Replant a birch tree from the forest. Which plants to choose? What soil will birch grow well in?

Birch is the beauty of Russian forests and one of the symbols of Russia. If you want to see it on your summer cottage, then you need to know how to plant a birch tree correctly, what is its care and how to grow it? Then she will delight you with her magnificent appearance every day, because she lives for a very long time!

Location on

A tall and slender birch tree can easily become a decoration for a garden or personal plot. It is undemanding to soil, but needs large quantities moisture. It literally sucks out any water within a radius of about 10 meters around the trunk. Therefore, before planting, you need to choose a place where ornamental or agricultural crops do not grow.

At first, a birch sprout seems small and fragile, but over time it turns into a tall, powerful tree, so you should choose the planting site wisely. A distance of 4 m from gas and water pipes and building foundations should be maintained. If there is not much space on the site, you can choose one of decorative species birch trees Among them there are low (7-8 m) trees that can coexist with other plants on limited area. Of course, such trees do not grow in our forests, and seedlings will need to be purchased from nurseries.

Tree from the forest

If you can afford to plant a full-fledged birch tree in your dacha, then in a simple way will be its cultivation from the forest. In this case, the most important step there will be a search for a small seedling. Inexperienced gardeners who want to quickly grow a tree often plant fairly mature seedlings, 1-1.5 m tall. But in most cases, such a tree does not live long in your dacha.

The fact is that at this age the plant already has quite extensive root system. To replant it painlessly, you need to dig up the plant along with a lump of soil with a volume of about 1 square meter. m, which is an impossible task.

When going in search of a seedling, you need to look for the smallest plants. Good choice the tree will become 50-60 cm high, but ideally it is better to find a very young one, about 20 cm in height, because it is the easiest to grow. When digging, it is necessary to step back from the trunk by 30-40 cm and, if possible, preserve as much as possible more land(at least 10 l). It is also recommended to note the location of the tree relative to the cardinal directions, and plant it on the site in the same way.

The planting site should be well lit, but in the first few days it is better to shade the sprout a little. It is also necessary to immediately water the plant abundantly, and if the first few days after planting are hot, then watering must be continued. When planting, do not forget that in a few years it will be a massive tree with a wide crown. Consider whether it will disturb your neighbors by shading their area or sucking water and minerals from the soil. It is better to immediately assess the situation, how much territory your tree needs, in order to avoid conflicts in the future and grow it correctly; the plant lives for a very long time.

Planting from seeds

A more time-consuming, but at the same time reliable way to grow birch is to plant seeds. They can be bought or collected in the autumn. You can tell that the seeds are ripe by running your hand over the earring. If this causes them to begin to crumble, then you can collect several earrings and tie them into a “broom”. After this, the earrings dry out within 7 days and the seeds can be shaken out of them.

It is advisable to plant the seeds in the same autumn when they were collected. Before planting, it is recommended to treat them with an antifungal agent and clear the soil of any weeds. In the first days after planting, it is necessary to regularly water the seeds, and in winter, cover the planting site with snow.

Growing Instructions

How to grow from a branch

You can even start growing this tree in an apartment. You can use his thread for this. Growing birch by cuttings is more difficult than most other trees, but if the care is correct, it is quite possible.

First of all, you need to cut the branches correctly. It is necessary to do this in the morning, or on a cloudy day, so that the cut cuttings retain enough moisture. It is better to choose a tree that lives 2-3 years. The length of the branch should be within 5-10 cm. We make the cut obliquely to increase the area of ​​contact with water. Upper part should also be cut, but perpendicular to the branch, to reduce moisture evaporation.

Cut branches must be placed in a container with a small amount of water and covered lightly on top. damp cloth. Can also be processed bottom part cuttings with the drug "Kornevin" for better growth roots. When roots appear on the branch, you can replant it in the ground. Until autumn, the birch tree should be watered regularly and protected from direct sunlight. How many months will it take for the seedling to get stronger? In 3-4 months, if the care was correct, the seedling will be fully strengthened and ready for planting in open ground.

Growing at home

It is easier to transplant a seedling properly grown from a cutting into the ground than one dug up in the forest. In this case, you will definitely not damage the root system and the probability of tree survival will increase significantly. How much should you water it, you ask? After planting, it is necessary to water the seedling for 3-4 days. Birch is a fairly frost-resistant tree, it lives for a long time, so even a short autumn will be enough for it to strengthen for the winter and no matter how many frosts there are in winter, it will survive everything.

