Spruce cuttings: step-by-step instructions. How to propagate blue spruce from cuttings Those blue spruce from cuttings

Blue spruce is one of the most beautiful coniferous crops. It can be used to decorate a wide variety of areas. The peculiarity of spruce is that its needles are blue. Its homeland is North America. Blue spruce can be propagated by seeds or cuttings. Most often, it is the second option that is used, as it increases the chances of growing a healthy and beautiful tree.

Description of the method: propagation by cuttings

It is necessary to start propagating the blue beauty using cuttings from their preparation. Blue, gray and silver species of Siberian spruce trees are used as the mother form. Today they are present in a wide variety, as they actively decorate public gardens, botanical gardens and garden plots. The age limit for a tree must be 40 years.

If you carry out cuttings on younger plants, they will sprout 80% of the roots, but older ones – only 50%.

Preparation of cuttings: rooting

Harvesting seedlings is carried out by stripping branches from the side of the tree. A layer of old wood should remain on the resulting shoots. This allows the cutting to grow normally and not rot. If you use this method, then the resin will not be released and the elements of the conductive system will not become clogged.

If you use a knife to cut cuttings, the resin will actively flow out, which prevents the full flow nutrients for normal growth and development of seedlings.

Deadlines for harvesting twigs (future seedlings)

The most suitable time for harvesting remains spring – the end of April–beginning of May. It is during this period that the buds covering the scales move apart and the green cone extends. If you follow these recommendations, the resulting cutting will have roots already on the 80th day. And after 5 months, the length of its roots reaches 20 cm.

Video: how to propagate and grow blue spruce from a cutting branch

In the video - propagation of blue spruce by cuttings:

But no one bothers you to prepare cuttings in the summer. This will be done in mid-July. But the resulting seedlings at this time may not have time to take root in the ground, as a result of which only callus is formed. But rooting of cuttings cut in summer will occur only next year. But you can see what they look like in this article in the photo.

Planting at home: step-by-step instructions

Step-by-step instructions for rooting and planting at home:

1. The resulting cuttings must be planted in a greenhouse using sand. The layer thickness should be 1.5 cm.
2. Then moisten it.
3. Better rooting can be achieved by using special growth stimulants. For example, today Heteroauxin is actively used. To obtain a solution, you need to take 100 g of the drug and 1 liter of water.
4. After thorough mixing, place the cuttings in the solution and keep there for 3-6 hours.
5. Then rinse them with water and plant them in the prepared substrate.

In the first 2-3 weeks, you need to shade the cuttings during the day and humidify the air. To do this, you have to spray the floors and walls with water and loosen the soil.

If the temperature in the greenhouse is increased, then whiten the glass of the greenhouse and shade the cuttings themselves. If the nights are still cold, then cover the greenhouse with mats. But this will help you understand how blue spruce is sowed with seeds.

How to care during growing

Once blue spruce cuttings have been planted, they must be carefully cared for. This is the only way to get a beautiful, healthy and tall tree. Spruce trees can grow even in the shade, so to get a fluffy tree you should choose a sunny and warm place. In this case, the soil there should be moist, and strong wind absent. Then the tree will be strong and straight. The presence of bright light is undesirable.

Watering

After watering, the soil must be loosened. This will ensure access of water and air to the root system.

An adult tree does not need to be watered often. 10 liters of water per week will be enough for him. This amount is considered optimal in order to saturate the roots and prevent water stagnation. But how they are chosen is described in great detail in this article.

Video: how to root and care for cuttings

Video shows how to care for blue spruce cuttings:

Air humidity

In this regard, blue spruce is not too picky. It tolerates humidity normally, as well as minor drought. To wash off dust and dirt, use a hose with water. Then the needles will acquire a rich blue color. But read how to plant and care for the Budleya shrub.

Transfer

If during the first transplant you picked up bad place, then you can plant the tree again. Blue spruce tolerates such events well. But this does not mean that you need to do this often.

After the location has been chosen, it is necessary to dig a hole, lay drainage, pour soil that is suitable for the selected coniferous tree, and sand on top. When planting spruce, it is necessary to ensure that the root collar is located above the ground. If this condition is met, healthy tree growth is ensured. Read about planting and caring for Phlox in open ground.

Top dressing

It is not worth feeding blue needles often. This tree doesn't need that. The only thing that is possible is to fertilize the soil near the trunk in the spring before the shoots appear.

Before mulching with peat, sawdust or compost, weeds should be removed around the trunk, which can cause diseases and attract harmful insects.

Loosening and trimming

Blue spruce does not like dense soil, so it needs to be loosened near the trunk. To do this you need to use a hoe or hoe. Do everything extremely carefully. You should not dig deep, otherwise you can damage the roots.

You also need to keep an eye on appearance tree. Remove dried branches in a timely manner so that a beautiful crown is formed. If the plant begins to bifurcate, then one crown should be removed.

Pest Control

If you find orange spots on your blue beauty, then you should use special preparations. If the branches are severely damaged, prune or uproot the tree itself. This way you will prevent other Christmas trees from becoming infected. Find out about the description of juniper Andorra Compact.

