El Wils Zwerg: description, planting and care, application in landscape design

Spruce Vils Zwerg is a dense evergreen shrub with a columnar shape and a slow growth rate. With the onset of spring, the shoots of this culture are covered with light green needles, which gives it a very spectacular appearance. The advantages of the plant include its unpretentiousness. This allows you to actively use culture in landscape design.

What a tree looks like

The first seedlings of this plant went on sale in 1936 in Germany. At the same time, culture immediately attracted the attention of landscape designers with its properties.This variety has short needles. On average, the length of the needles, according to the description, is 15 millimeters. It has four faces and a dark green color. With the advent of spring, the needles brighten.

Spruce Wills Zwerg is characterized by slow development. Usually, by the age of 10, the size of the tree is no more than 1.2 meters. Only by the age of 30 it stretches up to 2 meters. In this case, the plant remains quite narrow. The crown diameter usually does not exceed 60-80 centimeters. This dwarf culture has a straight trunk, which is covered with brown bark. The branches are short. At the same time, the shoots are quite strongly branched and slightly raised upwards.

The plant is recommended to be grown in well-lit areas. At the same time, it does not lose its decorative properties in partial shade. The plant is considered undemanding to the composition of the soil, but is very moisture-loving. The parameters of its frost resistance reach -35 degrees.Experts note that culture develops poorly in an urban polluted environment.

Area

Spruce Wills Zwerg is grown in 3 and 4 climatic zones. The plant requires soil with a medium acid reaction. Suitable options include loam and sandy loam soil. The culture does not perceive moisture stagnation near the roots, prolonged drought, and increased soil salinity.

When choosing a place for planting spruce of this variety, it is recommended to give preference to a site that is protected from gusts of strong winds. The fact is that in this case there is a risk of damage to young shoots and deterioration of the appearance of the tree.

Boarding Requirements

Purchased seedlings of Wiltzwerg spruce need to be planted in spring and autumn. Plants in containers can be moved to open soil at any time at a positive air temperature. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Prepare a deepening a few days before planting the crop. It should be 60 centimeters wide and 70 centimeters deep.
2. Pour a layer of drainage into the bottom of the pit. It may consist of small pebbles. Crushed brick or expanded clay is also suitable.
3. Pour 1-2 buckets of water into the hole.
4. Prepare the substrate to fill the recess. To do this, you need to take garden soil and mix it with sand and peat. The share of additional components should be 30%. At the same time, they must be mixed in equal parts.
5. Plant the plant so that the root neck remains flush with the ground.
6. Plentifully water the plant and mulch the bed with sawdust or needles.

Aftercare

After planting, the plant needs quality care. In the heat, the culture needs to be watered on time. In dry weather, Wills Zwerg spruce is recommended to be moistened weekly.For 1 plant it is worth using 10-12 liters of water. The soil around the trunk should be loosened to a shallow depth - up to 5 centimeters.

Another useful plant care measure is mulching the soil surface with peat. This procedure is recommended to be carried out 1-2 times a year. In this case, the thickness of the layer should be 5-6 centimeters.

Feeding spruce is worth no more than 2 times during the season. Pruning is carried out exclusively when forming a hedge. In this case, it is enough to shorten the protruding lower branches. With the advent of spring, it is worth carrying out sanitary pruning. In this case, it is required to get rid of diseased and dry branches.

Young seedlings during the first 3-4 years are required to cover for the winter. This will help prevent snow and ice damage. A common problem faced by gardeners when growing a crop is damage to the crown bud.If this happens, the crown quickly loses its decorative properties. At the same time, the tree stops developing upward and becomes loose and untidy in appearance.

Pest control

Culture is considered fairly resistant to diseases and pests. However, sometimes when growing a plant, some problems still arise. Among the most common diseases, it is worth highlighting:

• shutte - a fungal infection that turns the needles brown and causes them to fall off;
• gray mold - appears when plantings are very thick or high soil moisture;
• brown rot - occurs when the soil is moist.

The listed diseases have a fungal nature. Therefore, fungicidal preparations will help to cope with them. In addition to pathologies, spruce often suffers from pest attacks - aphids, beetles, caterpillars, mites. To avoid such problems, the plant must be systematically treated with an infusion of wormwood or garlic.It is also permissible to use a soap solution for preventive purposes.

If there are signs of plant damage by parasites, diseased shoots are recommended to be cut and burned. At the same time, the remaining fragments of the culture should be treated with any insecticidal substance.

How to propagate

Culture is recommended to be propagated by cuttings. To do this, in the spring you need to prepare cuttings measuring 7-12 centimeters. For rooting, they need to be planted in a composition based on sand and peat and poured abundantly with a solution of a growth stimulator. After 2-4 months, the stalk will take root. At this stage, it can be transplanted into a small pot, and after 1 year - to a permanent place.

Application in landscape design

Culture has excellent decorative properties. It goes well with other spruces, thujas, compact pines and creeping conifers.The plant can be planted in rock gardens or along paths. It goes well with flowering perennials - roses, barberries, forsythia.

Spruce Wills Zwerg is a fairly popular and sought-after culture. This plant fits perfectly into a variety of garden compositions. However, it requires minimal maintenance.

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