Starting next spring, you can begin annual preventative care for birch. It is not much different from caring for other plants.

Watering

An adult birch tree consumes a lot of water (a few trees can even drain a swamp). Therefore, on hot days it needs to be watered at the rate of 1 bucket per square meter. crown meter.

Loosening the soil

Many weeds will not grow under the birch tree, since most of them will lack moisture. For decorative purposes, loosening can be carried out to combat small herbaceous plants. But it is not recommended to go deeper than 3 cm, because the birch root system is located very close to the surface.

Pest Control

Pests and diseases cannot cause critical harm to the tree, but they can ruin it appearance. How many times should I do prophylaxis? For prevention, it is necessary to treat the crown and trunk with fungicides and insecticides once a year and the tree lives peacefully without pests.

Trimming

To give the crown an attractive appearance, you can trim off excess branches. But it needs to be done in early spring, before the juices begin to flow. If you plant it correctly and properly care for a birch tree, it will live for more than 100 years and how many wonderful days it will bring you! Therefore, it will delight not only you, but also your children and grandchildren with its beauty and quiet rustling of leaves, the main thing is to grow it correctly!

Video

Sometimes at the dacha, especially nearby, there is a beautiful forest guest - birch. It is quite possible to grow this tree yourself and make it a real pearl, which will delight you with its pretty beauty and very useful qualities.

Features of birch

The charming birch is a tall tree with a straight or drooping openwork crown. Its easily recognizable trunk is covered with smooth, peeling bark, most often snow-white, pink or brown. In spring and summer, the foliage of the tree is painted in bright light green tones, and in the fall it dresses up in a beautiful golden yellow color.

Birch has a powerful but shallow root system, which grows to the sides by 4-10 m, is in great need of nutrients, and especially moisture. An adult large tree can take up to 60 liters from the soil in summer. water per day. Therefore, the space under the birch trees is very scarce for vegetation, and it is not recommended to plant fruit trees closer than 10 m to the birch tree.

One more characteristic feature birch tree is its rapid growth. For example, the popular weeping birch grows very moderately at first, but after the first decade it grows sharply - approximately 70-90 cm per year, finally reaching an average of 20-25 m. The height of some wild birch species can exceed 30-40 m. Therefore This tree is best suited for large and medium-sized suburban areas. And on small dacha dwarf and medium-growing varieties birch trees up to 3-10 m high (varieties Joungii, Gracilis, Long Trunk, Trost's Dwarf, Purpurea etc.).

Also birch:

• very unpretentious
• not demanding on soil,
• frost-resistant,
• not afraid of drought,
• its life expectancy is at least 100 years.

At the same time, it needs good lighting.

Benefits of growing birch trees

Soil against excess soil moisture

Birch trees will drain the soil well and will become a real salvation for areas located in the lowlands or on the slope of a hill - moisture often accumulates in such areas, and the area turns into a “swamp”. In such places, it is recommended to plant a birch tree on the side towards which the natural slope is directed - it will drain the soil not only within the root system, but 10-12 m in front of the root boundary.

An excellent choice for landscaping

Birch trees in the country can be planted along or formed hedge. It's very beautiful ornamental plant. This type of landscaping especially looks good when decorating a “wild” landscape or landscape in the so-called. rustic "Russian" style. In this regard, the birch tree looks picturesque next to or against the background of wooden buildings.

Also, sometimes birch is planted in a group together with other trees, for example, it goes well with linden, rowan, willow, oak, viburnum, as well as maple, beech or bird cherry.

Cozy shade for relaxing in the country

Under an adult birch tree, a pleasant dense shadow remains, so you can always relax comfortably under its crowns, even in the midday heat. It is appropriate to “cover” the recreation area with birch trees - to do this, place a bench or other garden furniture, hang a hammock or .

Birch herbal medicine

The natural gifts of birch have healing properties. In particular, a diluted tincture of birch leaves or buds is useful for healing bedsores and wounds, young leaves can be applied as a compress for radiculitis, an infusion of buds is used as a cleansing diuretic for swelling, baths from birch leaves will help with rheumatism and gout. Buds should be harvested from January to March, and young leaves should be harvested closer to May.