If there are burnt shoots on a young spruce tree, this indicates damage to the spruce sawfly. To combat it, the branches will have to be treated with fufanon. To do this, take 20 g of it and dissolve it in 1 liter of water. When the needles begin to turn yellow, this indicates the presence of a pest such as spruce-fir hermes. Under the tree you can see a lump of white cotton wool. To get rid of it, you need to treat the Christmas tree in April with a solution of Rogov or Antio. For 10 liters of water there are 20 g of the drug.

In the video - pests of blue spruce:

If stem pests are present, there will be 5 mm holes in the bark. You can fight them if you improve the living conditions and treat the crop with insecticides. Due to lack of sun or external influences negative factors spruce branches on one side may dry out. In this case, you need to create shade for the spruce and improve its growing conditions.

Among the variety of coniferous plants, blue spruce is considered an elite representative of the flora; it has a solid appearance, lush needles, and interesting colors. Culture often adorns city government offices. In the garden, the prickly beauty is used in solitaire plantings, and in the middle of winter it can be the main character of the holidays.

Buying pretty blue blood spruce expensive pleasure, but it is quite possible to propagate it by cuttings and seeds.

Preparation of planting material

Seeds

At the end of summer, you need to look for a suitable specimen of spruce, the shape and color of which suits you. If the tree has formed cones, they can be picked in the first ten days of November, when the weather is cold outside. The germination rate of seeds is not so high, it is better to prepare them in reserve. Only a third of young Christmas trees grown from seeds will have the same color as their “ancestor”; the rest will be ordinary green or blue-green. Seed propagation does not guarantee accurate inheritance; cuttings, in this sense, are much more reliable.

The cones can also be collected in February; they are planted at the end of June; this option is suitable for areas with cold summers. In extreme heat, plantings may burn. Best planting material located in the upper part of the crown, the cones should be dense, completely closed.

Storage

Store the collected material in a warm room, the cones should ripen and open on their own. In nurseries, this procedure is carried out within two days; the scales quickly open at temperatures above 40 degrees. It’s difficult to create such conditions in an apartment, but it’s not necessary; the pine cones can be placed in a regular container. cardboard box and place it on a radiator, on a heated floor or on the top shelf of a kitchen cabinet, where the temperature is higher. During drying, the scales crackle. The seeds are easily shaken out of the opened cone.

You don’t have to collect the seeds, but buy them in a nursery from a trusted manufacturer. The planting material should not be stale, in which case the percentage of germination will be very small. The best option– one- or two-year-old seeds.

Hardening

Under natural conditions, spruce cones open at the end of December, and the seeds are carried by the wind and birds to take root in new places of growth. Until April they sleep under the snow and harden themselves. At home, this process must be imitated so that young plants have good immunity and germinate together.

If the winter is snowless, divide the collected seeds into two parts: one should be sown in open ground so that it is covered with snow. Sprout the second one at home; a comparison will show which seedlings will be more friendly and stronger. To harden the house, the following agrotechnical measures are carried out.

• Prepare a one percent solution of potassium permanganate.
• Immerse the seeds in it and hold for disinfection for two to three hours.
• Place the planting material on paper or a towel and dry.
• Pour the seeds into a canvas bag.
• Place the bag in glass jar, close and place in the coldest place in the refrigerator.

The seeds should “sleep” until spring or until the second half of July if they are collected in February.

Planting options

In order for the seeds to “wake up”, they are placed in an aqueous solution of microelements to stimulate root formation with the addition of foundationazole, a drug that protects plants from fungi. A moist environment will help restore cell structure and germination will accelerate.

Planting begins in the morning. You can choose one method or divide the seeds into several parts and try all the options. Most effective method selected experimentally, it will serve as the basis for further attempts to propagate spruce trees.

Open ground

If in April there is no longer any threat of spring frosts, then the soaked seeds can be sown directly into the ground. A small greenhouse must be filled with a mixture of lowland peat and sand, soil brought from a coniferous forest. You can immediately apply complex fertilizers for conifers or feed them a little later, when the sprouts appear from the ground.

Forest soil is a necessary and indispensable component for the soil mixture. It contains fungal mycelium, which will help the root system of spruce trees to receive moisture and nutrition. In addition, the mycelium absorbs harmful substances from the soil. Spruces and mushrooms form a single symbiosis; without mycelium, blue spruces will not be able to grow a root system sufficient for normal existence and will simply die.

The work order is as follows:

• compact the soil tightly;
• place the seeds at a distance of three to four centimeters from each other;
• mix peat with pine sawdust in equal proportions, sprinkle with planting mixture, layer thickness - up to a centimeter;
• spray the ground;
• cover the greenhouse with film;
• If there is excessive humidity, ventilate the greenhouse;
• after three weeks, the seeds should germinate, the seedlings should be thinned out, leaving strong plants;
• in the morning the sprouts are sprayed with water, but within reasonable limits, otherwise the plantings will rot.

In this mode, spruce trees grow throughout the year, until next spring. In summer they should be protected from drying out and from direct sunlight.

Germination in plastic containers

Blue Christmas trees can be sprouted at home. Containers with lids from cookies, store-bought salads, or planting pots are suitable for this. Disposable plastic containers with lid - very convenient option for germination, they are inexpensive.

