Having bought a cut Christmas tree on the market, each of us wants it to look fresh and attractive during all the holidays. We offer a few simple tips that will help keep the live Christmas tree at home longer. To do this, do not need any special tools, just a grain of knowledge on the selection, installation of Christmas trees and care for her.

From the article you will learn:

1 How to save the Christmas tree so that it does not crumble?
- 1.1 Choose a quality tree
2 Proper installation of a live Christmas tree
- 2.1 Installation of the Christmas tree
- 2.2 Several recipes nutrient solution to extend the life of the tree
3 Christmas tree installed. What to do next
- 3.1 We also recommend reading:

How to save the Christmas tree so that it does not crumble?

Choosing a quality tree

Let's start with the selection of Christmas trees. If you buy a tree that has lain for about a month from the seller, believe what you wouldn’t do with it, trying to preserve the appearance, the Christmas tree will not last long. Needles will crumble just from time to time.

christmas tree selection

Buying spruce or pine before the new year, check with the seller the time of logging, asking for documents on the goods.

If they are not, first of all pay attention to the color of the needles. Yellow shade will indicate that the tree is far middle-aged and will soon begin to crumble. Also, experts advise with an effort to hold the palm on the branch: if the needles remain in the hand, the tree has been cut down for a long time and it is better not to take it. When holding the hand along the branch, the needles must be flexible and remain on the tree.

To save the Christmas tree as long as possible, pay attention to the trunk and branches of the tree. Twigs should be elastic and non-fragile. The surface of the trunk should be covered with needles; there should not be a broad dark border on the cut.

The freshness of the Christmas tree is indicated by the elasticity of its branches and the bright, rich green color of the needles. If you rub a few needles in your fingers, you must have a strong fir smell, and the surface of the skin will become oily.

Proper installation of a lively Christmas tree

Having decided to keep the living tree at home a little longer, do not rush to install it in the room immediately after purchase. Give the tree a little acclimation. The tree may lose all the needles due to a sharp temperature drop. For successful acclamation, put a tree in a cold garage or on a balcony.

setting a lively Christmas tree

While the herringbone is getting used to changing the temperature, we will prepare a place for its installation. First, the tree should be kept away from open fire or heat sources that can dry it prematurely. Secondly, place the Christmas tree beyond the reach of pets.

If you are planning to use garlands to decorate your Christmas tree, place the tree closer to the outlet. If this is not possible, you need to use an extension cord. Make sure that the extension cable runs along the wall, is not in contact with moisture and does not create the danger of electrical wiring ignition.

If you want to keep a lively Christmas tree fresh for a long time, forget about the metal and plastic supports, crosses, in which the tree is fixed with nails or screws. Buy a special stand in which you can pour water or pick up a deep tank where you can pour water, put wet sand or put pebbles. It should be deep enough so that the tree does not fall and does not roll to the side.

Keep in mind that to keep the tree fresh you will need water in one form or another. So that it does not harm your floor and furniture, cover the place where the Christmas tree is installed with a cloth or light paper. You can cover something and the container in which the tree is installed. With tinsel, rain and other Christmas decorations, everything can be organized as a great Christmas tree decoration.

Christmas tree mounting

When installing the Christmas tree, remove the lower branches (they are perfect for a New Year's wreath or bouquet to decorate the holiday table). Clean the barrel by 10–20 cm. Be sure to update the saw cut. This is necessary so that the barrel can absorb moisture.

Note! On some sites, you can find a recommendation to drill several holes in the barrel before installing into the water. It is assumed that since the tree will be better to absorb moisture. However, experts do not recommend this - there is no particular benefit from this, but such experiments can damage the stability of the tree.

Install the tree in the tank

Place the tree in a container filled with wet sand or water. Instead of sand, you can collect small pebbles, set a Christmas tree in them and fill them with water. You can also wrap the cleaned part of the barrel with any loose cloth and regularly wet it with water or a specially prepared solution.

In any case, whatever method of keeping a live Christmas tree at home you didn’t choose any longer - in the water, among pebbles or in the sand, make the tree stand steadily. The stores sell special coasters in which a water tank is provided. If there is no such stand, take an ordinary bucket just make it so that the tree rests against the edges with lower branches or fix it with the help of rope stretch marks. They are easy to hide under the new year decor.

Several recipes nutrient solution to extend the life of the tree

To extend the life of a New Year tree, make water more nutritious for it and take measures to prevent the multiplication of pathogenic bacteria. Here are some simple recipes to help you with this:

The easiest option is hot water and acetic acid. Boiling water will open the pores of the wood, and vinegar will protect against pests that live under the bark. In addition, the essence will perform the function of a preservative, prolonging the life of the Christmas tree.
The second option is a solution of water and 2-3 tablespoons of liquid glycerin. This solution will protect the barrel from rotting.
The third method is a solution of cold water, sugar (2 tbsp) and aspirin (2 pcs.). Sugar feeds the tree, and aspirin will become a preservative for water. It will not bloom, it will not smell bad and the Christmas tree will last longer.

Note: as a folk remedy to feed the Christmas tree, you can meet the advice to pour cola or lemonade into the water. This product of the chemical and food industry according to folk chemists should extend the life of the tree. I do not know how effective this is, but if you decide to try this tool, be careful not to pour Christmas tree, furniture and floors with sweet water. In addition, you should not use this tool if the house has a small dog or other animals who love sweets. They will definitely want to know what smells so good there and you are tormented to drive them away from the Christmas tree.

Christmas tree is installed. What to do next

So, you have taken all necessary measures to keep the live Christmas tree at home longer. Now you just have to monitor the water level in the tank with a tree, if it is installed in the water or moisture of the sand, if the tree is installed in a tank with sand. To do this, look in the tank and add water. The sand should be wet, and the water level should not fall below the base of the tree.

In addition to feeding the tree from the trunk side, it is desirable to occasionally spray the branches of the tree from the pulvelizer. This should be done a few hours before the inclusion of electric Christmas decorations.