Birch juice

Undoubtedly, the magical birch sap, which is collected in the first half of spring - after the thaw and before the buds open, will also benefit the family. This natural drink is not only tasty, but also very healthy; you can drink it directly, can it, or prepare a variety of syrups.

An adult birch tree can produce up to 1 bucket of sap. The incision is made shallow, up to 2 cm, then a tube without a top is inserted. To prevent the tree from disappearing, the cuts in the bark must be plugged with a wooden plug, then covered with clay or garden varnish.

Wind protection

Several birch trees will provide good protection from the wind, and therefore other horticultural crops from freezing. This is especially true for areas on flat, windy terrain. Only the crown height of birch trees must correspond to the planting level of the protected plants.

Raw materials for compost

Fallen birch leaves or its smallest branches for weeping species are excellent raw materials for creating compost. The tree regularly renews its foliage, from which you can form a rich organic fertilizer for or. At the same time, do not forget to periodically clean the area under the birch tree.

Branches for brooms, firewood and birch bark

From tree branches you can make wonderful birch brooms for a home bath, which are best prepared closer to July. In addition, birch branches can be useful as food for goats or. Also, trimmed or dry branches are suitable for logs, and peeled and dried upper layer bark (birch bark) can be used for various artistic crafts.

Planting (transplantation) and care

1. You can buy seedlings of special varieties of birch, but the easiest way is to dig them up in the forest in early spring and replant them. Choose specimens no older than 3-5 years and no higher than 1.3 m, as mature birch trees are less accepted.
2. When transplanting from the forest, in order not to confuse the variety, be guided by the appearance of mature birch trees growing nearby. When digging, step back from the trunk at least 30 cm, save the soil on the roots, place the seedling in cellophane, tie it with a rope.
3. Select a place for planting birch on the site that is well lit, and holes should be dug in advance, approximately 60x60x60 cm in size. Hammer a peg for a garter into the corner of the hole. In this case, plan the distance between the seedlings to be at least 3 m. Then prepare a substrate from soil, peat (humus) and sand in a ratio of 2:1:2.
4. Before planting, pour a bucket of water into the hole, and the roots of the seedling can be dipped in a regular clay solution. Then carefully add soil and tie up the seedling. Control what to root collar Under no circumstances should the tree go below the soil horizon, otherwise the birch tree will disappear.
5. The seedling should be watered for several days after transplantation, and then after rooting, about once a week, especially in hot weather.
6. When weeding, loosen the soil under the birch tree by 3-4 cm. Then mulch with peat or wood chips or plant there suitable plants or weed.
7. A young tree can be fed in the spring - by 10 liters. take 15 g of ammonium nitrate, 1.0 kg and 10-15 g of carbamide (urea).
8. In case of infection by gypsy moth, tubeworm or May beetle Damaged leaves and branches need to be collected and burned, the space under the tree should be dug up, and bugs should be removed. Also, make sure that the birch tree does not have a tinder fungus.

Generally trim a birch tree, especially young ones, is not recommended - she can get sick and waste away. Therefore, it is often enough just to remove dry branches in the fall.

If there is still a need for pruning, then try to do it carefully. Pruning is carried out at the end of the flow of sap or already in the fall, after the foliage has fallen. Most often, heavily overgrown skeletal branches of large birch trees are cut off, only the cut site must be sealed with garden varnish.

Some summer residents practice crown trimming relatively young birch trees several years after transplantation is completed. Thanks to this, the growth of only the side branches is activated and over time you can achieve a very dense crown. In addition, the birch tree will soon stop growing in height.

Mature birch trees are sometimes at your own risk trimmed to resemble a palm tree. To do this, remove the top of the birch and all its side branches that go below, leaving 10-15 cm on the trunk from the thickest branches. In the future, the birch tree will be covered with young branches that will grow as if from one point.

The slender white birch has always been considered a symbol of Russia, the personification of the Russian soul. She is demanding of herself and growing conditions. Many years will pass before a birch sapling turns into beautiful tree, its height reaches from 15 to 30 m. The large spreading crown draws a lot of moisture from the soil, so seedlings of forest beauties are recommended to be planted in spacious areas.