The work order is as follows:

• fill the containers with soil mixture to two-thirds of the volume, the composition is one part peat to three parts dry coarse sand;
• spray the ground;
• scatter the seeds;
• stir the soil a little to deepen the planting material;
• close the container with a lid or film and place it in a warm place away from direct sunlight;
• spray the soil with water as it dries;
• open the hatched sprouts slightly for ventilation;
• take the pots out in the summer Fresh air, into the shade tall trees, and for the winter place the plants in a room with a temperature of no more than 15 degrees.

It will be possible to plant plants next spring when the soil warms up.

Rolled cigarettes

Such unconventional way growing seeds is good for those owners of plots who do not have extensive window sills and simply have nowhere to store seedlings. Roll-your-own rolls are a long, multi-layered tape, similar to a roll.

• The first layer is a backing made of laminate or other building material.
• The second is napkins or toilet paper.
• The third is soil.

Sowing on paper tape. This method is suitable for obtaining seedlings from seeds of a wide variety of plants.

For seeds, prepare a substrate for planting from all of the above components.

• Roll out on work surface laminate cut into ribbons, width – 10-15 cm.
• Place toilet paper on top and moisten it with water from a spray bottle.
• Place the seeds on the edge at a distance of two centimeters from each other. The lionfish should protrude slightly beyond the boundaries of the roll, and the seeds themselves should stick to the wet base.
• Pour fertile soil and roll the tape, tie it with an elastic band, and place it vertically on a saucer or cardboard. The seeds should be at the top.
• Spray the rolled-up cigarette with water and cover with film, place in a warm place, avoid direct sunlight.

After the seeds hatch, the film is removed and the top of the rolls is periodically moistened with water. In this form, young plantings live until next spring.

Cuttings

This method provides a 100% guarantee of preservation of varietal characteristics. The procedure is carried out in early May, during the period when active sap flow begins.

Rules for harvesting branches

For cuttings it is best to take young side shoots, located on the horizontal branches of the parent tree, four to ten years old. They are torn off by hand, in the direction against growth. The survival rate of such cuttings is also very high. The length of the branches is from six to ten centimeters. The preserved “heel”, a remnant of old wood, prevents the release of resin, which can clog the “vessels” and block the access of moisture inside the seedling. It is for this reason that branches are not cut, but torn. It is best to harvest planting material in the early morning or in cloudy weather. Pack twigs in plastic bag and drop off on the same day. Before planting, the cuttings can be kept in a stimulant solution for two hours, in which case root system should appear in a month and a half. Without this procedure, the process can take three months.

All of the methods described above for planting blue spruce grown from seeds are also suitable for cuttings.

Cuttings at home

If the branches are picked on occasion, without preparation, they need to be placed in water for an hour, and then planted in moistened sand, planting depth - two centimeters. Sand and branches should be in a plastic bag. It is tied and placed in the refrigerator, storage temperature is plus three degrees. After two weeks, the cuttings can be planted in a greenhouse. This technology allows you to obtain complete material at the end of the second month after planting. This method of germination does not require treating the cuttings with growth stimulants, in which case the survival rate will decrease.

At home, spruce cuttings are also grown in rolling papers; the principle of the arrangement of layers and further agrotechnical measures is the same. The part of the branch that will lie on toilet paper, must be freed from needles, the distance between the branches is five centimeters.

Cuttings in winter

You can also grow good planting material from twigs picked in the cold season. The order of events is as follows.

• Remove needles from half of each branch and dip in powdered root growth stimulator.
• Place the Christmas tree paws on moistened moss laid on top of a paper towel. The bare part of the branches should be on the moss.
• Roll the resulting “roll” into a roll and tie it with an elastic band, put it in a plastic bag, tie it tightly and hang it on the window.
• Over the remainder of the winter, half of the cuttings should take root; in May they can be planted in a greenhouse.

When planting planting material in a greenhouse without carrying out the preliminary germination procedure, you must remember the following nuances.

• The optimal temperature in the greenhouse should be at least +13 degrees, soil temperature +10.
• To eliminate the possibility of root rotting, it is necessary to build drainage from small pebbles and gravel at the bottom of the greenhouse, the layer thickness is five centimeters.
• Blue spruces prefer light soil.
• The distance from the seedling to the glass or film that covers the greenhouse is at least 20 cm. The cuttings should be planted at an angle of 30 degrees and buried one and a half to two centimeters into the soil.
• Large drops should not hang in the upper part of the greenhouse; waterlogging will negatively affect the health of the seedlings. If necessary, the greenhouse is ventilated daily.
• In the first month, the greenhouse is shaded from bright sunlight with burlap or spunbond.

All listed methods suitable for growing planting material of any conifers:,

Blue spruce is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful representatives of coniferous trees. Due to its high decorative qualities, spruce is very popular among gardeners and landscape designers. Moreover, growing and caring for it is absolutely not burdensome.

Blue spruce is a bright representative of elite plants. The height of the tree reaches thirty meters, and the diameter of the trunk is one and a half. The crown has a conical or cylindrical shape. The attractiveness of pine needles is in its color. The needles, depending on the temperature, change color from grayish-green to bright blue. Moreover, a silvery coating is clearly visible on the needles, which gives the tree a special sophistication. In addition, in addition to its decorative qualities, this coating helps retain moisture and protects against the penetration of dirty air.