Important! Choosing a garland on a Christmas tree, buy equipped with LED lights of the new sample. They will not dry the Christmas tree much during work and it will last longer.

In the pre-holiday rush, we get family treasures from mezzanines and storage rooms - boxes with Christmas decorations and tinsel. Someone will fill the house with spruce aroma, bringing it lively fir, pine or fir. Someone will shake off the dust from the artificial Christmas tree. And each has its own arguments for such a choice.
Most of the life in our house was only a live tree. But in the hard years of the beginning of capitalism, even I bought an artificial Christmas tree. And there was only one argument - in the pursuit of fast money, dashing businessmen cleaned down the planting of young firs, which were supposed to renew lost forests.
But the years passed and in my house there is again a live fir tree. She is a beautiful, generous healing healing pine aroma. But she is not from the forest !!! She is from the nurseries, who every year are laying new plantations of Christmas trees. And they are grown using intensive technology, using growth regulators and fertilizers, so they ate quickly, and their crown shape tends to the ideal. Such a tree in the creation of conditions is in the house for two weeks, without throwing off the needles.
That is how, on special plantations, Christmas trees are grown - spruces, pines and fir, and European companies. It is pleasant to realize that this business develops rapidly in our country, creating competitive products.
Therefore, I am surprised by the annual replication of outdated arguments like "we will not allow to destroy forests". Today it is very rare to find a Christmas tree from the forest. Is that in some spontaneous markets with the connivance of those who should monitor the legality of trade. These trees are very different from the specially grown. Just forest trees have an uneven crown and suffer from shedding needles.
By the way, forest beauties on New Year's Eve decorate city squares. Just because our nurseries are still very young, and the tree for the area needs to grow 25-35 years.
Today I would stimulate the purchase of live Christmas trees on the contrary. After all, it gives a very good impetus for the development of small business. And no damage to forests and nature in general. From nature, nurseries take only one thing - seeds. Resolved the issue with the disposal of living oil. Part of the unsold and not long standing in the apartments of plants is processed into animal feed. But dry "sticks" can not harm nature, because it is organic.
Arguments such as “violence against nature” also do not stand up to criticism. We do not refuse bouquets of flowers? But this is also "violence" - cut the flowers grown, put in a vase, and then throw away. For the most vulnerable souls there is a worthy version of a living tree - a plant,grown in a container and stored for years.
As for artificial fir trees, they are the source of harm to nature. From the chemical production of this product to the problems of recycling old products. It is also important that new products can release substances that provoke allergic reactions not only in humans, but also in domestic animals.
And here again the argument for a live Christmas tree: a coniferous tree is able to disinfect and aromatize the air of an apartment. Moreover, all the extra twigs when installing a tree in the house can be cut and used for therapeutic and preventive purposes: the needles of the needles can be added to the bath and washing water, included in the composition of vitamin tea.
Do you still think which tree to buy, dead or alive?

Spruce belongs to the pine family. It grows in Asia, America and Europe. At home, growing a Christmas tree is not so easy, as it requires careful care. The most common species that are grown at home in a pot are spruce and silver spruce. In addition to these varieties, it is still possible to grow Araucaria (room spruce). Araucaria can be grown at home in a pot all year round, if the tree to create competent care.

Content policy

Lighting

In order to grow a Christmas tree at home in a pot, you need to properly care for it. The tree loves bright light. It is necessary to grow young specimens in a bright and warm place, while keeping the pot with spruce should be protected from the rays of the sun. Otherwise it may adversely affect the further cultivation of the tree.

Temperature

In the cold season, spruce need a cool. In this season, the temperature regime should range from +6 to +10 ° С. A forest beauty can quite easily tolerate a negative temperature, only this requires monitoring the soil clod so that it does not freeze.

Watering mode

To grow a Christmas tree in a pot, you need to provide her competent care. Watering is the main component in the cultivation of forest beauty. The tree should be watered abundantly from March to September.

It is not allowed that the soil is excessively wet or too dry. In winter, the frequency of irrigation is reduced to 1 time in 20 days, if the temperature in the room is +6 - + 10 ° С. At a temperature of 0 degrees, the tree is moistened once a month. Professionals advise, from time to time to spray the tree, especially during the cold weather.

Top dressing

Spruce does not need regular feedings. In the summer, spruce is fertilized only about three times with universal dressings.

Ground substrate

If you want to grow spruce from seeds, then this requires a sour soil. You can buy an earth mixture for coniferous plants or prepare it yourself at home. It is required to take universal soil and soil from coniferous forest in the same proportions, and mix it all up.

Transfer

Sufficiently painful spruce tolerates transplant. It is recommended not to break the earthy bed and not allow the roots to become bare. It is necessary to replant the Christmas tree 2 times a year approximately in May.

Breeding

To grow a tree at home in a pot of seeds, you need to take seeds from cones that are collected from the middle of autumn until the end of winter. At home, the seeds are sown no deeper than half a centimeter. During the rooting of seedlings, the container should be put in a well-ventilated room.

Saplings that are one year old, grow from 15 to 25 centimeters, it all depends on the type and conditions.

The most common problems

In order to grow a Christmas tree at home in a pot, it is worth adhering to competent care, otherwise there may be problems when growing.

Needles turn yellow and crumble. This usually happens with improper care (sunburn, low or high temperature, wrong watering.) The affected branches can not be restored. You can only make changes to the conditions of detention and take advantage of drugs that increase the immunity of plants. Means get in special shops.
Needles wrinkled. This indicates that the earth is not fully oxidized. In the top layer of soil should be added the ground from under the coniferous plants. You should not expose the roots of the tree, and the ground level should not be changed.

If you follow all the above tips on how to properly grow a Christmas tree at home in a pot, then you can without any difficulties get a beautiful and lush spruce.

On the eve of the New Year, the question of the Christmas tree as the main symbol of the holiday rises more acutely. Opponents of the plastic tree in the apartment understand that the fir-tree felled in the forest is not an option, because it costs a lot, but it will begin to crumble pretty soon. The most logical solution seems to grow and decorate a potted plant for the holiday - a minimum of costs, no cleaning, and not a single Christmas tree will suffer because of traditions.