Having a small personal plot There is no need to give up planting birch trees. Dwarf varieties will come to the rescue here, the height of which reaches a maximum of 8-10 m.

When choosing a place to plant a birch tree, pay attention to:

- there must be at least 5 m from the wall of any building to the tree;

— distance to communications and drainage system not less than 3 m;

— the distance to fruit and berry bushes and trees is 3-5 m;

— during the flowering period, birch “catkins” release pollen containing allergens;

- when planting several birches, the distance between seedlings is 4-5 m;

- if a planting site is chosen near a fence bordering neighbors, then this issue should be discussed with them so that there are no conflicts later;

— on the north side, the crown of a birch tree creates shade. This must be taken into account when planting vegetables.

Not everyone can buy a birch seedling, but digging up a tree in the forest can happen. Therefore, you need to choose a strong, healthy-looking, white-trunked tree no more than 1 m high. The best time for this is - early spring when the leaves have not yet blossomed.

Having found the desired specimen, dig around it with a shovel at a distance of 30-40 cm from the trunk, trying to touch the roots as little as possible. Carefully remove it from the ground and place it together with the earthen lump in a bucket or plastic bag, tied with a rope. You cannot leave the root system in the open air for a long time; the moisture quickly evaporates.

A birch tree from the forest will grow tall (up to 20 m), if such a nuance scares you, then it is better to go to a nursery and buy dwarf variety"Youngii", popular among summer residents. It has beautiful leaves and a bright white trunk.

Choosing a place and soil for planting birch

Drought negatively affects the development of birch, so an open sunny meadow is not suitable for it. In the shade there will be a lack of illumination for the green mass. Based on these restrictions, we choose a site on the north or east side, partial shade. In the south and west, the soil is dried out by the sun.

Birch trees grow in moist and cool soils. Mature tree a day can “drink” up to 20 buckets of water, so you need to take care of watering in advance so that later the remaining crops do not experience a lack of moisture from dehydration of the soil.

Birch planting

In early spring, when the temperature outside is +10°C, the soil is still moist, and the sun is not so hot, it is the best time to plant birch. Dig a planting hole the size of an earthen ball. Add peat, sand, humus and leaf soil to it in equal quantities. Place the seedling in the center, fill it with soil on top, compact it and tie it to the support. Since the tree has not yet taken root and is fragile in the wind, the support will help it stand upright and not bend or fall. After planting, water.

Birch tree care

Immediately after planting in the first half of the day, the tree is shaded with burlap, and in the afternoon the cover is removed.

Water on hot days at the rate of 1 bucket of water per 1 sq.m. crowns

Every spring, birch is treated with a fungicide to prevent diseases and pests. And after the end of the sap flow period, damaged and dry branches are removed from the birch. Occasionally observed.

If necessary, the height of the birch tree is shortened by cutting off branches that are too long.

An adult tree has a mass healing properties In early spring, you can make preparations from birch buds and leaves. And in July, when the leaves grow, birch brooms are made for the bathhouse.

How to collect birch seeds

First, the seeds are checked for ripeness, rubbed in your hand, and if they fall off, then they are ready for collection. The branches are tied into a bundle and hung in a dry place protected from the wind. A cloth is spread below so that if the seeds fall off, they can be collected. After 7 days, the dried seeds are shaken onto a cloth, cleared of debris and left to dry for another 7 days. Sow in late autumn of the same year.

10 days before sowing, furrows are made 5 cm deep and 8-10 cm wide in the direction from east to west. Before sowing, the seeds are treated with antifungal drugs. Sow in calm weather. After sowing, sprinkle with a thin layer of straw and water with a spray bottle. In the future, water also from it so that a soil crust does not form.

Seed germination occurs within 2 weeks. The development of seedlings occurs very slowly, so at first they are vulnerable. When pulling out weeds, you need to be careful not to accidentally touch the small sprouts of birch.

In winter, crops are mulched and covered with snow at the first fall.

Even if you don't intend to grow birch grove, you need to sow a lot of seeds, since germination is low and some of the seedlings may die from mechanical impact when weeding.

Photo 6. Correct depth and width of mulching.

Agricultural technology - mulching, watering, fertilizing and pruning - play an important role in the development and maintenance of the health of birch trees.