Noble spruce trees are planted in city parks, near government agencies and luxury buildings. It can often be found in the garden as a tapeworm, which gives the estate a special charm, especially in winter.

This gorgeous beauty can be purchased as a seedling in specialized stores or grown independently. To do this, let’s look in more detail at how spruce propagates at home.

Reproduction

Spruce reproduces in two ways:

• seeds;
• cuttings.

Planting material in the form of seeds can be purchased at the store or collected independently. To do this, cones are collected from spruce in the first half of December. It is necessary to prepare a sufficient quantity of them, since the germination rate of blue spruce seeds is not very high. Also, it is worth noting that propagation by seeds does not fully preserve the maternal qualities of future seedlings. Most often, a loss of pigment is observed, and spruce trees grown from seeds have a green or blue-green color; a blue tint with a silvery coating is observed in only two out of ten seedlings. But if you have decided to grow spruce from seeds, then you need to know how to properly collect cones:

• It is best to take those located at the top of the tree;
• they should be tight and closed.

After collecting the cones, you need to place them in a warm place so that they reach the desired state and opened up. They need to be placed in a fairly warm place, near any heating device. When the cones open, you need to carefully shake out the seeds onto a sheet of paper. This is the seed material that will be planted. The next stage of preparation is stratification (hardening of seeds). This manipulation allows you to increase the germination of planting material. What do we have to do? First of all, the seeds are disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate for three hours. Then I dry them naturally on a paper towel. Then they are wrapped in cloth and placed in a glass container, which is placed in the refrigerator until spring. After such hardening, with the onset of heat, the seeds “wake up”. They are kept in a solution of a growth stimulator with foundationazole for about two days. Then they are planted in the ground. There are two ways to grow spruce from seeds:

• in open ground;
• in planting containers.

Seeds are planted in open ground when the time for night frosts has passed. The place where the planting will take place needs to be prepared. It is dug up and the soil is mixed with peat, sand and soil from under coniferous trees. You should also enter complex fertilizer. Then the soil is trampled down tightly and spruce seeds are laid out at a distance of four centimeters. On top they are covered with a centimeter layer of peat mixed with spruce needles. The planting must be watered by spraying and covered with film. In the future, the seeds should be properly cared for. Ventilate daily and spray if necessary. The first shoots will appear in three weeks. Then the film is removed, and care for the seedlings continues. If the seeds sprouted together, they need to be thinned out. You should also monitor the soil moisture; you should not allow it to become excessively waterlogged, otherwise the seedlings will rot. On permanent place Blue spruce seedlings can be planted next spring.

Propagation by seeds in room conditions preserves the general technology of their planting and germination. They are only planted not in open ground, but in pre-prepared containers with transparent lids. The soil is prepared as described above. The difference is that in the warm season, containers with seedlings are taken outside, and with the onset of cold weather, they are placed indoors, where the air temperature is no more than fifteen degrees.

The second way in which you can propagate a spruce yourself is by cuttings. It is most in demand because it allows you to completely preserve the maternal characteristics of blue spruce.

Propagation by cuttings begins in the spring, in early May. During this period, active sap flow is observed. Cuttings are prepared from young side shoots. They must be torn off by hand, so that part of the wood, the so-called “heel,” remains on them. The length of the workpiece should be about ten centimeters. Planting material is collected early in the morning. Then the cuttings are placed in a solution of a growth stimulator for a couple of hours, after which they are planted in the ground. The technology for planting cuttings is the same as for seeds.

You can also grow spruce seedlings from cuttings without a “heel,” that is, from accidentally broken off shoots. Only they are initially kept in the refrigerator for two weeks. Do it in the following way. Broken twigs are soaked in water for about an hour. Then they are placed in a plastic bag with wet sand, so that one part of the branch is buried two centimeters in the sand. The bag is tied tightly. After fourteen days, the cuttings are planted in the ground and grown as described above.

You can also cut spruce in winter. To do this, five centimeters of cut shoots are cleared of needles and placed in a growth stimulator. You will also need a paper towel or napkins, on which you need to lay wet moss, and on top of it, spruce cuttings, with the bare part. All this is rolled up and tied with thread. Then such a landing structure is placed in a bag, which is tied and placed on the window. By the beginning of May, the cuttings should have put down roots, and then they can be planted in open ground for growing. But to preserve the cuttings, they need to provide greenhouse conditions. At which the air temperature should be at least thirteen degrees, and the soil about ten. You also need to monitor soil moisture; stagnant moisture is detrimental to seedlings. Bright sun rays can cause burns, so young spruce trees are shaded in the first months after planting.