Is it possible to grow spruce yourself?

As a New Year, in principle, can be any plant, even from a distance resembling a coniferous tree, such as cypress or boxwood. But those who are not looking for easy ways and strive to achieve perfection in everything, it's time to explore the question of how to grow a Christmas tree at home, because this is more than real!

The greatest difficulty in growing a tree in a house is the limited capacity of a city apartment in terms of providing a so-called rest period for the spruce. If you pay attention to the life cycle of an ordinary forest tree, it is not difficult to notice that during the year the temperature regime, which she has to endure, changes from a heat of +30 in the summer to frost - 30 in the winter months. Fir-trees easily transfer such temperature drops during the year, moreover, these coniferous trees are perfectly adapted to them, and the violation of the temperature regime leads only to the diseases of the firs.

That is why it is better to start growing a tree in an apartment in the presence of a loggia or other cold and cool place. It is also worth being prepared that in two or three years the tree will have to be transplanted into the natural conditions of the forest, because in nature spruce reaches a height of several tens of meters, and for a tree of such dimensions, of course, neither the pot with the ground nor the size rooms

On average, spruce lives about 300 years, but sometimes its age can reach up to 600 years. The oldest Christmas tree on Earth is almost a thousand years old, and it grows in Sweden. “Old Tikko” - that is the name of the tree - lives and flourishes in the Fulufjellet National Park and is revered as the oldest woody organism on the planet.

How to grow spruce

To grow a tree at home can be a few simple and accessible to everyone ways.

From seed.

Having grown your own tree from seed, you are guaranteed not to break the law (after all, in some regions of the country it is forbidden to dig trees in the forest) and you will receive a Christmas tree adapted from birth to a new place of residence in your home.

What you need to do to grow a tree from scratch:

Collect several mature cones uncovered in natural conditions of the breed you need.

In the autumn, somewhere in October, you need to go to the nearest park or prolesok and look for open cones with seeds in them under the trees. If you bring home a closed cone, it will also open, but the seeds in it may not be fully ripe.

Fir-trees belong to gymnosperms and they appeared much earlier than angiosperms (color) plants. Because of their characteristics, gymnosperms often displace other plants from the growing area. The most striking example of such a neighborhood is a tree and birch. First, small firs, loving moisture and shade, grow under the canopy of birch trees, then grow taller, later shade deciduous trees and acidify the soil, thereby finally destroying trees of other species.

Plant the seeds in a pot and put it in a cold place (preferably a refrigerator) for a couple of months.

At all trees grow and adapt to absolutely any land from swamp to rocky soil, from sand to clay, but the best spruce, of course, will grow on fertile black soil. It will also be important to add some earth from under that spruce tree under which you have found a cone with seeds.

After two months, when the seeds are ready to germinate, you should put the pot on the windowsill, which is not very hot and not too dark.

By spring, your Christmas tree will be about 5 cm in size, and in two or three years it will reach a height of half a meter and will ask to be transplanted into the garden.

From seedling.

If you do not have the ability, desire or time to grow a tree from a seed, then you can immediately purchase spruce seedlings. It will certainly be a plant in a pot with a closed root system at the age of just two or three years, that is, ready for transplanting into open ground.

The spruce seedlings of recent years have become popular to acquire just before the New Year in order to have a fun celebration, feeling the smell of pine needles of real living Christmas trees, and in the spring to transplant it into a park or into a forest.

Among the ancient peoples, spruce was considered a sacred tree, they worshiped it, in every possible way cared for and dressed it. Having become Christians, the Europeans, nevertheless, retained a number of pagan traditions, including Christmas tree decorations, only now at Christmas. And Peter I, wanting his state to fully comply with European canons, introduced this tradition in Russia.

Choosing this way to celebrate the New Year, you can really kill at least two birds with one stone: do not harm the environment by pandering trees for the sake of traditions, and contribute to the normalization of the ecological situation by planting a new tree in the spring.

In order for the sapling to settle down and feel well in the open field, you need to study the characteristics of its existence before it was in your hands. That is, it is better to choose a tree for which you already have suitable conditions. In other words, if you, for example, want to have a Christmas tree in your yard, then you should choose a sapling according to the conditions of your yard, and not hope that a two or three year old tree will be able to adapt to the changed conditions. This is extremely unlikely, and most likely, if the light and thermal conditions and the nature of the soil are too different, the Christmas tree will start to hurt and may even die.

If the conditions of “birth” of a tree and those in which you transplant it almost completely coincide, then it remains only to immerse the fir-tree in the hole exactly to the depth at which it was in the pot, and water it in the case of a dry summer (about 10 liters of water in week during the heatwave).

From the twigs.

Another popular way to grow a Christmas tree by itself because of its effectiveness is from a sprig or stem, as professional gardeners call it.

Twig about 20 cm long should be cut off in the spring or autumn from the top of a beautiful and healthy spruce, which is at least 5 years old, slightly removed from the needles at the base and planted in the ground - in a pot at home or in a greenhouse on the street. To ensure that the stalk is guaranteed to stick, you can soak its end for half an hour in a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and only then land it in the ground. After planting the stalk is better to cover the film and maintain the temperature of the soil at 21-26 degrees Celsius, and keep the air temperature not lower than 4-7 degrees. The first days before the roots appear, you need to water the newly grown seedlings several times a day, and then reduce the amount of water as they take root and harden in the soil. It is important to remember that Christmas trees do not like heat and direct sunlight, but they also do not tolerate total darkness.

How to transplant spruce from the forest

If you have a house on your land, and you want to start admiring an adult Christmas tree and leading round dances for the New Year as soon as possible, you can transplant a tree directly from the forest. Here the most important thing is not to damage the root system of an already sufficiently mature tree and when planting, mix the ground from your plot with the one from which the tree was taken.

It is best to transplant a tree in the fall or spring, giving it plenty of watering and protecting it at first and, if necessary, from the scorching rays of the sun and other extreme weather events that can badly affect the already stressful tree.