Mulching (Photo 6) and proper watering are the most important.

These two measures will help create cool growing conditions in wet soil what birch trees need.

Step 3 – Growing the Tree

Mulching. In addition to aesthetic benefits, mulching your soil regulates soil temperature (keeps the soil cool during the summer heat), retains water in the soil, reduces competition from other plants, introduces organic matter into the soil during decomposition, and reduces soil density.

In addition, the decomposition process helps create new layers of soil with an improved structure that better retains water and allows for oxygen exchange.

Finally, placing mulch around the base of the tree reduces the likelihood of the stem being damaged by a lawn mower or weed shears. All these points create a healthy environment for tree roots and also promote tree growth.

The best materials for mulching are wood chips, shredded bark, leaves and compost.

Rock mulch can also be used, but while it helps regulate soil temperature and retain water, rock mulch does not add organic matter to the soil or inhibit weed growth.

Moreover, if you use white marble chips, heat reflection can be a problem, and crushed limestone can raise the pH of the soil. If the desired type of mulch to be used is stone, crushed stone or washed river stone will be the best option.

Do not place plastic under any mulch as it can slow water movement and reduce the diffusion of oxygen into the soil.

Watering. Having enough water is the most important factor in maintaining the healthy development of a birch tree. If rainfall is insufficient, additional watering may be necessary.

During the growing season, slow (2-3 hours) and deep (20-40 cm) watering once a week is general rule to maintain sufficient soil moisture. Rare, light watering is not recommended.

Running a hose in the ground allows water to be delivered slowly, directly to the tree's root system and is a very good technique for ensuring proper watering.

The soil from which you can form a ball in your hand is sufficiently moist; loose, dry soil that crumbles in your hands indicates the need for additional watering.

Watering should be reduced in late August to ensure the tree is properly prepared for winter.

Fertilizer. Fertilizer is beneficial only when there are not enough nutrients. To determine the need for corrective measures, a soil sampling procedure is required.

If a tree is showing symptoms of stress that are not the result of nutrient deficiencies, fertilizer will not correct the problem.

Reasons for fertilizing:

eliminating nutritional deficiencies;

acceleration of growth when trying to quickly create new plantings;

health maintenance (usually for nitrogen replenishment).

Best time for fertilizing trees in the northern regions - late autumn or early spring. Fertilizer should not be applied between mid-August and mid-September as this may cause growth spurts and new shoots that may not harden off until winter.

The tree must be provided nutrients during its peak growth period in spring and early summer. Fertilizers should not be applied when the ground is frozen.

Important points:

Fertilize the soil only when soil samples show a lack or imbalance of nutrients;

make sure that after applying fertilizers a sufficient amount of water will flow into the soil;

Fertilize the soil in late fall or early spring. Avoid fertilizing between mid-August and mid-September;

Use slow-breaking fertilizers.

Trimming.

The pruning tips in this section are very general in nature and should be considered alongside the material provided after the discussion of the insect pest, the bronze birch borer.

Excessive pruning (more than 25 percent of the tree's living canopy) should be avoided.

Extensive pruning increases light penetration into the root zone and can increase soil temperatures and reduce soil moisture levels. Birch trees should not be pruned between May 1 and August 1. This is the flight period of the bronze birch borer, and female borers have been found to be attracted to fresh birch cuttings.

If pruning must be done during this period of time, it is necessary to treat the cuts with an insecticide. Wound dressings should not be used as they are not effective in repelling the borer and do not promote wound healing.

Proper and timely pruning techniques are important and should be followed when pruning trees. Please read the article entitled "How to Trim Trees" for detailed guidance.

Step 4: Monitor and Track Pest Problems Photo 8. Classic example

tree infected with the birch borer.

Photo 7. Early summer darkening of foliage caused by birch leaf miner. Birch trees are often attacked by two types of common insect pests - birch leaf miner And

Narrow-bodied bronze birch borer. Attacks of birch leaf miners do not kill trees, however, they can reduce the aesthetic appearance by discoloring the leaves Brown color

(Photo 7).

In addition, a severe infestation can weaken the tree's ability to resist attack by the bronze birch borer. Bronze birch borer

capable of destroying a tree (Photo 8). This is a small beetle that takes root well on weakened trees.