In my previous article on the propagation of blue spruce by seed, I wrote that such offspring do not always inherit the blue color of the needles and other advantages of the maternal form. In addition, get seeds from forms with blue or silver colored needles, various American species and Siberian species spruce seems to be quite a difficult task for the average amateur gardener. And such seeds, obtained with difficulty, in many cases are of low quality.
Therefore, the seed method of propagating blue spruces in practice, as a rule, has rather low efficiency. Free from these disadvantages vegetative methods propagation of blue spruce trees by cuttings and grafting. Such methods of propagation completely transmit to the offspring all the decorative characteristics of the mother plants.
Propagation of spruce trees by cuttings begins with the preparation of cuttings. As mother plants, trees of blue, bluish, silvery forms of North American species and the Siberian spruce species are used, growing in many places in public gardens, in arboretums, in the Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as well as in garden plots in Yekaterinburg and other cities in the region. Age mother plants usually represents 4-40 years. Research has established that cuttings from 4-10-year-old plants root by 70-80%, and from 30-year-old trees - only by 50%. Cuttings from seed plants take root better.
Harvesting is carried out by tearing off lateral shoots on the axial branches of the first, second and third orders of branching. When peeled off, a small layer of old wood remains on the harvested shoots, protecting the cuttings from rotting. With this harvesting method, no resin is released at the fracture and the xylem elements of the conducting system are not clogged. When cutting cuttings, resin is released from the resin passages in a few minutes, preventing the flow of growth substances into the cutting. For convenience, when planting cuttings in the substrate, only the burrs that form when peeling off are trimmed with pruning shears.
The best time to harvest spruce cuttings for vegetative propagation its in amateur conditions is spring. This is the end of April-beginning of May, when the covering scales of the buds begin to move apart and the green cone extends.
Practice has shown that in such cuttings root formation begins in 75-80 days. 4-5 months after planting, the roots of the cuttings reach a length of 15-20 cm, having a second and third order, and become more elastic.
Cuttings can also be harvested in the summer after shoot growth has completed in the second half of July. But during the remaining time of the growing season, such cuttings do not have time to take root in open ground and can only form callus. Rooting of these cuttings occurs only the next year.
Cuttings prepared in the fall (September-November) and winter, when the rooting process is transferred to greenhouses, also take root well.
Rooting is done in greenhouses different designs under glass or film cover. Temporary portable film greenhouses can also be used.
Cuttings can be planted either directly into the substrate in the greenhouse or into the substrate of planting boxes located in the greenhouse. In principle, instead of planting boxes in amateur conditions, milk cartons, glasses or cylinders of wood can be used for planting cuttings. polyethylene film and other similar containers with soil mixture. Such greenhouses can be cold and with natural or artificial heating. The best temperatures for rooting spruce cuttings are the following temperatures: substrate at a depth of 5 cm – 13-20°C, air at the level of the cutting buds – 10-19°C, with their nighttime values ​​decreasing by 2-3°C. The indicated substrate and air temperatures significantly accelerate the root formation process. Therefore, when rooting spruce cuttings, it is very advisable to have insulated soil in the greenhouse.
In the process of constructing a greenhouse, drainage of small stones or crushed stone must be laid on its bottom in a layer of 4-5 cm. A layer of turf soil about 10 cm thick is poured on top of the drainage layer, and on top of another 5-6 cm layer of a mixture of peat and washed quartz sand(1:3) or such a layer of only one sand. During the entire rooting process, the substrate temperature should not exceed 20°C. A fully filled greenhouse is watered so that the water well saturates not only the substrate, but also the underlying layer of nutrient soil, and then it is covered with tightly glazed frames or film. The distance between the surface of the substrate and the glazed frame or film should be at least 20 cm, and preferably about 30 cm.
During the harvesting process or immediately after it, the cuttings are placed in plastic bags and, tied, transported to the planting site. Harvesting is carried out in cloudy weather, either early in the morning or late in the evening. Axial shoots, especially of the first order, practically do not take root. In these cuttings, 2-3 weeks after planting, the apical buds bloom, an increase of up to 3-6 cm appears, which significantly increases the consumption of nutrients and water. The appearance of growth earlier than the roots entails the drying out of such cuttings. At the same time, the lateral shoots of the same branch (group I) take root well. They first form roots and then growth. Therefore, now only side shoots are taken from cuttings. Their preparation by peeling off in spring time does not harm the mother plant. Wounds on the axial shoot mother plant after 3-4 weeks they are completely covered with resin, and after a year they are overgrown with bark. The axial shoot, from which the lateral shoots are harvested, has 3-5 apical buds; it grows well and opens all the buds. After two years, side shoots can again be harvested from the same branch. You should not cut off a branch or “foot,” especially since it contains axial shoots that practically do not take root. At the same time, removing the axial shoot with apical buds harms the mother plant.
All lateral shoots of one year of growth on the axial shoot are divided into groups: Group I - whorl of shoots located in the apical part of the axial shoot, Group II - the next whorl, and so on. Cuttings of group II root worse than group I. In the year of root formation, their buds do not bloom. Cuttings of group III take root especially poorly and take a long time. Their roots form in the 2nd and even 3rd year. The buds awaken in the 3rd and 4th years, in some in the 5th year, and the cuttings themselves of this group usually die from shading of the growing, previously rooted cuttings. Axial shoots of the second and third orders of branching, as well as lateral shoots from the same whorls (group I) take root well. Rooting ability is also influenced by the size of the layer from which the shoots are harvested.
Before planting, harvested cuttings are treated with growth substances IBA or IAA for rooting and improvement of root formation processes. These substances, which are acids, have a stimulating effect on root formation in solutions with a concentration of 0.005 to 0.01%. They are poorly soluble in water, so they are first dissolved in alcohol, and then water is added to the desired concentration.
Often they are used not in the form of solutions, but in the form of special pastes. In amateur gardening practice, the sodium salt of IAA, a heteroauxin that is highly soluble in water, is most often used as a root formation stimulator. To stimulate root formation of spruce cuttings, a solution of 100 mg of heteroauxin in 1 liter of water has proven to work well. In the specified solution at room temperature the lower parts of the cuttings are soaked for 15-16 hours. A number of experts also point to a good stimulating effect on root formation in spruce cuttings by soaking them in a solution of potassium permanganate at a concentration of 0.1 to 0.25%. An experimental test showed that spruce cuttings treated optimal concentrations growth substances at room temperature of the solution, roots appear after 1.5 months, and in untreated cuttings - after 3 months (most of them take root only in the second year). The number of roots is most often 1-2 per cutting (Fig. 1).
Research by specialists has revealed that the rooting of cuttings prepared in the optimal phase for root formation, the expansion of the covering scales of the buds and the extension of the green cone, is strongly influenced by low positive temperatures. At the same time, the best results in rooting were revealed by cuttings treated only with water, and then placed in sand to a depth of 1-2 cm and placed in the refrigerator for 8-12 days at a temperature of +3 to +5°C. There was no lighting in the refrigerator while the cuttings were in the refrigerator. The beginning of the appearance of roots in such cuttings is noted after 40-45 days, massive - after 55-60 days.
