Spirea: planting and care in the open field, reproduction, pruning and transplanting

Spirea (in some sources referred to as meadowsweet) is an ornamental plant, characterized by small flowers that form large bouquets. Shrubs are classified into two large groups, depending on the seasonality of flowering (spring and autumn). Despite belonging to ornamental crops, spirea propagation, planting and caring for the plant do not cause difficulties.

General description of spirea

Spirea has the following features:

• height of bushes - up to 2.5 meters (tall plant varieties) or 15 centimeters (dwarf);
• root system, fibrous, shallow;
• branches vary in color from dark to grey;
• flowers range from crimson to white;
• does not like winter (except for dwarf species);
• one inflorescence forms several small flowers;
• the location of the inflorescences depends on the type of shrub.

The variety of spirea largely determines the appearance of the plant. In particular, there are varieties in which the branches either stand or spread along the ground. This crop is planted to form hedges, garden ornaments and rocky gardens. Therefore, before buying a shrub, it is recommended to decide in advance on the goals of planting spirea.

Varieties and plant species

Spireas are classified into two groups, depending on the flowering period: spring and autumn. In Central Russia and Siberia, gardeners prefer to grow the following varieties of shrubs:

1. Average. Differs in large (up to two meters) sizes and increased resistance to drought and frost. The white flowers open in May and last for three weeks.
2. Birch-leaved. 1-2-meter shrub capable of growing in Siberia. Birch-leaved flowers, appearing in May, gather in white buds up to 10 centimeters in diameter.
3. City. A small (up to a meter) variety of spirea with large inflorescences of a golden hue. The culture is resistant to drought and frost, as well as a good root system that strengthens the sagging soil.
4. Grey. Spirea bushes of this variety produce many large flowers, due to which the branches bend down to the ground.
5. Oakleaf. The buds formed by white flowers look like umbrellas and are held on the plant for 25 days, from May to June. A variety of Oak-leaved spirea allows you to form curly bushes.

There are other types of horticultural crops. Breeders have bred varieties that begin to bloom in mid-summer. And a number of dwarf varieties are distinguished by a wide crown.

Subtleties of growing crops

Spirea is an undemanding plant. Some varieties endure prolonged drought and low temperatures. The shrub grows well in urban environments with polluted air. The first flowers (with the exception of annual varieties) appear on the branches in the third year after planting in open ground.

Selecting planting material

When choosing what to plant on a private plot, it is recommended to consider the purpose of growing the plant. When forming a hedge, preference should be given to tall varieties of shrubs. If you plan to create a tapeworm, then you need to purchase spireas with a long flowering period that tolerate a haircut well.And dwarf types of culture are suitable for alpine slides.

Preparing the soil and site

It is recommended to plant spirea in well-lit places. In this case, the shrub will bloom annually. The culture grows in various soils. However, light soddy or leafy soil with a slightly acidic or neutral reaction is considered optimal for growing.

If you plan to plant in clay soils, then during the preparation it is necessary to add a mixture of sand and peat. The quality of sandy soils is improved with a small amount of clay. In addition, before planting, gardeners recommend feeding bushes with ABA fertilizer (a tablespoon is enough for each bush).

How and when to plant?

Autumn is considered the best time for planting spirea. Varieties blooming in summer are allowed to be transferred to open ground with the onset of spring, provided that the soil has warmed up and the buds have not swelled.Early shrubs, in which buds appear on branches in May, are recommended to be planted in autumn. During this time, the plant has time to take root enough to survive the frost. It is necessary to transplant bushes, observing the given terms.

Before transferring the cutting to open ground, you will need to prepare a place. To do this, in a pre-selected area, you need to dig a hole, the size of which is slightly larger than the root system. The depth of the hole should be 70 centimeters, since the drainage layer will take 20 centimeters. After that, you need to do the following:

1. Pour a mound of earth into the hole.
2. Place the bush in the center of the hill, straightening the roots.
3. Fill up the stalk with earth so that the basal neck remains level with the ground.
4. Pour the earth around the seedling with 2-3 buckets of water.

Upon completion of the described actions, it will be necessary to mulch the soil near the shrub, filling up a layer of peat 7 centimeters thick.When developing a planting scheme (if the gardener plans to grow several spirea bushes), one should take into account the size of the future plant and dig holes at a distance of 1-2.5 meters. Due to the proximity, the culture will not develop, which is why in the future it will be necessary to plant shrubs.