The wilting process of a tree can take several years before it dies, although this can happen very quickly during one hot, dry year. Birch wilt can be stopped in its early stages, but recovery after crown damage of more than 50 percent is unlikely.

Photo 9. Wasting caused by bronze birch borer.

Class 1 - healthy tree. Class 2 - the tree is in the early stages of infection with the narrow-bodied bronze birch borer. Classes 3 and 4 - trees at stages of greater infestation of the bronze birch borer. Class 5 - the tree is very close to death.

Trees in classes 2 and 3 can be cured of bronze birch borer to varying degrees. Trees in classes 4 and 5 generally cannot be restored.

Leaf leafminer on birch trees can be controlled with insecticides to maintain an aesthetically pleasing appearance and prevent increased stress caused by excessive leaf loss.

Insecticides for leafminer control are often used in three ways:

foliage treatment;

application to the soil or application of an insecticide to the stem or trunk of a tree.

Spraying foliage and applying to the soil, as a rule, the most reliable methods. While there is no supporting evidence to support the fact that applying an insecticide to the stem or trunk of a tree is reliable method control.

Photo 10. Spots that form on leaves as a result of oviposition by leafminers.

Foliage treatment - careful application is necessary for 2-5 days after the first appearance of tiny yellow spots on the leaves after oviposition (Photos 10 and 11). Typically, spots appear within a week or two when the first leaves appear.

Treatments should be applied until the spots begin to turn into large (the size of a five-ruble coin) brown spots.

At this point, it is too late to take action to reduce the damage and insecticides should no longer be used. Instead, attempts can be made to keep the tree healthy by mulching and watering (see Growing Your Tree).

Photo 11. More extensive damage by leafminer.

Photo 10. When these spots appear, it is the right time to spray insecticides on the foliage.

The first procedures, at the very beginning of spring, are the most important.

Additional sprays may be necessary to control subsequent generations of leafminers, but these attacks tend to occur later, involve much smaller numbers of insects, and in most cases do not require control.

Photo 11. This is the last point at which foliar insecticides can be successfully applied.

Application of preparations to the soil - Some insecticides can be applied in the soil, where they are absorbed by the roots and transported to the leaves. These systemic insecticides can produce very good results.

The key to success in soil application is to apply the material very early in the spring, before buds appear.

Later application will not allow time for absorption by roots and transfer to developing leaves. In most cases, soil treatment is best done by hiring a professional tree care company.

Applying preparations to a tree trunk - Some systemic insecticides can be applied directly to trees, brushed or brushed onto the tree trunk to an area just below the lower branches. The insecticide is absorbed through the bark and transported to the leaves. The best time to apply this material is when the leaves begin to develop in spring. The technique is very simple for the homeowner, but its success may be mediocre.

Management of bronze birch borer

After completing steps 1-3 of this article, best action To prevent problems with the narrow-bodied bronze birch borer, there are the following important points:

do not plant a birch tree if the area is not suitable for growing birch;

choose birch species or varieties that are less susceptible to the narrow-bodied borer;

Maintain tree health using cultural practices.

If a tree becomes infested with borer, you must first assess the extent of the infestation (Photo 9).

If the tree is in class 2 or 3, follow the procedures listed below. In most cases, treatment will be sufficient to completely restore the tree. If the tree looks like the one pictured in a grade 4 or 5, it will be very difficult to save and will likely need to be removed.

Treatment 1 : Start regular deep, abundant watering, as described in step 3 of this article.

Treatment 2 : Insecticides can be applied to tree bark to prevent further attacks. Careful coverage of the branches and main stem is required. This treatment will not kill insects already under the bark. However, this will help prevent new attacks.

Therefore, insecticides against bronze birch borer should only be applied to Class 2 and 3 birch trees.

Depending on the insecticide, it is generally necessary to apply it three times during the spring and summer months: mid-May, mid-June and mid-July.

Pruning dead branches may improve the appearance of the tree, but it is unlikely to help restore the tree and get rid of the bronze birch borer.

The area affected by the narrow-bodied borer is not limited to dry branches. Therefore, in most cases, removing them will not reduce the number of insects already on the tree.

If pruning must be done, it should be done in the fall or winter, as it may attract adult insects in the spring and summer.