On cuttings treated with growth substances, when stored in the refrigerator, rooting was lower, the number of roots was smaller and they were less developed. The rooting rate of cuttings treated with water only after being in the refrigerator for 8-12 days was 94-95%. In my opinion, this technology for preparing spruce cuttings for rooting does not present any difficulty for gardeners at all. You just need to take an appropriate plastic bag, place a 4-5 cm thick layer of wet sand in it, immersing the rooted cuttings treated with water (soaked in water) in the sand to a depth of 1-2 cm. Next, tie the bag tightly on top, thereby preventing strong evaporation of moisture, and place it in a regular home refrigerator on a shelf, where the temperature is maintained at 3-5° for 8-12 days.
The treated cuttings are planted in greenhouses at an angle of 20-30° to the soil surface to a depth of about 1 cm with a distance of 5x5 cm. They are also planted in planting boxes or other planting containers in the same way. The lower part of the cuttings is not cleared of needles. Before planting the cuttings, the top layer of the substrate is slightly moistened and compacted.
After planting the cuttings, the greenhouses are covered tightly with lightweight glass or polyethylene frames and topped with one layer of gauze or sparse burlap for shading.
Caring for planted cuttings in the first year consists of constant watering, weeding and ventilation of the greenhouses. Water 6-8 times a day. Ventilation is carried out by lifting the edge of the frame. To determine the need to ventilate and water the greenhouse, it is very advisable to place two thermometers in it to determine the temperature of the air and the substrate, as well as a device for determining humidity. It is especially convenient to use electronic remote monitoring devices for this purpose.
The rooting of cuttings largely depends on weather conditions in summer period. In warm summers, the rooting rate of spruce cuttings harvested from side shoots, according to experts, averages 40-50%, and in cold summers - only 20-30%. In the fall, at the end of September, the shelters from the greenhouses are removed to harden the cuttings. In dry autumn, watering of greenhouses continues. For the winter, the cuttings are not covered or mulched. Cuttings located in planting boxes or other portable containers can be transferred to cool rooms or rooms for the winter, covered with glass or film, be sure to be periodically sprayed and ventilated, and thus preserved until spring. In the spring of next year, as soon as the soil thaws, the greenhouses are again covered with glass or film frames and shaded with gauze or sparse burlap. Planting boxes and portable containers with cuttings are again placed in greenhouses. In spring, unrooted and weakly rooted cuttings in greenhouses with 1-2 unbranched roots protrude from the soil and then fall. Therefore, they are planted again in a loose substrate. During the summer they remove weeds three times. In August, the cuttings are gradually hardened and the cover is removed. In the second year, well-preserved cuttings take root and begin to grow. Only in the 3rd year do the cuttings form a relatively good root system and growth. Rooted cuttings are transplanted into the school only at the end of the 4th and sometimes the 5th year. Thus, the cuttings remain at the rooting site in the greenhouse for 4-5 years. Cuttings located in planting boxes or portable containers can outstrip cuttings in greenhouses in growth and be planted earlier. It should be noted that the rooting of spruce cuttings is positively affected by making a split about 1 cm deep in the middle of the butt part with a knife before planting them.
The soil on the ridges used for schooling must be sufficiently fertile and moisture-absorbing. It is highly desirable to contain a high peat content. Rooted cuttings are planted in rows at a distance of 40 cm row from row and 15 cm in a row. In the first year of replanting, it is very advisable to keep the school beds under film, which significantly reduces the number dead plants. In winter, the soil on the ridges in the year of transplantation must be mulched to protect the root system from frost. To accelerate the growth of seedlings in the school, they are fed and watered. All plants in the school initially grow obliquely.
The largest apical shoots are formed first, then the growth of lower lateral shoots and branches intensifies and a bush-shaped tree begins to appear (Fig. 2).
Gradually, by the age of 7-9, the shoots of the central stem begin to increase in size and most plants take on a natural tree-like shape, albeit with a thickened base of the crown. If the year of rooting of the cuttings is considered the year of growth, then by the age of 10 the trees reach 0.6-1.1 m in height. The best of them have a regular crown and apical shoots (in the 10th year) 30-40 cm in length. The height, for example, of Siberian blue spruce seedlings at the same age under the same growth conditions was 0.9-1.7 m, that is, it significantly exceeded the growth of cuttings.
Some of the cuttings of spruce plants at 10 years of age remain bush-like with a strongly thickened and expanded crown base. To improve the shape of the crown of such a tree and accelerate its growth in height, it is necessary to apply artificial crown formation to it with thinning and removal of the lower branches. Reason better growth spruce seedlings in comparison with its cuttings is the worse development of the root system of the latter. For example, digging up 8-year-old cuttings of Siberian blue spruce plants showed that most of them had a unique root system that developed from one or two axes of those roots that formed in the first year of rooting of the cuttings.
Compared to seedlings of the same age, which had a regular branched root system, the roots of cuttings were one-sided, poorly branched, with a small number of overgrown roots (Fig. 3, 4). Only a small part of the cuttings had a good root system, which explains their slower growth. Despite this disadvantage, only cuttings of spruce plants completely retain all maternal characteristics.
In the 80s of the last century, I was also involved in the propagation of blue spruce and Siberian blue spruce using the technology described above. I collected cuttings from trees in one of the public gardens in Yekaterinburg (prickly blue spruce) and in my garden (Siberian blue spruce). Of course, the cuttings were prepared by tearing off with the heel, not axial, but lateral of the first order. Everything was done very carefully without causing any particular damage to the trees. The cuttings were soaked in a heteroauxin solution and around May 15 they were planted under film in a greenhouse in the above-mentioned substrate. At the same time, my mother lived in my garden, who, according to my instructions, watered the cuttings 5 ​​times a day and ventilated the greenhouse, while maintaining its shading. In total, 10 cuttings of prickly blue spruce and 15 cuttings of Siberian blue spruce were planted. In the autumn of the first year, as expected, the cuttings were hardened. For the winter, the soil under the cuttings was not mulched. As the snow fell, they were covered with snow. In the spring of the second year, 4 uprooted cuttings of prickly blue spruce and 6 uprooted cuttings of Siberian blue spruce were discovered, which were again planted in the substrate. By the end of the second year, 6 prickly blue spruce plants and 11 Siberian blue spruce plants remained. The plants were kept in a greenhouse for 5 years. At the same time, by the end of the 5th year, 4 plants of prickly blue spruce and 8 plants of Siberian blue spruce were preserved. In the autumn of the 5th year, the plants were planted in a shkolka on a ridge, where they were grown until they were 10 years old. Plant loss was also observed after planting them in the school in the first year. In total, in the 10th year of growth, 3 prickly blue spruce plants and 7 Siberian blue spruce plants remained. I believe that with all the costs of mastering the technology of growing cuttings of spruce plants, my result of growing it is quite good. In my opinion, mastering this technology is quite accessible to any amateur gardener.