In general, conifers do not like frequent changes of their place of residence, so you should not rely on the idea that you can keep the tree for some time in the apartment, then plant it in the open ground, and do it several times with the same tree. Sooner or later, they will have to part with their favorite in favor of more natural conditions for her.

But there is also an option when the house does not grow the usual Christmas tree, but a specially bred breed. On the cultivation of such instances, you can see the video below.

How to grow spruce at home (video)

Type: conifers
Flowering Period: May, June
Height: 30-35m
Green colour
Perennial
Winters
Shy of love
Drought tolerant

Green areas on a country site - this is clean air, and natural decor, and a great functional tool for building landscape design. Coniferous forest dwellers take root in any climatic zone of Russia, among which are slender Christmas trees with lush, thick needles. It is no secret that the aroma of the resin is useful for both people and plants, so everyone who cares about their health will definitely be eaten. Let us consider in more detail how to grow spruce and use it to decorate the garden plot.

Spruce in landscape design
Purchase seedlings in the nursery
Growing seed trees
Forest tree transplant
How to plant a spruce?

Spruce in landscape design

To begin with, we offer you to watch a video - perhaps you will find answers to your questions in it:

Let's start with the fact that all sorts of varieties of spruce - an excellent material for shaping the style of a country site, which is why when choosing planting material you should pay attention to conifer varieties.

Due to the thick beautiful crown, the shape of which can be adjusted depending on the goals, high and low spruces are successfully used to compose such compositions as:

rockeries;
hedges;
topiary;
single and group landings.

The combination of low coniferous plants with neatly formed crowns, stone and decor made from natural materials is suitable for decorating the territory both in a regular and natural style, therefore rock arias with spruce as a key element are very popular.

Rockeries are also good because they require small investments with the maximum aesthetic effect: almost all plants can be grown with your own hands, and stones can be found right on the territory of the dacha, brought from the river bank or from the quarry

Spruce fencing is a magnificent protective element that can be planted around the perimeter or between two different functional areas. Tall, densely planted trees will completely replace the fence, and miniature ornamental plants will decorate the area and create a natural, natural atmosphere.

In this case, low, but close to each other planted trees bear decorative rather than functional load - they separate the zone of rockeries from the rest of the territory.

Having a small herringbone at the dacha, you can practice in topiary art - create a geometrical figure, spiral or other simple three-dimensional object from a magnificent spruce crown. Here one of the properties of coniferous plants is useful - slow growth (3-5 cm per year).

It is better to start understanding the elements of topiary with the least complex figures - a cube, a pyramid or a ball, and then move on to more complex configurations, for example, spirals

Against the background of brick and wooden buildings and fences, groups of rarely planted fir trees of various heights look beautiful, and a single tall Christmas tree can become the center of a recreation area or an excellent partner background for a gazebo (benches, garden decor).

Many specially planted spruce to celebrate New Year and Christmas in nature. The holiday held in the open air is more interesting and more fun than a banal family feast, and the process of decorating a tree with garlands and toys is a real magic ritual that children will remember for a lifetime.

Ways to acquire or breed spruce

If you chose spruce as one of the plants to decorate your plot and even decided on a variety, you need to think about where you will take it. The easiest way is to buy a ready seedling in a nursery, but many do not look for easy ways and try to grow trees on their own, from seeds or twigs. There are those who consider the most durable and sturdy specimens taken in their natural environment, that is, dug out in the forest.

Consider the nuances of each of the methods and consider in more detail the features of the reproduction of spruce.

Purchase seedlings in the nursery

If you already have a ready-made design project, and for its implementation only a few coniferous trees are missing - you can quickly buy seedlings in the nursery. This is also true if you need some rare, exotic variety that is difficult or long to grow on your own.

Conifer seedlings, like other plants, are sold in pots of various sizes, depending on the size of the plant. Planting a herringbone in the ground, you should fully preserve the “native soil” lump, so the tree will take root better and faster.

When choosing a spruce tree in a nursery, consult with a specialist on the main cultivation factors that relate to the size of an adult tree, its winter hardiness and endurance, lighting conditions, watering regime, etc.

When buying a sapling, pay attention to its viability, which is easy to determine by the following features:

fresh, shiny, not showered partially needles;
gentle growth shoots at the tips of the branches;
the natural, non-deformed shape of the branches and the trunk;
the needles are not affected by rusty or whitish bloom;
when lightly pressed, the branches bend, and do not break.

Too small pot indicates that the spruce was dug out specifically for sale and violated its root system.

Growing seed trees

If you have enough time for gardening, you can start growing different varieties of spruce from seeds. The best are the species growing in your area. The time of ripening of the cones depends on the climate, but for reproduction it is recommended to collect in late autumn.

The cones are stored in a cool dry place, protected from wind and direct sunlight. Approximately 2.5-3 months prior to sowing, seeds are removed (they are also called nuts) and are subjected to stratification in order to increase germination.

To prepare the seedlings, the seeds are kept for a day in pure water, soaking for half an hour beforehand in a weak (0.5%) solution of manganese. Then immersed in containers filled with wet sand, and stored before sowing in the cold - snow or refrigerator.

Sowing is carried out in mid-April, and it is better to use a greenhouse with sawdust for this. Sandy soil is covered with a thin layer (1.5-2 cm) of sawdust, seeds are laid on it, sprinkled with coniferous sawdust on top with the same layer - they create conditions close to natural, but more comfortable for growing

If you decide to plant seeds in open ground, you will have to arrange additional protection. It can be a frame of twigs that protects from a sharp wind, and a layer of cotton fabric.

In August, a kind of protection is removed, and instead of it they make shelter from a thick layer of dry leaves. Boxes are sometimes used instead of open ground, but growing conditions remain the same.

After 2, less often after 3 years, seedlings are planted in the soil with an interval of 40-50 cm. Before planting, too long or damaged roots must be removed, and the rest for a short time should be put into a humus solution.

