Canadian Spruce Sanders Blue: description, planting and care, application in landscape design

Canadian Sanders Blue Spruce is a new dwarf variety that has been developed from a mutation of the well-known Konika. This happened in 1986. This culture quickly became popular. This is due to its attractive appearance and great resistance to the sun. Thanks to this, it is possible to simplify care and expand the possibilities for using the plant in landscape design.

Description of the tree

Sanders Blue Spruce is an evergreen dwarf plant from the Pine family. It is considered a natural mutation of the Canadian Konik spruce, which was recorded by French dendrologists in 1986. This small plant has the following characteristics:

1. Shallow roots and shortened main shaft. The spruce root system is able to provide moisture to the crop in dry weather, but it does not allow it to maintain wind resistance.
2. The trunk tapering upwards. It is covered with a thin scaly bark of a brown hue.
3. Many short internodes on branches. Shoots depart from the trunk parallel to the ground and bend upwards, forming a narrow-conical squat crown. Over the years, it remains compact, but needs to be corrected.
4. Light brown young shoots. They have a shiny bark and are devoid of fluff.
5. Spirally arranged needles. They are distinguished by a tetrahedral shape and a bluish-green color. Young needles are soft, but become coarser with age. It is worth noting that young shoots are covered with bright blue needles.

Spruce of this variety practically does not bloom. At the same time, it retains its decorative properties for a whole year due to fluffy needles. The advantage of culture is its slow growth. At the initial stage, the spruce grows by 2-5 centimeters during the year.

By the age of 6-7, growth rates increase and amount to 15 centimeters. By the age of 10, spruce grows up to 70-150 centimeters in height. At the same time, the diameter of its crown reaches 35-80 centimeters. From the age of 15, spruce develops more slowly. For a year, it grows by a maximum of 1-3 centimeters.

Establishing the maximum lifespan of a plant is quite difficult, since the variety is relatively young. After 30 years, the culture reaches 2-3 meters. The diameter of the crown is 1.5 meters. These indicators must be taken into account when designing the site.

Where it grows

The Sanders Blue gray spruce has a fluffy blue crown and is considered very undemanding to care for. Therefore, this Canadian variety has become widespread in Europe. In Russia, he appeared relatively recently, but managed to gain great popularity. The distinctive features of this plant include the following:

• high degree of resistance to frost - the tree can withstand temperatures as low as -40 degrees;
• sunburn resistant;
• slow growth;
• disease resistance.

Boarding rules

To plant a Sanders Blue spruce, you need to choose the right seedling. It is best to buy planting material in specialized nurseries. It is sold in special containers along with soil, which contains a large amount of fertilizer.

After purchase, the culture is planted together with the substrate in the ground. Thanks to this, it adapts better to new conditions. If, after transplanting, the spruce begins to shed its needles, this means that the soil in the pot has been overdried. Regular watering of the crop will help to cope with the problem. Thanks to this, the needles will be able to gradually recover to a normal state.

It is not necessary to buy additional fertilizer for planting. When purchasing a seedling on your own, you should give preference to a culture that does not have signs of pest attacks. It is important to avoid trees with affected branches or trunk. The spruce root system should also be well developed and have a creamy white color.

When to do it

If Glauka Sanders Blue spruce was sold in a container, planting work can be carried out at any time of the year. When buying a seedling with unprotected roots, it must be immediately placed in a clay mash, consisting of water, clay and humus. The roots must be dipped into the composition, sprinkled with sawdust and placed in a bag or wrapped in burlap.

Thanks to this event, it will be possible to protect the root system from drying out for a week. Before planting, the old clay needs to be washed off and the root system dipped in the same clay composition, however, a growth stimulator must be added to it.Then the talker should be dried a little in the fresh air and you can proceed to planting the crop.

Planting works of fir trees with open roots are carried out taking into account the climate of the region:

• in the central regions, this should be done at the end of September;
• in the north it is worth planting spruce in early May.

Spring is recommended to plant plants in containers, but if necessary, this can be done at other times of the year. Since spruce is considered very frost-resistant, it can be planted even in winter.

Hole preparation and planting

To get the spruce of the desired height, the planting recess must be at least 70 centimeters. Moreover, its diameter reaches 60 centimeters. At the bottom, a drainage layer measuring 20 centimeters should be provided. It should include expanded clay or crushed red brick.The nutrient composition should be prepared from soddy soil, humus, acid peat, sand and clay. Also, 150 grams of Nitroammophoska must be added to the substrate.