I like very much coniferous trees. There are only a few of them on the site yet. Among all the variety of species, the most attractive is blue spruce. They gave me several cuttings and I decided to try growing Christmas trees near my house.

The first experience was unsuccessful, as I planted it in the fall. Now I did everything according to the rules - and everything worked out. I share with all conifer lovers my experience of what it means to propagate blue spruce from cuttings, and how to do everything according to the rules in order to get a beautiful blue spruce on your site.

1. Under natural conditions, this plant grows in North America(west and southwest). The same spruce trees can also be found in the northern regions of Russia.
2. IN Lately is gaining more and more popularity. Blue spruce is successfully grown in regions with different climates.
3. Blue spruce not only looks very impressive anywhere on the site, but also has a number of undeniable advantages, including good resistance to frosty winters. This allows you to grow ephedra even in the northern regions.
4. IN wildlife the tree grows up to 40 m. Blue spruce is a long-living tree, can live up to 200 years.
5. Young spruce trees have a crown of a narrow cone in diameter; in older trees it grows and becomes cylindrical.
6. A distinctive feature and highlight of the plant is the unusual color of the needles - with a bluish-blue coating. This is where the name comes from - Blue Spruce.
7. The fruits are represented by cones Brown with a diameter of about 4 - 5 cm. The waxy coating present on the plant and giving this color protects it from harmful precipitation and protects the branches from fumes. Thanks to this characteristic feature, the decorativeness of blue spruce is always at its best.

Important: a separate type There is no such thing as Blue Spruce. This definition is given solely based on external characteristics (bluish color of needles). This color can be found in Canadian, Siberian, prickly, Serbian, Sitka, black, Engelmann and common spruce.

Popular varieties

Below are some known varieties, which are planted not only in private areas, but are also favorites in city gardens, grow near various institutions. Many of them grow well in conditions of gas pollution, pollution and soil compaction within the city. Many types are intended to decorate streets and squares.

Hoto

Refers to the species of prickly spruce. Distinctive feature- Propagated well by cuttings. They take root well and almost all take root.

Glauca Globosa

The variety also belongs to the Prickly Spruce family. It is characterized by slower growth, but is very popular among amateur gardeners and is often used for city landscaping.

