Spruce Fat Albert: description, planting and care, application in landscape design

Fat Albert spruce is a fairly common ornamental crop, which is highly resistant to frost. This culture can be used to decorate suburban areas. In order for the plant to look decorative enough, it needs to provide full and high-quality care. Timely watering, pruning, preparation for cold weather are of great importance.

Description and origin story

Fat Albert is sourced in the USA. The main breeding work was carried out in a nursery located in Oregon. This variety was obtained in 1978 as a result of natural hybridization.The name of the spruce is in no way related to botany. It was given to culture by Iseli Nursery in honor of the cartoon character.

This culture belongs to the category of thorny spruces, which are distinguished by a regular crown of a wide-conical shape. The harmony of the plant is associated with the presence of a powerful and stable leading shoot. It does not lose its position throughout the life of the plant.

For 1 year, the culture grows by 20 centimeters. By the age of 10, the height of the plant reaches 3 meters. More mature specimens do have a size of 12-15 meters. In this case, the crown is 3-4 meters in diameter.

The variety is distinguished by strong and harmoniously developed shoots that leave the trunk at almost a right angle and form regular tiers. In general, the plant is characterized by a dense crown. This is facilitated by thick and prickly needles. In this case, the length of the needles is 2-3 centimeters.The color of the plant clearly shows blue color, which persists throughout the year.

With the advent of spring, elongated cones form on spruce. Sometimes they are ovoid in shape. The fruits are quite large in size with an attractive green-purple color. It favorably combines with green needles. After some time, the cones turn brown, but remain at the ends of the branches for a long time.

Landing

Fat Albert Prickly Spruce thrives in full sun. It grows well in fertile and well-drained soil. This crop requires extremely moderate watering. The Fat Albert variety does not tolerate excessive moisture and does not tolerate swampy areas. In the heat, spruce needs to be sprayed. At the same time, the culture is resistant to frost. It can withstand temperatures as low as -35 degrees.

For planting on your site, it is permissible to buy a ready-made seedling.This will allow you to get an attractive ornamental plant in the shortest possible time. To achieve good results, when planting, it is recommended to control the location of the root collar. When landing in the ground, it should be on the same level with the ground. Despite the fact that spruce of this variety is considered to be very photophilous, it needs to be shaded immediately after planting.

Care

In order for the culture to grow normally, it is important to follow a number of important agrotechnical rules. In order for the plant not to stop in development, it needs to be watered and fed on time. To maintain the beauty and symmetry of the crown, it is worth pruning regularly. To prevent pest attacks and the development of pathologies, it is important to prepare plants for winter every year.

Irrigation

El Fat Albert can't stand a long drought. Therefore, the plant needs to be watered on time. In this case, it is important not to exceed the recommended norms. Otherwise, there is a high probability of developing rot - gray or root.

Trees need to be watered once a week. At the same time, it is recommended to take a maximum of 12 liters of warm water per 1 plant. After 2-3 days after irrigation of the soil, it is worth loosening the top layer of the soil. This will saturate the root system with air and moisture and prevent the formation of a dense crust on the soil surface.

Cutting

Fat Albert spruce does not require pruning. But when growing a crop as a hedge, it is imperative to get rid of dry and diseased branches. This will help improve the appearance of the fence and prevent the development of diseases and pest attacks. It is recommended to prune the culture at the end of May. By this moment, the active movement of juices in the tissues of the trunk stops.

Preparing for cold weather

Despite the resistance to frost, it is recommended to warm young plants for the winter. Usually this is done with the help of an ordinary spruce branch.Also, instead of it, it is permissible to use fallen leaves and straw. It is best to use breathable materials for shelter. Otherwise, during thaws, condensation may accumulate, which adversely affects the development of the crop.

To insulate spruce around a tree, you need to create a frame in the form of a cone. Above it is to fix the selected insulation. The top layer is recommended to be fixed with ropes or staples. This will help prevent it from being blown away by gusts of wind. In mid-March, the shelter can be removed.

Preparation for winter is required exclusively for young crops. Trees aged 3-4 years can not be covered. It is important to consider that it is worth starting warming procedures only if the air temperature is from -5 to -7 degrees.

Application

Culture has excellent decorative properties. This is due to the unusual blue color of the needles. Because spruce of this variety is often used in landscape design. The plant fits perfectly into small gardens.

In this case, it is permissible to use a tree as an accent or create group plantings with its participation. The culture goes well with other conifers, ornamental shrubs, bright flowers. It should be used for the design of rock gardens and rockeries. Also, the plant looks great in rocky gardens.

Spruce Fat Albert is a wonderful ornamental plant that fits perfectly into a variety of compositions. In order for a tree to always remain attractive, it is important to plant it correctly. Also of great importance is the full care of the culture. It should include soil moistening, pruning, warming for the winter.

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