First, fill the hole 2/3 full with nutrient composition, fill with water and leave for at least 2 weeks. For planting Canadian spruce, it is recommended to do the following:

1. Pull out part of the soil from the recess.
2. Set to the center of the tree. It is important to ensure that its root neck is flush with the ground.
3. Sprinkle the root system with soil and compact it.
4. Check if the root collar is in place.
5. Make a roller along the perimeter of the crown. To do this, use the remaining soil.
6. Plentifully water the plant. It is important that the water reaches the edge of the roller and soaks in.
7. Mulch the soil under the seedling with pine bark or sour peat.

How to care

In order for the Sanders Blue spruce to retain its decorative effect, it needs to be provided with quality care. It should be comprehensive.

Water and fertilize

After planting spruce, it is important to ensure that the soil under it is sufficiently moist and does not dry out. Subsequently, the number of waterings can be reduced. The culture is able to withstand a short waterlogging of the soil, however, with constant stagnation of moisture, there is a risk of plant death. It is also important to avoid getting the root collar wet. In hot weather, Sanders Blue spruce requires weekly watering.

The plant is highly sensitive to moisture deficiency in the air. Therefore, it is so important to systematically carry out sprinkling of the crown. In hot weather, this procedure should be performed early in the morning or in the evening.

Up to 10 years, spruce of this variety must be fed.It is best to use special seasonal preparations for coniferous crops. They have a balanced composition and contain all the elements important for culture. Spring feedings include a lot of nitrogen, while autumn feedings are predominantly potassium and phosphorus.

Foliar fertilization is of no small importance. It is best to use substances in a chelated form, alternating them with Zircon and Epin. From the second half of summer, it is also worth using magnesium sulfate.

Weed control

The plant does not develop well in dense sod soil. That is why it is so important to regularly loosen the soil and remove weeds from the trunk circle. Thanks to this, it will be possible to increase the saturation of the root system with air. Evaporation of excess moisture will prevent waterlogging and root rot.

Pruning and preparing for cold weather

At a young age, the Canadian Sanders Blue spruce has a symmetrical crown that does not require formative pruning.After some time, it loses its ideal shape, but still retains its decorative qualities. Spruce normally perceives a haircut, but it is carried out only if the design idea requires perfect symmetry of the plant.

Sanitary pruning can be tricky. There are many branches inside the crown. After the needles fall, they quickly dry out. To remove such shoots, you need to move apart dense branches densely covered with needles. It takes a lot of time. Therefore, instead of sanitary pruning, cleaning is carried out.

For the winter, Canadian spruce can not be covered. Mature plants are able to withstand frosts down to -40 degrees. However, young seedlings can be covered with spruce branches to protect them from severe frosts and winds. Thaw and hard frost can damage the young seedling.

How to propagate a tree

Canadian spruce reproduces vegetatively. Cuttings take root with difficulty. To do this, you need to maintain certain parameters of temperature and humidity. However, even in this case, not all planting material takes root.

Cuttings should be done in the spring. Planting material is recommended to be harvested from lignified shoots of the middle part of the crown. At the same time, it is worth separating cuttings measuring 10-12 centimeters along with the heel. The planting substrate should include perlite or sand. It is also acceptable to use a peat-sand mixture.

The cutting needs to be cleaned from the bottom of the needles and immersed in a growth stimulator for several hours. After that, it is recommended to immerse it by 2-3 centimeters in a moist substrate. Then the container must be covered with a bag. In industrial conditions, special fogging installations are used.

The greenhouse needs to be kept in a cool place and watered regularly. It is important to avoid drying out the soil, as this will lead to the death of the cuttings. Waterlogging can also lead to the death of planting material.

Spruce cuttings take several months or a year to root. It is recommended to plant them on a permanent site only if there are lateral roots.

The main pests for spruce

According to the description, Canadian spruce can suffer from spider mites. They attack the plant when the humidity regime is violated. To protect the plant from parasites, in the heat it is required to water the crop through the crown.

When a web appears on a spruce, it needs to be sprinkled with an infusion of garlic, tobacco dust or onion peel. If folk methods do not give the desired effect, it is worth using systemic insecticides - Aktar, Aktellik, Fufanon.

Application in design

Sanders Blue is often used in landscape design. Culture looks great in rock gardens, rockeries, flower beds. It can be planted near heathers and next to other coniferous crops. The plant also looks great in containers.

Sanders Blue spruce has excellent decorative properties, and therefore it is often used to decorate garden plots. For a culture to develop normally, it needs to be properly looked after.

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