Alberta Blue

This spruce has a dense and dense crown with bluish branches. The main difference is the small diameter of the cones (3 - 3.5 cm), which immediately distinguishes the plant from others. Refers to Canadian or Gray spruce. Counts dwarf variety, which allows it to be grown in small areas.

Nana

The variety is quite famous and old, having more than one clone. Belongs to the Black Spruce species. This spruce is dwarf, with a dense crown, compact and has an almost perfectly symmetrical crown. The needles are short and stick out a little. The blue tint is obtained due to the stomatal stripes, which are very visible on the needles.

Glauca

The variety belongs to the Siberian spruce species. The difference is that there is an official form of blue spruce. The same applies to Coerulea. It differs from green fir trees only in the color of the crown.

These are just a few varietal varieties. There is a huge selection of blue spruce trees in the world. You can choose completely different ones, differing in the shape of the crown and needles, different shades blue and gray, growth rates and care characteristics.

Propagation of blue spruce using cuttings

This method will require some knowledge and time. You will also have to strictly follow all the rules. Only in this case will the cuttings take root. Let's look at all the procedures step by step.

Preparatory work

1. First, prepare the cuttings. It is important to choose a tree whose age should be between 4 and 10 years. The highest quality cuttings are considered to be those taken from spruce grown by seed.
2. If you take a spruce that is too young for cuttings, then the rooting of the cuttings is only 80%. Spruce trees that are too old produce sprouts, of which only half survive.
3. It is better to take branches for rooting from the sides of the spruce; choose horizontal shoots from last year. Be sure to leave a piece of old bark (“heel”) at the end.
4. So the stalk it will take root better and take root. And also in this way the release of resins is delayed and clogging of the vessels of the plant tissue is prevented. Accordingly, there will be no rotting processes.
5. It is better to break off the branches, since when using a sharp knife or other gardening tools Resin begins to be released, and the plant loses nutrients.
6. The recommended length for sprouts is from 6 cm to 10 cm. Cuttings are planted on the same day they were picked. If it is necessary to transport, then wrap the shoots in damp cloth from natural material.

The best time is considered to be the third ten days of April and until the beginning of May. During this period, the bud scales move apart and a green cone extends. If you choose the right time, the roots will appear on the 80th day. After 5 months, the root system will already be about 20 cm long.

Some gardeners prepare cuttings in summer season. Young Christmas trees do not have time to put down roots; only callus is formed - an influx on the cutting, consisting of plant tissue. The root system then begins to form from it.

First rub the cut areas with Kornevin. Heteroauxin can be used. Soak the cuttings in the solution, following the instructions, for 15 - 16 hours. If the branches were cut earlier, then immerse them in settled water for several hours.

Rooting cuttings

• Next, plant the prepared planting material in small greenhouses. A suitable substrate should consist of high-moor peat and coconut substrate. Such soil will be light and nutritious, which will allow the cuttings to take root much faster.
• The components must be mixed until smooth. Place a drainage layer in the container, which usually consists of dry bark or peat screenings. Next, fill in the soil mixture.
• Option suitable soil: mix sand, peat, and perlite from the site in equal proportions. The result should be light and loose soil, well permeable to air and moisture.
• The cuttings are inserted at an angle of 45 degrees to a depth of no more than 3 - 4 cm. Compact the soil with your hands so that there are no voids left in the soil. The most top layer should do river sand. Its thickness should be no more than a few centimeters. It is needed to ensure that the lower part of the cuttings does not rot.
• The last step is watering. Next, the greenhouses are closed and placed in a place where there is no sunlight. The branches take root in 8 - 10 weeks. It is important to periodically ventilate the soil at this time. It is recommended to moisten from the moment the root shoots appear, although some gardeners water as the top layer of soil dries.
• The humidity level should be high, spray the cuttings and the air in the room. Loosen the soil in the container regularly to allow oxygen to enter the soil. If the temperature is too low, then cover the top of the greenhouse with warm mats.

After some time, do not forget to treat the soil with fungicides and insecticides to disinfect the plant and prevent infection by viruses and infections that may be in the soil.

Caring for cuttings after planting

During the winter months, place containers or boxes in a cool place under glass or polyethylene. In the spring, inspect the planted cuttings. Any weak or fallen ones need to be replanted and they will send out additional roots by the end of summer.

1. Throughout the summer months, it is necessary to constantly moisten the soil and ensure timely watering.
2. Only at the end of summer can you begin to remove the cover so that the sprouts begin to harden.
3. The next year, usually there is good growth and rooting continues.
4. Only in the third year do the cuttings finally develop a sufficiently strong root system.
5. Christmas trees are kept in greenhouse conditions for almost 5 years. To really get beautiful conifers, you need to be patient.
6. When young plants are about 10 years old, then their height should be approximately 1 m.

Conclusion

• The cutting process should begin in the spring. It is better to take twigs from a middle-aged blue spruce - about 10 - 20 years old, otherwise not all cuttings will take root.
• It is important not only to prepare light and nutrient substrate, but also provide regular watering and loosening. It is important to comply temperature regime(10 - 19 degrees Celsius).
• In greenhouse conditions, the plant will last about 5 years, since the root system and crown develop slowly. Young spruce trees also need preventive treatments drugs against diseases.