You will need a special mode of care: moderately moist soil (in the heat - additional watering) and 3-time summer feeding. A mullein or a 0.1% hydroponic solution diluted with water will be suitable as a fertilizer.

The seedlings lasts another 3-4 years. All this time they need to loosen, fertilize, water about 1 time per week. Obligatory dressing produced in the spring, before the swelling of the kidneys. Suitable mineral nutrient mixture:

manure - 450-500 g;
potassium nitrate - 10-15 g;
superphosphate - 25-30 g.

All is thoroughly mixed, distributed into the soil around the seedlings, gently instilled into a small depth (8-10 cm) and watered so that the fertilizer is absorbed into the soil.

After 6-7 years, you will receive Christmas trees, ready for landing on a permanent place. They are, as usual, planted in early spring, keeping the clod of earth

How to grow a Christmas tree from a branch (cutting)

For reproduction of ornamental species, cutting is used. Sprigs cut in early spring (in April) can take root in the same year, later ones only next year. Many prefer August grafting when the shoots finish growing and begin to woody, but there is also a winter method that is successfully used for all conifers, including spruce.

We bring to your attention a master class on winter cutting of spruce, which consists in the home rooting of seedlings with the possibility of further spring planting into the ground. With the help of garden shears or pruner cut the required number of side branches. From the end of the cut, the “heel” should remain - a piece of last year's wood. A large “heel” will have to be cut so that wood does not rot.

The needles from the lower part, close to the "heel", are carefully cut with a knife, as they are not needed and will hinder the development of future roots

Many species of coniferous trees do well without additional stimulants, however, spruce is capricious in this respect and requires, especially in the winter, a special attitude.

The treated branches are placed in a vessel, half filled with Epin's solution (4-6 drops per 200 ml of water), and incubated for 12-14 hours

The storage material for cuttings will be sphagnum moss, which perfectly absorbs moisture.

While the cuttings are gaining strength in Appin's solution, we prepare for them a protective "shirt" - soak dry sphagnum in clean water

We take the film and lay out its length with a ribbon on the table. Along the ribbon we distribute the sphagnum soaked in moisture - it will play the role of a substrate for growing spruce cuttings.

Cutting the cuttings onto the prepared base in the following order: first we dip each sprig in a stimulating powder (for example, “Kornevin”), then put the bottom part on a ribbon with moss

We fold the film in half so that the roots are pressed to the sphagnum and wrapped in the film, and the tops of the cuttings are free.

We roll the film with the distributed cuttings neatly into a roll so that it turns out to be rather dense, but not close for the development of the roots

It turned out a kind of bunch - in this form coniferous cuttings will be stored until spring planting in the ground. To the film does not unwind, it must be tied with twine or tied with a rubber band.

Storage space for cuttings should be light and cool - a closet or a veranda. If at the cottage wooden windows with double frames, cuttings can be placed between the panes or suspended from the side, covered from direct sunlight

Winter grafting is good because by the spring planting period small roots already appear.

Rooted twigs in April can be planted in the garden - not in a permanent place, but in a pot or a box for growing. Ideal - well lit, ventilated greenhouse

In two years, the seedlings will finally take root and grow stronger, then it will be possible to plant them in open ground, at a permanent place of growth.

Forest tree transplant

Hike for the fir in the forest will end safely if you remember a few simple rules:

dig a tree in the fall or spring when the soil is soft and wet enough;
if you are planting a spruce in the summer, try to keep a clod of earth;
a copy not exceeding 1 m is suitable for transplantation, the maximum is 1.5 m; the larger the tree, the longer its roots and the higher the likelihood that you will damage them;
more lush and strong Christmas trees grow on the edges of the forest, on the outskirts, away from dense thickets.

It is important to dig up the fir. Around the trunk, dig in a circle with a diameter of a circle formed by the lowermost branches. The depth of the groove is about half a meter. Carefully remove the tree from the soil, trying to keep the land on the roots. Put it on a piece of thick cloth, wrap and secure the resulting package on the wheelbarrow. Grab a couple of buckets of "native" soil, so that the Christmas tree settles faster in new conditions.

Do not forget about one important nuance - before digging, mark the branches of the side of the world, north and south, in order to plant a tree, focusing on them

How to plant a spruce?

Trees dug in the forest and purchased seedlings have general planting rules. There are two periods when the spruce tree takes root better - the beginning of spring and late autumn (before the onset of cold weather). Some varieties, for example, blue spruce, it is preferable to plant it in the spring, so before you decide to plant a spruce tree, clarify the characteristics of planting the acquired variety.

Choose the area most suitable for the growth of coniferous tree - lit by the sun or slightly shaded. Take care of the drainage in advance, because spruces growing in the wetlands do not develop well and lose needles. An ideal place for planting is a sunny patch of low-lying groundwater and fertile soil rich in humus.

Low ornamental fir trees feel great inside flower arrangements and stony gardens, on well-lit alpine hills and rockeries

Planting procedure ate the following:

We dig a hole 50-60 cm deep, 60 cm in diameter on the surface and 30-35 cm in the lower part.
We arrange drainage from a 20-centimeter layer of a mixture of sand and crushed stone (or gravel).
From the excavated soil, sand, peat and humus (in equal parts) we prepare a soil mixture. Add to it 100-150 g of nitroammofoski.
Partially fill the pit with soil mixture, moisturize.
Put the root ball of the seedling in the hole.
We fill up the empty seats with the remaining soil, level it.

We carry out peat mulching around the root collar, which is located at ground level. Additional application of peat will warm the roots and retain moisture.

Wood or peat mulching is attractive and from an aesthetic point of view, in addition, the introduction of elements such as oak bark into the top layer of soil prevents the appearance of weeds

In addition to planting, it is important to take care of the spruce, so consider the rules for pruning, watering and protection from diseases.

Features care for conifers

It is necessary to water the spruce depending on the growing season, age and size, but in any case, the soil around the tree should always be slightly moist. This can be checked by holding a clod of earth in one hand. If it crumbles - the time for watering has come. Watering should be carefully, distributing water around the entire root ball. The average water consumption for a 2-meter tree is 10 liters once a week.

