is up to 4 m);
- make funnels measuring 80:80 cm;
- loosen the bottom of the pit;
- the bottom is fertilized with compost or organic fertilizers (layer 20 cm);
- mixed with soil;
- the plant is placed in a prepared funnel.
In order not to damage the root system of the culture, it is planted together with a clod of earth.
When planting a plant, the root collar of the pine remains at the soil level. Thanks to this, the seedling gains strength faster and gets used to the new territory. Next, the funnel is filled with soil, and then carefully compacted. A small side of the soil is formed around the plant, which will retain moisture after watering.
There is a secret of how to artificially slow down the growth of pine. To do this, it is enough to periodically cut off the central bud of the plant.
The near-stem area of the seedling is mulched:
- crushed bark of old pine trees;
- peat crumb;
- fine gravel.
Thanks to this, the surface of the soil does not dry out and all kinds of weeds do not grow on it.
The long journey from seed to full tree
How wonderful the mountain pine looks at the summer cottage all year round. Its pretty evergreen branches give clean air and a unique pine scent. But to grow it, you have to work hard.
Planting material is purchased in specialized stores. However, it is much more interesting to collect it yourself from cones. When the seeds are already in their hands, they begin a simple mountain pine propagation scheme at home.
To make the cones open faster, they are kept in the sun or placed in a warm, dry room.
The planting process begins with the preparation of the substrate. To do this, mix sphagnum and pine bark, which was previously crushed (1: 4). The prepared soil is poured into containers or boxes. Then the seeds are carefully laid out and, pressing with fingers, they are buried inward by 1 cm. The surface is moistened with a spray bottle.
To successfully grow mountain pine from seeds, the containers are placed in sunny places. The first shoots will appear in a few months.
In regions with a warm climate, a similar procedure is done outdoors. However, only large seeds are chosen for planting. First, they are soaked in water for several days.
Then, in order to plant a pine tree in the area near the house, they perform the following work:
- shallow holes are made at a distance of 15 cm from each other;
- seeds are lowered to a depth of 3 cm and covered with soil;
- carefully compact the surface of the garden;
- close mulch;
- in spring, the seedlings are covered with plastic wrap from annoying birds;
- when the pine tree takes root a little, the shelter is removed.
Despite the length of the process, it is quite possible to plant a pine on the site in this way. After 3 years, the culture is planted about 80 cm from each other. After 5 years, a full-fledged mountain pine will appear on the territory of the country house.
When replanting a plant to a new site, it is advisable to add coniferous mixtures to the soil each time. They stimulate the survival rate of pine.
Delicate "branch" - the beginning of the path
Practice shows that the propagation of mountain pine by cuttings is a rather complicated process. Saplings do not take root well and some of them die at an early stage of development. Planting material is taken from young shrubs, using annual erect shoots. They are cut at the end of April with a small piece of bark, forming the so-called "heel". The cuttings are placed in a container with a root growth stimulator for 12 hours.
Planting and caring for mountain pine at this stage involves simple procedures:
- preparation of containers for growing cuttings;
- creating a substrate from sand, peat and land;
- laying a drainage layer on the bottom of the container.
The cuttings are planted to a depth of about 5 cm. The maximum distance between the shoots is at least 10 cm. The containers are covered with foil to create a greenhouse effect. Artificial heating is created in the lower part using compost, dry foliage or humus.If cuttings are carried out in the spring, then strong roots are formed only the next year at the end of November.
Grafting is used to create unique forms of mountain pine. The procedure requires special skills, therefore it is performed only by experienced gardeners.
Wise plant care is the key to success
To create an evergreen oasis near the house, many gardeners had to work hard. This is why it is important to be wise. Competent care of mountain pine consists of several procedures, without which the plant simply cannot survive.
Watering
Particular attention is paid to culture in the first year after planting. In summer, mountain pine is moistened at least 2 times a week. Only once in spring and autumn. However, an individual approach is used for each tree. If its height is less than 100 cm, 10 liters of water is sufficient. Saplings that have reached 1.5 m in height need 20 liters of liquid. Mature trees (2.5 m) regularly moisten at least 35 liters of water.
In order to speed up the process of pine growth, it is advisable to water it with warm water in early spring.
Top dressing
For the development of the shrub, it is important to know how to fertilize the pine on the site. In the first week she is fed root growth stimulant... In addition, the plant responds wonderfully to complex feeding intended for conifers. It is brought in in early spring.
The root system of the culture does not tolerate fertilizers such as manure, humus or urea.
Planned pruning
Dry branches appear on almost every plant during the season. They become a heavy burden for him. Proper pruning of mountain pine will ensure its successful development. Over time, new shoots of a rich green color will appear on the tree, which exude a tart aroma. To create an original crown, only the third part of the plant's shoot is cut off. As a result, the gardens of our compatriots are decorated with gorgeous coniferous crops.
Forced transplant
In some cases, the plant is transferred to a new site. In order not to damage it, they adhere to the basic rules:
- choosing the right time;
- preservation of the root system;
- thorough preparation of the funnel.
Mountain pine transplanting in spring is carried out in early March, as soon as the snow melts. The plant is carefully dug up and, together with an earthen lump, is transferred to a new place. It contains many microorganisms on which plant life depends. Thanks to this, the culture will be able to acclimatize on new soil and develop successfully. Similarly, gardeners plant mountain pine trees in the fall to decorate their plots with greenery.
Having got to know the evergreen beauty better, it became clear that it is quite possible to grow her at home. This can be done by sowing seeds or cuttings. An easier way is to plant a finished seedling. In addition, the use of various varieties of mountain pines in landscape design allows you to create real masterpieces. They are used to decorate alpine slides, decorate verandas and gazebos. At will, they make a good hedge. Why start growing such a cute evergreen beauty this spring? All in our hands.