Further plant care

Caring for spirea is quite simple. The plant is unpretentious and requires periodic (but not frequent) moistening of the soil and fertilizing.

Meal plan

Gardeners use different feeding schemes. Traditionally, the plant is fertilized three times per season:

1. Spring. Mineral or organic top dressings are introduced. Early flowering varieties also require complex fertilizers containing micronutrients.
2. At the end of July. Complex mineral fertilizers are applied under the bush.
3. At the end of summer. The shrub is fed with fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium. These trace elements will prepare the plant for a long winter.

In late summer or early autumn, it is forbidden to fertilize bushes with top dressings, which include nitrogen. This element stimulates the growth of new shoots, the development of which the plant spends a lot of energy, as a result of which it does not have time to prepare for winter in 2 months.

Top dressing is recommended to be applied along with watering. After fertilizing, the ground around the bush must be loosened, thereby ensuring the flow of oxygen to the roots.

Irrigation mode

The frequency of watering depends on the climatic conditions in which the shrub grows. Spiraea tolerates drought well. But in hot summer requires periodic watering. A young plant has to be moistened more often. Over time, the frequency of watering can be reduced.The volume of water used to moisten the soil is determined depending on the plant variety. Under a tall bush, no more than 1.5 buckets should be poured, under dwarf spirea - up to 10 liters.

Weeding and loosening

Weeding is necessary around young shrubs. Large spireas prevent the growth of weeds due to the dense crown. Loosen the soil after each watering.

Mulching

Peat, sawdust or husks from seeds or speech are used as mulch for spirea. With these components, it is necessary to fill a circle under the crown of the bush with a layer of 6-8 centimeters. Mulch prevents rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil.

Pruning bushes

Spiraea needs to be trimmed several times per season. And in each case, different goals are pursued. Gardeners do not prune spirea in the fall, except in situations where it is necessary to remove the affected shoots.A similar procedure is carried out with the onset of heat. Frost-affected shoots should be removed at this time of year.

Formative pruning is carried out with the onset of spring or after flowering. The timing of this procedure depends on the variety of the planted bush. More often, to give the spirea a certain shape, the branches are cut off after flowering.

In dwarf shrubs, for this it is necessary to shorten the branches by 2 buds, in tall ones - by a third of the original size.

After 7 years, to prevent premature death, spirea needs to be rejuvenated. This will require cutting off old shoots, leaving 5-7 new branches.

Shelter for the winter

Most varieties of shrubs require the application of potash-phosphorus fertilizers in August, and after the foliage has fallen, water-charging irrigation and soil mulching with humus.Not frost-resistant varieties need to be covered before the onset of cold weather. To do this, you need to tie the branches together, bend the resulting bundle to the ground and fall asleep with fallen leaves.

Diseases and plant pests

Spirea gets sick mainly due to high humidity. In such cases, the plant is affected by gray mold or powdery mildew. To prevent infection, it is recommended to use fungicides with copper, a solution of colloidal sulfur or Phytosporin.

Of the pests on the bush, aphids, whiteflies, spider mites or blue meadowsweet sawflies are more common. Fitoverm, Metaphos and Actellik help to eliminate these insects.

Methods of reproduction

Spirea can be propagated by seeds, layering or cuttings. The first option is the most labor-intensive and rarely gives results. To propagate the plant, it is necessary to sow the seeds in containers filled with a mixture of leafy soil and peat.After that, the soil should be treated with Fitosporin or a solution of potassium permanganate. 60-90 days after the appearance of the first shoots, the plant is transplanted to the site.

Propagation by layering is carried out in the spring. At this time, you need to press one of the lower branches to the ground, removing and sprinkling the end with earth. In autumn, the shoot should be covered with leaves. Next spring, when the branch takes root, you can start transplanting the bush to a new place.

Shrub division is the most efficient method of propagation. To get a new plant, you need to cut off and place the cutting in a mixture of sand and peat in summer or autumn (depending on the variety). The following spring, a new bush is planted in the area.

The nuances of growing in Siberia, the Urals, the Moscow region

In the Moscow region and the southern part of the Urals, you can grow most varieties of spirea. In the northern regions of the country, it is recommended to plant dwarf shrubs, while not forgetting to create a shelter.

Application in landscape design

Due to the variety of varieties, spirea is often chosen to form landscape design. The shrub is planted both as a single plant and in the vicinity of other crops. Dwarf varieties of spirea are planted along paths or on alpine hills. Tall bushes are used to create hedges.

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