Small seedlings require special treatment - several times a day in small portions, as the roots are at the very surface and dry quickly. In addition to watering, do not forget about spraying, after which the spruce shines in the sun with clean shiny needles.

If you are not permanently living in the country, choose for planting drought-resistant species, such as blue spruce. In the hot period, it is enough to water it once every one and a half to two weeks.

Although spruce belongs to slow-growing trees, from time to time it needs pruning. Preventive pruning is carried out once a year, in early spring, until new shoots start to grow. It is also called sanitary, since it removes mainly diseased or dry twigs. Easy thinning benefits the entire tree - the sun's rays penetrate deep into the dense crown.

On the contrary, decorative trimming is carried out in the middle of summer, after the end of the growth of new shoots. Sometimes they cut off the tip if a tree is needed to grow in width, not in height. Work is carried out with a sharp tool, and the cut is treated with a special solution - potassium permanganate and garden pitch.

To remove thick, dry branches, use hand and rod saws, smaller branches - garden shears, and for decorative cutting - special garden shears

Trees and other conifers are often threatened by disease. The most common infections are fungi, leading to crown shedding and even death. It is necessary to fight with them by various methods.

To begin with, it is necessary to remove the damaged needles and diseased branches, then saturate the soil with Kornevin and treat the tree with an Immunocytophyte, Charm, Zircon or any other immunity enhancing drug. Some diseases, such as root sponge or variegated rot, are not amenable to treatment, therefore the tree must be cut down, the stump must be uprooted, and the surrounding soil must be carefully treated with fungicides.

Symptoms of the disease Shutte - the appearance on the branches of red spots, yellowed and crumbling needles. Shutte is treated with drugs Skor, Strobe, Falcon, Quadris, from May to the end of summer

And at the end - a few tips from a professional on the selection and cultivation of various decorative varieties.

Spruce - coniferous plant that performs the role of a classic decoration of the territory. Blue spruce is among the endangered species, therefore it is listed in the Red Book lists. This factor affects the cost of seedlings of needles. But why spend money on buying young trees, if you can grow them with your own hands? How to grow spruce from seeds, try to understand together, because besides saving finances, a gardener gets a healthy, environmentally-adapted plant.

Owners of country estates massively purchase blue spruce cuttings for further cultivation, despite the high cost. That's because not everyone has an idea of how to grow spruce from seeds, but you will know for sure.

Features blue needles

The main difference between the conifers of this species is the color of the needles. When growing a spruce house from seed, it is possible to get a tree with 30% of spines, painted in a noble blue, the rest acquire a classic green tint. Because many are interested in the question: "How to grow spruce from seeds at home and get a quality seedling?".

How to get a quality seedling for home growing?

There are three ways of breeding fir trees:

inoculation;
grafting method;
growing from seed.

Cutting method: features

This is the easiest way to grow a new conifer. Planting material is rooted in the greenhouse, since open ground has a negative effect on the still weak conifers. So, planting spruce begins with the selection of cuttings. Winter cuttings are best suited, which give results up to 4 times faster. The most favorable period for rooting is considered the moment of kidney swelling. The main thing in the reproduction of spruce - do not forget about maintaining the temperature and the required level of moisture.

Blue spruce grown in this way, after 5 years, reaches 1 meter in height. At this point, the tree can be transplanted to a permanent place of growth.

Growing needles from seed

How to grow spruce from seed? This process is laborious and time consuming, and the result depends on the selection of the material and how high-quality it was.

Seed collection

For the cultivation of any plant with their own hands, you need selected planting material, which is better not to buy, but to get it yourself. For growing spruce seedlings use seeds obtained from the fruits of coniferous plants - cones. Collecting cones carried out in mid-February. This is the ideal time to harvest full-fledged seeds. Cones are placed in a fabric bag and put next to a heating device or a fireplace, which contributes to the rapid opening and free access to the grains. After a few weeks, you can get the seeds without damaging them. After the cones unfold, the seeds of the spruce tree in the bag are ground among themselves for purification from the lionfish. Washing under running water will get rid of the oily film formed due to the release of essential oils. At the final stage of preparation, planting material is well dried.

To ensure complete protection of seeds from bacteria, they are washed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then wiped with a tissue shred. Prepared seeds folded in a glass jar, which, tightly closed, placed in the refrigerator. The conditions in the freezer most closely resemble natural (in the cold season), where seeds are kept until mid-March.

How to grow spruce from seeds? It is very important to get good planting material, which, however, can be bought on the market if necessary. The main thing is to know a good manufacturer.

Preparing the soil

In order for the blue spruce from seeds to grow healthy at home, it is recommended to prepare the plot before sowing.

Important! Do not sow blue seeds ate in places where you grow vegetables - in the beds they do not take root and die quickly.

The optimum growing environment is lawn grass mixed with soil taken from a coniferous tree. Growing in greenhouses involves two methods of planting:

straight to the ground;
in extra capacity.

When planting seeds in pots, do not forget to prepare a peat mixture, with the addition of limestone flour and ammophoska in the proportion of 6: 0.035: 0.020 kg. The mixture falls into containers in which the spruce is planted. The pots themselves are buried deep in the earthen mound in the greenhouse.

Important! Choosing the first method of planting, over the ground layer is poured additional top - from sawdust and peat.

Planting seeds

To begin, determine the most favorable date for planting spruce. The sapling will feel comfortable in nature, if the ambient temperature is in the area of + 19 ° C (+ -1-2 ° C).

Important! After a change in temperature (i.e. after the refrigerator), they can only be stored for 50 hours.

Before landing, the planting material is treated with a foundation solution: 20 g per 10 liters of water.

Planting spruce is carried out in a well-moistened soil. If the spruce is grown in greenhouse conditions, the containers are deepened to the ground by 1.5 cm, and the film is pulled from above. If on the open ground - first ram the ground in the hole, then put the seeds, covering them on top of the peat mixture and a thin layer of sawdust (about 1 cm).

Important! The distance between the individual seeds should be at least 3.5-6 cm.

Seed germination

The first shoots can be observed in 10-14 days. If spruce seedlings are placed close to each other, there is a need to thin them. Of the entire range of plants, only the strongest specimens are left, keeping a distance between them of up to 7.5 cm.

When the fragile seedlings are transferred to the active growth phase, it is necessary to maintain optimal conditions for growing needles, which are as follows:

cancel irrigation and put into practice light spraying of seedlings with water - 2 times a day;
maintain the temperature regime: the minimum temperature is + 13 ° C, the maximum temperature is + 15 ° C.

Important! Remember that night frosts and direct sunlight during the day have a detrimental effect on weak young needles.

A month later, a young blue spruce sapling reaches a height of 3-4 cm. Experts note that indirect diffused sunlight has a good effect on the growth rate of specimens. Since the small needles are not resistant to diseases affecting the plants, namely root rot, there is a need for special protection: first the application of the fungicide will be required, and then the treatment with an insecticide solution.

Plant transplant

You already know how to grow seedlings ate from seeds, but it is qualitatively impossible to do this without transplanting annuals. The procedure is carried out in early spring. After the seedlings reach the required level, it is important to plant the specimens you have bred so as not to lose the plants.

Before transplantation, pits are prepared, which are tamped and sprinkled with a layer of earthen mixture from under a coniferous plant.

How to make a transplant?

Small fir-trees are dug out from the ground, separating the roots of individual specimens woven together. It is necessary to carry out this work quickly, but carefully, so as not to damage the root system and prevent it from drying out.

Blue spruce, grown from seeds at home, requires special care. Often these are standard rules.

Interesting! By the third year of growth, less than half of the seedlings survive.

Three years after sowing seeds, re-transplant of plants is carried out. This is done to ensure sufficient space for the roots of spruce. During this period, the Christmas trees are seated at a distance of 1 m from each other.

You wonder how much spruce grows from seed? And we have an answer to this question. After 5 years you will have a full-fledged spruce, exceeding 1 meter in height.

Such a bluish-green beauty will be a real decoration of the garden or successfully complement the landscape composition. It is quite difficult to grow plants with your own hands, but in view of the entertaining process and in the event of a positive result, when it turns out that the efforts were not in vain, you will certainly be proud of your Christmas tree.

If the Japanese find a lost wallet, then in no case will not raise it, since it is believed that after a while misfortune will overtake him. The exceptions are those cases where a person is going to take his unexpected find to the police.
What awaits you in the near future:

Find out what awaits you in the near future.

Signs about the Christmas tree

Signs about the Christmas tree are very diverse. How to choose and where to put the New Year's beauty, whether to plant it in the yard and near the house - there is a certain opinion among the people that should be heeded so as not to incur trouble.

Christmas tree

The main sign - without a Christmas tree in the house next year, do not expect happiness. This tree was considered not just one of the symbols of the New Year, but also a talisman of housing and its owners. That is why it is necessary to put it necessarily - at least alive, even artificial. Or at least place a pair of fir paws in vases.

Decorate correctly

The next sign is associated with its decoration. Despite the new-fashioned pro-Western trends, according to which the Christmas tree should be dressed up stylishly (in balls of only two colors or in decorations of only one stylistic direction), we continue to decorate the New Year's beauties into toys that have been kept in the family for decades, we put a star on the top of the head or an icicle we hang rain on a spruce paws and rain ... and we absolutely do it right! This is the only way to bring wealth and prosperity into the house in the coming year. The more diverse and richer she is dressed up, the better.

After the holiday

After the holidays are over, and the Christmas tree is removed, one toy should be hung near the threshold - it will drive away evil thoughts and take the evil eye away. By the way, you need to remove the Christmas tree no sooner than the old New Year passes.

The star is hanged on it first, and removed - in the last turn.

Where to put?

Regarding where the tree should be in the house, the sign says that it is not only in the corner. It is believed that bad energy is concentrated in the corners, which is looking for a way out. Therefore, there is no place for a small tree, designed to bring happiness and wealth to your home.

Spruce in the yard - bad luck or good luck?

The Christmas tree, like any coniferous tree, has a pleasant resinous aroma, does not litter with fallen leaves until the autumn and looks very elegant at any time of the year. Therefore, you can see it in many suburban and garden plots. Meanwhile, it is believed that this tree in the area is not a very good sign.

In the people it was believed that this tree, growing alone in the courtyard, promises loneliness to its owners.
Sign of planting a tree says that it will bring his benefactor to a divorce, or to childlessness. In the worst-case scenario, even the death of loved ones is predicted, with the result that its owner may be left to live out his century alone.

However, tell the residents of the north that the Christmas tree is a bad omen, if it grows near the house, they will only laugh in your face. Where this tree is very widespread, such beliefs do not exist. Although they would not have planted a Christmas tree near the walls there, but only for security reasons - this resinous tree easily flares up and burns well in the event of a fire, so there is no place for him near the house.

The tradition of decorating a Christmas tree was already known in the 16th century in France (Alsace). From there, the custom came to Protestant Germany, then at the turn of the XVIII and XIX centuries - to Central-Eastern Europe. - the most recognizable and popular symbol of Christmas and the New Year. Symbolizes life, fertility, immortality and durability. The living tree, highlighting the smelly smell, brings into the house a unique, festive atmosphere. Every year, however, we face a dilemma: to choose a felled (cut down) Christmas tree or in a flower pot?

When deciding on a felled tree, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that it was obtained from a special area for growing or legal cutting down (for example, thinning the forest). Sellers, at points of sale, must have relevant documents confirming the origin of the trees. Do not buy trees from an illegal source, do not chop Christmas trees on your own in the forest - this not only can lead to a large fine, but also leads to the devastation of forests. In order for the Christmas tree to be a wonderful decoration of our house and for a long time, you should choose a freshly chopped tree with bright green, shiny needles. The branches should be elastic and retain their shape after a slight bend - a sign that the plant still has sap in it, which means pretty fresh. Christmas tree should be beautiful, the correct form, with densely located, rigid branches. You should not buy a tree with broken branches, brown needles, elongated branches and with an too long unaesthetic tip. For cut trees are best suited Norway spruce (gives off a very pleasant aroma) Fir-tree is prickly, blue (with silver-blue or green-blue needles), Serbian spruce (with curved side branches), Nordman fir, Caucasian (more resistant, with dark green needles and a thick, durable cover).

How to extend the life of a felled tree

Before installing a freshly purchased Christmas tree in the house, it is necessary to harden it. To do this, for approximately one day, it should be placed in a cool room, where the average temperature is about 10 ° C (for example, in the basement, garage or on the veranda). After that, you can move the tree to the designated place and install it away from heat sources (heaters, batteries, fireplaces). In order for the tree to stand as long as possible, the temperature in the room should not exceed 20 ° C. In warm apartments, in which there is sufficiently dry air, the needles of the common spruce and barbed spruce fall faster. Most resistant to excessive heat and too dry air Caucasian fir .

The tree can be cut about 2-3 cm (if necessary, align the chopped part), and then place it in a special stand. The stand is filled with water at room temperature. Do not forget to regularly water the tree. Felled Christmas tree can be put in a container with wet sand, very large specimens should be fixed, for example. to the ceiling so as not to turn over.

To extend the life of the Christmas tree, you must select the appropriate Christmas-tree decorations. Standard Christmas-tree bulbs, as a rule, emit a lot of heat, which can further accelerate the falling of the needles. Therefore, it is necessary to hang on the Christmas tree LED (LED) garlands that do not heat up. The number of Christmas-tree decorations must be adjusted to the size of the tree and the thickness of the branches - too thin branches may unnaturally bend or even break.

Popular varieties of trees for felling

Norway spruce or European spruce

The most popular type of Christmas tree (lat. Pícea ábies) which smells great and creates a real festive atmosphere. It has dark green, tough, short, spiky needles. Unfortunately, her needles fall off pretty quickly, so it's best to buy this tree just before the holidays. Spruce in nature creates wide crowns of the correct pointed form. A tree in its natural environment can reach up to 60 m in height, but usually does not exceed 40 meters.

Fir-tree prickly or blue spruce

Popular is the view - Spruce spruce (lat. pīcea pūngens) also called blue spruce. The tree has tough and heavily spiky needles that are covered in wax. Depending on the variety, the needles of the barbed Christmas tree may have a shade of silver-blue (ex. "Argentea") or green-blue (ex. "Glauca").

Serbian spruce

The narrow, soaring cover has Serbian spruce (lat. Picea omorika). She is the narrowest of all. Therefore, its needles are less prickly. The tree has an interesting shape: the side branches are curved by an arc, with raised tops. Hanging branches are characteristic of older specimens.

Nordman Fir or Caucasian Fir

Equally popular Nordman Fir (lat. Ábies nordmanniána) , otherwise called Caucasian Fir. Its habitat is the mountains of the Caucasus and northwestern Turkey. The largest farms of this species are located mainly in Canada and in the Scandinavian countries, because the corresponding climatic conditions prevail there. These fir trees prefer high air humidity, but they do not tolerate frost and high temperatures in the summer. The Caucasian fir has long, wide, dark green needles and a dense and dense cut. This tree is the most hardy of all the New Year trees. Her needles dry up and do not fall off, in connection with which the decoration can last for many weeks.

Christmas tree in a pot - disadvantages and advantages

There is an opinion that trees that are sold in pots are more ecological than felled trees, because after the New Year holidays (and in spring in principle) they can be planted in the ground and they will adorn our plot or garden. This is possible only under the condition that such a tree was grown from the very beginning in a container and was respectively hardened before being installed in the house, as in the after-holiday period (when we place it in a cold place where it is until spring). Christmas tree in the potcannot stand in the house for too long, because then the winter dormancy will be disturbed and vegetative processes will begin - such a plant can be planted in open ground only in late spring, when the soil frosts pass (second half of May). Otherwise, the tree will be subject to freezing.

Container-grown trees can be purchased at garden stores. It is better not to buy trees in the places of sales, because, basically, trees that were grown in open ground are sold there, and before the holidays they were dug out and placed in containers. While digging up the roots of coniferous trees, they are severely pruned, which makes it impossible to re-grow them in the ground - a plant devoid of roots dries out and after a while it can only be thrown away.

Christmas trees that are sold in pots are usually more expensive than felled or cut trees. You can pay more if we are sure that the trees have been properly grown and there is a chance that they will be taken in the ground. However, if there are doubts about the quality of the plant, it is better not to overpay and buy a felled Christmas tree from a special nursery. After the New Year holidays, it can be given to special collection points, where it will be recycled.

Christmas tree in the pot - the choice and care

For the Christmas tree in the pot are suitable such species that will look beautiful and at home during the holidays, and then in the garden. It is better to choose Serbian spruce or prickly - they have a good appearance and look good as a decoration at home and in the garden. For Christmas trees in a pot, it is better to choose small specimens that are more likely to be taken in open ground.

The tree grown in a flower pot on the street, it is better to buy about two weeks before the New Year. For several days it is necessary to place it in a room in which the temperature is about 5 ° C, and then we transfer the tree for several days to a place where it is about 10 ° C. After this time we can bring the tree into the house. The house should not be too warm - the optimum temperature is about 20 ° C. Set the pot away from heat sources. You can not overdry the land in a pot, and for irrigation use distilled water at room temperature. Christmas tree should also be sprayed from time to time.

In order not to enter the growing season too early, do not keep it in the house for more than 7-10 days. Being too long in a warm room, will begin to produce new shoots, and it will need to be kept in the house until late spring.

After the holidays, the tree in the pot (which did not start to grow) must be tempered again to prepare it for colder conditions. To do this, we place the tree for a few days in a colder room - first in a room with a temperature of about 10 ° C, then enough and 5 ° C. The tree in an open ground is planted in early spring.

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Christmas tree in the pot. Living tree in the house